Restore System State to a different location

[Karl_Burbage]

I am trying to simulate a DR where the original hardware is not available. I understand that I can create a new AD server from a System State of another server. To do this I need restore the system state files to an alternative folder first, then run dcpromo /adv and point to the folder.

I can restore the system state to an alternative folder on by backup server using ntbackup.exe, but when I try to perform a redirected restore of the System State from the Shadow Copy selection in the 'Restore' tab, I get the following error...

Job ended: 13 February 2006 at 16:58:15
Completed status: Failed
Final error: 0xe000848c - Unable to attach to a resource. Make sure that all selected resources exist and are online, and then try again.
Final error category: Resource Errors

For additional information regarding this error refer to link V-79-57344-33932

I have read V-79-57344-33932 but it doesn't describe my circumstances. I am trying to restore the files to an alternative folder on the same server so they can be copied to another server and accessed with dcpromo /adv.

Could anyone please give me any ideas on how to solve this problem?


Many thanks in advance

[Karl_Burbage]

To suppliment my query above, I would like to add...

My AD Domain Controller is a Windows 2003 STD Server.

I backup the AD server's Shadow Copy Components remotely from a backup server running Windows 2000 Pro with Backup Exec v10.

On my backup server I have a RESTORE folder on a seperate partition that I am trying to restore to.

I can restore the System State from a different Windows 2003 member server that does not have AD.

Many thanks

[ray_littlefie1]

I'd recommend a sanity check because it should work with no problem.

Please try the redirected system state restore again, only before selecting the System state object, select a random file from the C:\ drive (some small log file) from the same backup date as the System State.....

[Karl_Burbage]

Thank you for your mail.

This AD DC server was an 'Windows NT4 Server' that was upgraded to 'Windows 2003 Server', hence the references to 'WINNT'.

I can confirm that if I select the 'DNS' and 'dhcp' folders from 'WINNT\System32' folder, I am able to redirect a restore to the local 'RESTORE' folder.

One thing I must add is that I am only backing up the contents of the 'Shadow Copy Components' and the 'DNS and 'dhcp' folders mentioned earlier.

Would the problem be my not selecting the rest of the folders in the system partition?

[ray_littlefie1]

If you backup just the System state, you should be able to restore it. How are the System State Backups for this DC? Can you check a recent job log (need to expand all the details) and verify you are backing up several shadow copy components, and that the byte size of the system state is substantial (~500-1.5GB depending on policies and environment)

[Karl_Burbage]

Thank you for the reply, I have taken the liberty of pasting the entire server log below...

Server - ADDCservername
AOFO: Initialization failure on: "E:". Advanced Open File Option used: VERITAS Volume Snapshot Provider (VSP).
Snapshot provider error (0xE0008523): VERITAS Volume Snapshot Provider (VSP) cannot snap the specified volume. Restart the target computer, and then run the job again.

Check the Windows Event Viewer for details.
Note: Backup Exec did not perform a snapshot of all volumes simultaneously because the option 'Process logical volumes for backup one at a time' was selected as a backup job property.
Network control connection is established between LOCAL_IP_address38:2063 <--> LOCAL_IP_address22:10000
Network data connection is established between LOCAL_IP_address38:2068 <--> LOCAL_IP_address22:2650
Set Information - \\ADDCservername\E:
Backup Set Information
Family Name: "Media created 10/02/2006 20:00:02"
Backup of "\\ADDCservername\E: "
Backup set #26 on storage media #116
Backup set description: "FRIDAY SERVERS"
Backup Type: Full - Back Up Files - Reset Archive Bit

Backup started on 11/02/2006 at 05:22:02.
Backup Set Detail Information
Drive and media mount requested: 11/02/2006 05:23:55
Drive and media information from media mount: 11/02/2006 05:23:57
Drive Name: SERVER FRIDAY
Media Label: B2D000685
Media GUID: {dfb29615-728d-46d3-ad75-ed16c853ede0}
Overwrite Protected Until: 01/01/1900 00:00:00
Appendable Until: 01/01/1900 00:00:00
Targeted Media Set Name: HDISK-SERVERS
Backup set #26 on storage media #117

Backup completed on 11/02/2006 at 05:25:01.
Backup Set Summary
Backed up 1 file in 2 directories.
Processed 2,487,354,840 bytes in 2 minutes and 57 seconds.
Throughput rate: 804 MB/min

