SDR Fault

[staningrimsby]

Good Morning, Every month I spend a couple of days checking that the SDR Backup will restore ok onto my spare server, last month everything was fine and worked ok but yesterday I hit a snag the finance server recovered fine but the curric server didn't presenting me with an error message once it had rebooted after recovery. I did not think much about it at the time and thought it may have been the SDR disk so burnt another one and left it recovering overnight, but today I have the same error message as follows; Windows could not parse or process the unattend answer file for pass [specialize]. The setting specified in the answer file cannot be applied. The error was detected while processing setting for component [Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup]. The only thing that has changed to my knowledge in the last month is the BE2012 was removed and reinstalled and the tapes re-cattalogued, I am still using the original SDR image and did noot create a new one as I didn't think I would need to. Does anyone know what the error is and how to get a round it ?? Many Thanks in Advance.

[pkh]

You can still use the image, but you need to point it to the latest .dr file.

[staningrimsby]

Im not sure how you mean there is only one .DR file on the RDX disk, would it not be easier to re-create the image and burn it to another disk ???

[Colin_Weaver]

In your original desciption you mention tapes and now you have mentioned RDX as RDX is not tape are you using both or just getting mixed up because it is still a cartrdge based media?

Can you please describe what yout SDR scenario is - i.e. ar you trying to boot off the SDR DVD and then directly use the data from an RDX cartridge or tape, or are you expecting to boot off the SDR DVD and then connect across the network to the media server? You answers affects whether we use the .DR file or the catalogs

Oh and in the future when re-installing Backup Exec keep copies of the catalogs files and the BEDB so that they can be re-applied after the re-install.

[staningrimsby]

Sorry force of habit calling them tapes they are RDX cartridges, we still have an old email server backing up to LTO 2 tapes :-( On my disaster recovery server I insert the SDR DVD to boot from then the RDX drive is local to that server, never had a problem before and it worked every time, so today I have done another SDR image and burned it to disk then left it running over night so will see if it has worked tomorrow.

[staningrimsby]

OK so just an update I have created the new SDR disk and left it running over night and still the same error message appears, getting a bit fed up with this now as BE2012 says it has done a full SDR backup so why cant I restore it ???

I don't seem to have any of these issues when testing the finance backup and its the same process on the same server. Is there a tutorial for doing a manual restore as the one I have says the following;

1. Install the OS

2. Install BE 2012 into a different location

3. Inventory & catalogue the tapes

4. run through the restore process C drive first then data and finally system state.

But every time I try to do the restore the job fails almost instantly, not happy its getting near Christmas and BE2012 does not seem to be very reliable.

Having said that when the SDR was working I thought it was great I just don't understand whats going on. The problem is as well it takes so long to test I have to leave it over night, I try deselecting the option to restore the entire computer and only do the c-drive but it wont let me all options stay shaded out.

[Colin_Weaver]

Is this server you  are recovering your media server or a remote server.

If a remote server and you are moving the RDX cartridge from wthe backup server to it to do the restore then you should be able to boot off the SDR DVD with the RDX chassis and cartridge already attached.

Then use the manual options to browse to your .DR file and your disk storage folder. You won't be able to use the fully automated options within SDR as these would expect the backup sets to be accessed from the media server over the network.

I have a feeling a similar proces might be needed if you are trying to recover the media server from RDX as well.

EDIT: if this does not help you then I would suggest you log a formal support case.

[staningrimsby]

I am trying to check that the SDR backup to RDX disk of the DC is working by restoring it onto a standalone test server, in the past it has worked fine but recently it just does not work anymore, and like I say it wont even let me choose just the C-Drive so I can test it quicker rather than leaving it over night it seems to be all or nothing.

[staningrimsby]

Case logged !!

[staningrimsby]

OK I have an update, I have just installed SP3 on my 2008 R2 DC and after rebooting the server went into BE to check all was ok, when I went into test\edit credentials everything passes fine except for 2 devices. On closer inspection its testing against the following; 1. C (OS) 2. D (RDX Drive) 3. E (Images Drive) 4. F (Data Drive) 5. System State They all pass ok but then it fails against drives H & K which have the same icon as my RDX drive but they do not show up in BE or in Device or Disk Management in Windows, I am wondering if these 2 rouge disk storage devices are what is upsetting my SDR. Is there anyway in BE 2012 to delete these to eliminate this issue.