Restoring using BE 8.6 to a W2K Server

[Ryan_D]

Hi, I am trying to restore from a backup tape an existing Domain Controller server onto a new server using BackupExec 8.6. The backup tape contains a full backup that runs nightly. This new server is not connected any network. We are only doing this to test what would happen in a real Disaster Recovery scenario.

Both servers are using the same OS, Windows 2000 Server. And both are using the same version of BE. And I want the new server to run on the same Exchange version, 2000. However, I haven't installed Exchange Server onto this new server yet.

I saw several postings regarding restores on both this forum and also from the TechNotes, but none of the solutions worked.

The current procedure I'm attempting to do is a combination of Technotes 236240 and 236661. This is exactly what I did:

1. Partitioned a new hard drive and installed W2K Server. I did not join it to a domain, the new server has the same computer name, and I didn't install Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange, and SQL Server. I just did the basic W2K Server setup during installation.
2. Installed BackupExec 8.6.
3. Inventoried and Catalogued the backup tape.
4. Restarted the new server in Directory Services Restore Mode and logged on as the Administrator.
5. Stopped all of the BackupExec services.
6. Changed the Logons for all BE services to Local System account.
7. Started all BE services.
8. Then I opened up the BE browser and selected all selections from the Restore Selections tab (Exchange Mailboxes, Information Store, System State, SQL Server, C, and M).
9. When I looked at the right panel on this tab, I verified that all selections showed data from the backup tape (except for the M selection which said Selection Not Found). The Catalog was successful.
10. Then I clicked on the Restore button and filled it out according to 236240. This meant choosing Restore Security and Preserve Tree from the General tab, Restore over existing files from Advanced tab, and When Restoring SYSVOL in System State, mark this domain controller as the primary arbitrator from the Windows 2000 tab.
11. Finally I ran this job. But the only selection that successfully restored was the C drive. All other selections in the Log said "Unable to Attach to ... The item was not found."

What am I doing wrong? The only things I can think of:
1. Finish going through the W2K Server setup and just deselect the options to install SQL Server, AD, and Exchange.
2. Install Exchange before doing restore.
3. Try restoring only the System State first. Then restore the other selections in a separate job.

[Ken_Putnam]

I think you've hit it on the last option.

When you run the restore, the SQL and Exchange restores fail because the programs are not fully installed and running.

Restore the system state, boot, and SQL and Exchange servers should be running, then do your database restores.

The other way, if this is a "planned" restore rather than true disaster recovery is to shut down Exchange and SQL (and all other non-essential services), and get a "cold" backup..

Then when you do your System state restore, your system should come back up exactly as it was when the backup was taken.


Also, DO NOT do a Mailbox restore in this situation. You will remove all the advantages of single-instance storage. Just restore the IS

[Ryan_D]

I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying?

1. Restore system state in Directory Services Restore Mode
2. Reboot into normal mode
3. Install SQL and Exchange
4. Restore everything else.

[Ken_Putnam]

Nope.

If 1) succeeds, there is no reason to do 3).

But 1) DOES need to succeed before you can restore SQL and/or Exchange

[Ryan_D]

I tried doing this and my computer got locked up.
1. Installed Windows Server 2000 and discontinued setup after first restart. This means I didn't install SQL Server, Exchange, or AD. It is not part of any domain.
2. Installed BE 8.6.
3. Inventoried and Catalogued the tape.
4. Restarted the server in Directory Services Restore Mode.
5. Restored ONLY the System State.
6. Then it asked me to restart the computer, so I did.
7. After starting the Windows bootup screen, the blue screen of death appeared with the message:
"STOP: 0000007B ... INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
If this is the first time you've seen this error, restart your computer..."

Every time I restart my computer I get this same blue screen, regardless of what I do.

What should I try next?

[Ken_Putnam]

Is the hardware the same?
Number of partitions, (including a manufacturer prtition)
same SCSI controller?

[Ryan_D]

Ken, this problem is the same as what is described in my other thread "Restoring system state." I believe in that one I described the hardware details. They are not the same hardware, but the new server has more hard drive space although it's an IDE single drive and the original server is on 3 SCSI drives (RAID-5). The new server is a Dell and the original is a Compaq. Does this help?

[Ken_Putnam]

that's the problem, them

The boot.ini file is looking for a particular partition on a SCSI drive, and allit can find is single IDE Drive.

About all that you can do if you know about this ahead of time is edit the boot.ini file to add an entry that would point to the single IDE drive. Then during the restart, select that option rathter than the default SCSI setup.

You might be able to enter recovery mode and edit the bot.ini file for the current restore.

[Ryan_D]

Hi,

It is still giving me the same inaccessible boot device error. I entered the Recovery Console after restoring the System State, but the boot.ini file was unchanged. Do you know what other files may have changed after doing this restore operation?

I did ran the Emergency Repair Wizard to backup the system before restoring the System State, which made backup copies of config.nt and autoexec.nt. Then after restoring the System State and restarting the computer I again entered the Recovery Console and copied these two files to C:\WINNT\system32, but the computer still gives the same inaccessible boot device error and won't start Windows.

I started to do a Backup of the System State, but this was going to be 500 MB and I wasn't sure if this would override some of the needed files from the Restore operation. Is it possible to do this with an IDE drive or do we have to purchase an identical SCSI drive like what we have on the original server? Thanks.

[Ken_Putnam]

Here is the line from my boot file for an IDE drive.


multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect

This points to the first partition on the first (and only) IDE drive in my system. use the recovery console to add something like this to the (restored) boot.ini file and select that when the system boots

if that doesn't work, you're probably SOL. and even if it boots, things may be flakey at best.

As I said earlier. IDR is meant to be done on the same or a very close approximation of the same hardware.

[Ryan_D]

This is exactly how my boot file looks, but it still gives me this messgae and won't boot into windows. This is Backup 8.6. I am not using the IDR feature. What else could be causing the inaccessible boot device error other than the boot.ini?

I know you have to have the same hardware for IDR, but I didn't realize you need same hardware for normal restore operation. I am able to restore all C drive files to this hardware, but not the System State.

[Ken_Putnam]

If your original system was on SCSI drives the boot.ini file should look like

Scsi(W)disk(X)rdisk(Y)partition(Z)\%systemroot%

rather than

Multi(W)disk(X)rdisk(Y)partition(Z)\%systemroot%

which is what you say you have (ie SCSI rather than Multi as teh first identifier)

[Ryan_D]

I know that it's a SCSI drive on the original system, but the boot.ini file says multi disk. Are you sure that the SCSI drive reads from this file or does it read from some other file to boot?

[Ken_Putnam]

My age is showing. the following excerpt from MS Knowledge base says it is valid for ATAPI and SCSI

Multi Syntax

This form of the ARC pathname is referred to as Multi. On Microsoft® Windows NT® version 3.1, Multi syntax was only valid for Integrated Device Electronics (IDE), Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics (EIDE), and Enhanced Small Device Interface (ESDI) disks. In Microsoft® Windows NT® version 3.5 and later (including Windows 2000), it is also valid for small computer system interface (SCSI) disks. It is not used with Windows 95 or Windows 98.

The Multi syntax instructs Windows 2000 Professional to rely on the system BIOS to load system files. This means that Ntldr is using interrupt (INT) 13 BIOS calls to find and load Ntoskrnl.exe and any other files it needs to start the system.


But it does bring up another point. the new hardware doesn't block INT13 calls for some strange reason, does it?