Restore to Original OS from Alternate (Parallel) OS

[Jeffrey_Walton]

Hi All,

I have a Dell 2650 that is dead. It appears a failed UPS coupled with dirty power has corrupted the original OS install. I can't get in to the recovery console. I can't get my sysadmin tools to work on password recovery because there a no DOS PERC drivers.

I was able to load another instance of the OS (in \WINNTNEW). \WINNTNEW is sharing a lot of things with \WINNT.

If I load BUE 9.1 onto the new OS (rather than Program Files, using a folder in \WINNTNEW), can I perform a restore to the dead OS? I'm concerned with SystemState.

Has anyone had any luck with this?

Thanks,
Jeff

[Martin_Dettbarn]

It should be alright. The system state data will be out of data and will replicate with the other DCs once it contacts them. It will not start replicating the old data.

Definitely read over the MS white papers on disaster recovery with AD though just to get an idea of possible issues or recommended methods.

I lost a DC the other day (2 drives failed in my raid 5 array within a day!!) It was the file server for our branch office. I was down for a day in that office, and decided that I would remove all traces of that server in AD via ntdsutil and adsiedit. I then just did a reinstall of the OS, joined the domain (same computer name) and ran DC Promo to get it back up as a DC. The ms whitepaper I read covered this option as well, for me it was a good choice as we had no sql or exchange on the box. Once the it was up and running, we just installed BE 9.1 and restored the user data.

If I had SQL and other apps woven into the OS, then I'd have given more thought towards a parallel restore.

Good luck! but read that AD disaster whitepaper first!

[Jeffrey_Walton]

Hi Martin,

Luckily (???), this is not a DC. Its a 2000 member server with SQL abd about 15 other apps.

I've never had much luck bringing a dead OS back to life from tape. I'm hoping that by 'unmounting' the origianal OS we may have a better shot.

Jeff