Need help - restoring DC from tape

[vbsaust]

Hi All,

All servers have gone, but we still have backup tape. What should I do to restore a DC from backup tape? please.
My action plan:

1. Build a server: install windows 2003 server
2. Install Backup exec 12.5 on this server.
3. Promote to a DC.
4. Restore system state from the most recent backup tape.

Since I have never done any restoration from a scratch, if you could point/ or tell me any more info/ web that would be much appreciated
Thanks in advance.

Kind Regards

[CraigV]

Here are some articles to go through:

http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/236661.htm <-- Non-authoritative restore.

http://support.veritas.com/docs/235160 <--Authoritative restore

http://www.backupexecfaq.com/articles/using/performing-a-remote-authoritative-disaster-recovery.html

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216993

[vbsaust]

Thank you Craig for your help and all links that I have been reading through.
However, it does not support to restore a domain controller on totally different machine (hard drive).
I've also read http://support.microsoft.com/kb/249694
I was hoping that with a third party software such as backup exec 12.5 could overcome this.

Is there any ways to achieve this goal with BE 12.5 i.e. restoring a system state backup  from a (dead) DC to another computer that totally different make, model? 
Unfortunately, as I mentioned earlier all servers have gone so I don't have second DC nor first DC.

Thanks and Regards,

[CraigV]

If you're just wanting to restore to a HDD, you can use a folder redirection. This should restore your system state to a *.bfk file, and you can then do what you want with it.

[vbsaust]

Hi Craig,

Thanks again. But if you could explain a bit more, that would be great.

Regards