AOFO: Started for resource: "\\ADDCservername\Shadow?Copy?Components". Advanced Open File Option used: Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).
The following volumes are dependent on resource: "C:" .
The snapshot provider used by VSS for volume C: - Microsoft Software Shadow Copy provider 1.0 (Version 1.0.0.7).
Note: Backup Exec did not perform a snapshot of all volumes simultaneously because the option 'Process logical volumes for backup one at a time' was selected as a backup job property.
Network control connection is established between LOCAL_IP_address38:2063 <--> LOCAL_IP_address22:10000
Network data connection is established between LOCAL_IP_address38:2071 <--> LOCAL_IP_address22:2656
Set Information - \\ADDCservername\Shadow?Copy?Components
\\ADDCservername\Shadow?Copy?Components
Backup Set Information
Family Name: "Media created 10/02/2006 20:00:02"
Backup of "\\ADDCservername\Shadow?Copy?Components \\ADDCservername\Shadow?Copy?Components"
Backup set #27 on storage media #117
Backup set description: "FRIDAY SERVERS"
Backup Type: Full - Back Up Files - Reset Archive Bit

Backup started on 11/02/2006 at 05:25:19.
Backup Set Detail Information
Drive and media mount requested: 11/02/2006 05:29:32
Drive and media information from media mount: 11/02/2006 05:29:36
Drive Name: SERVER FRIDAY
Media Label: B2D001262
Media GUID: {de5cc4a8-8ab1-48f1-8a9f-e24707870593}
Overwrite Protected Until: 01/01/1900 00:00:00
Appendable Until: 01/01/1900 00:00:00
Targeted Media Set Name: HDISK-SERVERS
Backup set #27 on storage media #118

Backup completed on 11/02/2006 at 05:29:46.
Backup Set Summary
Backed up 8 Shadow Copy Writers
Backed up 8 Shadow Copy Components
Processed 1,254,239,522 bytes in 4 minutes and 23 seconds.
Throughput rate: 273 MB/min

Job Completion Status
Job ended: 11 February 2006 at 05:29:46
Completed status: Completed with exceptions

Errors
Click an error below to locate it in the job log
Backup- ADDCservernameAOFO: Initialization failure on: "E:". Advanced Open File Option used: VERITAS Volume Snapshot Provider (VSP).
Snapshot provider error (0xE0008523): VERITAS Volume Snapshot Provider (VSP) cannot snap the specified volume. Restart the target computer, and then run the job again.
Check the Windows Event Viewer for details.

[Karl_Burbage]

Could anyone please confirm that I should be able to restore the Shadow Copy Components to an alternative folder, rather than restore back to the original server and location?

Cheers

[ray_littlefie1]

It should work with no problems. I have redirected the sys state to retrieve logon scripts, and to perform authoratative restores several times.

Your backup log seems to indicate the sys state is getting backed up correctly, so it's a peculiar problem. Is your SysVol on a different partition? My thought process is that some of the sys state data is located on different partitions, and during the redirected restore, it wants to expand that data out to different partitions as well; only it can't because those resources don't exist on your redirected location.

This is only a guess. Do you know how to enable debug logging from beutility.exe? Perhaps if you enabled logging on the local remote agent, it might provide more information as to what is going on in your situation.

[Karl_Burbage]

Thank you for the reply, I will look in to your suggestion. I asked the question about Shadow Copy Components, because it has been suggested to me that the I wouldn't be able to perform a re-direct - and this was from someone who promotes Backup Exec! It has been suggested that I will not be able to restore the to an alternative location, other than an 'online' restore, i.e. restore back to the original location.

Cheers

[Karl_Burbage]

Further to my posts above, I notice that with Windows 2000 servers, I see System State as a selection option, but on Windows 2003 servers I only see Shadow Copy Componets, is this normal?

[ray_littlefie1]

On W2k3 servers, System State is a subcomponent of Shadow Copy Components. You should be expanding the Shadow Copy Components and selecting only the System State for redirection.

[Karl_Burbage]

Thanks, I can confirm I have tried only selecting the System State as well as all the components.

Cheers

[Rucha_Abhyankar]

Hello Karl,

Please keep us updated on the same.


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[Karl_Burbage]

I am still trying and will report once I have made any progress. I have tried to restore the 'Shadow Copy Components/System State' to another folder from a different Active Directory Domain Controler (ADDC) and I get the same problem, so it is consistent with ADDCs. It is OK with member servers.

I'm wondering if Backup Exec just doesnt allow this to happen on ADDCs.

Thanks

Karl

[Amruta_Bhide]

Hello,

We apologise for the delay in responding. Could you please Update us on the latest State of the issue?

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Note : If we do not receive your reply within two business days, this post would be marked �assumed answered� and would be moved to �answered questions� pool.


Thanks.

[Karl_Burbage]

I can confirm that the problem remains unanswered.