Restore: Media mount failed

[ksdst1]

Hi all,

I am getting a "media mount failed" error message when I attempt a resotre from an old LTO4 tape using BE2012 on a new server.  This backup tape was created with another retired server configureation that was upgraded to BE2012 before retiring.  I copied those catalog files to my new server, create the restore job by picking the data I want to restore from the inventoried tape.  It goes through the tape for over an hour and then finishes with the error below.  I am not sure what "physical volume library media" it is looking for or what the GUID refers to.  Any ideas of what the error indicates would be appreciated.

(Directory \\IMM-SRV-01.domain.nt.xxx.edu\D:\)
Directory \\IMM-SRV-01.domain.nt.xxx.edu\D:\Shared Folders

Drive and media mount requested: 3/13/2013 11:42:31 AM
Media mount failed.
Invalid Physical Volume Library Media Identifier.

Media GUID: {4E620B1E-888E-42D8-8E21-BC7734C4D481}

Restore completed on 3/13/2013 at 11:42:32 AM.

Restore Set Summary
Restored 0 files in 2 directories. Processed 260 bytes in 1 hour, 15 minutes, and 37 seconds. Throughput rate: 0.000 MB/min

[dfeifer]

Personally I would have done an inventory and catalog job on the tapes instead of copying the catalog over. 

The media id is basically the serial number of the tape that is associated to what ever bar code you have labeled it with. If you go to storage and then select properties of that specific tape you should see the same media ID. 

A few years ago I did a server move as well and had quite a few issues between the database and catalogs. I ended up scrubbing it and installing everything fresh and then doing the inventory and catalog thing. Everything has worked great since though now i am having drive issues. Can't believe the cost on these things. I bought a dell server for less then they want for them.

[ksdst1]

Thanks for the reply.  

I forgot to mention that I can't catalog the tapes b/c they originally had a media (not encryption) password set by my predecessor and he doesn't remember it.  Not wanting to spend time on this point b/c i have already spent way to much.

I'd like to work with what I have now but since I can inventory the tape and it finds the coorestponding catalog to show me its original file structure for that backup, I don't know what other "fixed media" it is getting hung up on.

ps...both old and new server configs only used a stand alone LTO4 tape unit and not a library where bar codes where assigned.

[dfeifer]

Unfortunately the password may be the issue if you are using a backup exec version higher then 11d. The only option I can think of is to posibly restore the old server to a vm or other spare machine and then remove the password that way. Of course I am not sure if it would ask you to enter the password first before removal. I'v never used the encryption option. From what I get from the information If you are creating a restore job, on the older version there would have been a password entry option somewhere in the job settings. Of course I am also assuming that you are on a newer or current version of backup exec. otherwise most of this is probably null and void. 

Sniped these from some previous posts.

Colin WeaverSYMANTEC EMPLOYEETECHNICAL SUPPORTACCREDITED

15 Sep 2009 : Link

 Prior to Backup Exec version 11D, Backup Exec used media passwords instead on encryption. These passwords were set (at the time) via a setting in the Media section of the job properties and are required to catalog the media. Note if you attempt to catalog a password protected tape with a current version of Backup Exec and that tape was written with an older version of Backup Exec, then you can catalog as long as you know the password and define it in the catalog job properties.

Now for the tricky bit - if you upgrade a server from earlier versions of Backup Exec where media passwords were configured in the jobs, then these passwords remain in the jobs and remain applied to new tapes as well. Problem with this is that the password settings option is no longer visible in the media tab for you to remove it or change it - this is because of the move to encryption that is configured in the security section and uses different background processes.

Solution for jobs going forwards is to recreate all your jobs (I think it is just the job that needs recreating, the selection list itself if probably OK)

BTW the way the password encoding works is that no algorithm exists to decode your current password - the software encodes the password when you first type it in, and then encodes the password again when a catalog job is created - and it compares two encoded versions so there was no reason to ever decode. As such I hope your previous admin either stored the password in a firesafe (recommended practice) or is still contactable so that you can ask him/her if you need to restore from current tapes.

Important Note: Password protecting a tape is a non-reversible action. If the password is misplaced, the data on the tape will be irretrievable by Backup Exec, without exception.

IMPORTANT: It is important to have the password available for future restores of data being backed up using upgraded password protected jobs.  Without this password and the catalog information, data on password protected media is unrecoverable.

[dfeifer]

oh, and just an addendum..

Cause

When catalogs are copied to a media server that has not used or inventoried the media in question, the media information is not present in the Backup Exec Advanced Device and Media Management (ADAMM) database, and the restore job will fail due to it referencing a media ID that is unknown.

Solution

1)Run an inventory operation that will allow the ADAMM database to be updated with the media ID information (Figure 2 and Figure 3).

so.. perhaps this may work.

[ksdst1]

Hey Colin....that is very clear, concise and spot on information that took me ages to figure out by combing tech notes and calling enterprise support in india (mainly by combing the tech notes myself).  Wish I had your feedback before.  So the previous administrator does not remember what password he used as I stated. 

You may have missed that above but this is why I'd rather not rehash the "media password" issue, but focus on working with the original catalogs retained through the upgrade process on the original server from 10d, 11d, etc to 2012.

If you look at the above error message, the restore seems to recognize the old tape fine using it's imported cooresponding catalog file and actually restores the old share directory that my requested data was in, but then can't mount "Media GUID: {4E620B1E-888E-42D8-8E21-BC7734C4D481}"  which is not the GUID of the tape.  I don't know how interpret the error msgs or track down what media device corresponds to this Media GUID but all of the error messages seem to address a B2D drive??  I don't know exactly what is causing the problem in the process.  Is there a way to get more information (log file, etc) about the error codes?  

tnx...