Restore VMDK files

[alan_koch]

We are using Backup Exe 2010R3 to backup VMWare 4.1 hosts.  We have the VMware agent loaded as well as the Windows agent loaded into the Guest VMs.  Here is the situation: One of our Guest VMs' C: drive crashed and was damaged so that we could not do a Windows restore to it using the Windows backup.  We decided to restore using the VMware backup.  Because the Guest VM had two drives, C: and D: we tried restoring the VMDK file for C: drive only.  That job failed and said the we needed to click the option to "Delete existing virutal machines prior to restore".  When we clicked that option and resubmitted the job, it deleted both VMDK files for the C: and D: drives and then did a full restore.  We had hoped to save the D: drive data.

My question is this, is it possible to restore only the VMDK file for one specific drive or as in our senario, do we have to restore the whole VM?

Thanks for the help and advice.

[Backup_Exec1]

Hi

With backup exec vmware agent you have an option to restore as file level restore by which you could have been able to restore file on C drive if you have done GRT backup of the virtual machine

But if you restore the entire vmdk then there is no way to customize what are going to restore in that so it will restore the entire vmdk ,you still have the option to restore same ESX host or to different ESX host too

Hope that helps

Thanks

[VJware · Accepted solution]

In such a case, it would better to redirect the restore of the complete VM (with all vmdk's) to a folder (restore as a flat-file) and then copy only the required vmdk to the ESX..

[alan_koch]

I need a little clarification on the 'restore as a flat-file' comment.  I assume that what you mean is that under the Destination/VMware Redirection section you would choose the "Redirect to a folder" option.  Is this correct? 

Can I copy the required VMDK file directly to the ESX and have it recognized by the VM or does some process need to be run to get the VM to recognize the VMDK file?

Thanks.

[Backup_Exec1]

Hi

Can I copy the required VMDK file directly to the ESX and have it recognized by the VM or does some process need to be run to get the VM to recognize the VMDK file?

No you cannot copy it directly ,you would have to use vmware converter  for this. Using vmware converter you can use that vmdk image

Thanks

[alan_koch]

Thanks.