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Custom Symantec Recovery CD

dinesh_goundar
Level 3

Hi,

I am trialling Symantec System Recovery 2011 at the moment and needed some help. This is how I have set up SSR 2011. Server 1 is Windows 2008R2 and has Symantec System Recovery 2011 installed on it. Server 2 has Windows 2008 and Server 3 has Windows 2003. Server 2 and 3 has SSR agents installed and backed up by the installation of SSR on Server 1.

I want to recover the backup of Server 1 onto Server 2 and 3, backup of Server 2 on Server 1 and 3 and backup of Server 3 on Server 1 and 2. So basically I want to test Hardware Independent Restore capabilities. Now my question is how do I go about creating Custom Recovery CDs for these 3 different servers which are on three different hardware? I can create the Custom CD on Server 1 which has SSR2011 installed on it but what about custom CDs for Server 2 and 3? I do not want to have to install SSR2011 on each of them just to create custom CDs.

Your assistance is much appreciated.

 

Regards,

Dinesh

12 REPLIES 12

Markus_Koestler
Moderator
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Have a look at page 37 and 243 of the user's guide --> http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=DOC3911

dinesh_goundar
Level 3

Thanks Marcus,

But I have already seen that. I can create a custom Recovery CD on the server that has SSR 2011 installed. But I want to create one on which only SSR 2011 agent is installed. I have Dell R310 server and have run Validation test which shows that the Recovery CD does not have the network card and the SCSI adapter drivers. I want to add these to a Recovery CD. I have tried copying the driver fies to the server which has SSR2011 installed and adding it but this doesn't work as .INF files are required.

Regards,

Dinesh

Markus_Koestler
Moderator
Moderator
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You need the vista/2008 drivers of your network card, because SSR 2011 is based on Windows PE 2.1. You can then add those drivers when creating the custom SRD.

dinesh_goundar
Level 3

Thanks Markus,

I have already tried that. I have created a custom Recovery CD with both 32bit and 64bit drivers for the NIC and SCSI adapters. And I have run a Driver Validation using the custom CD. The Driver Validation is successful and states that all drivers required for this hardware is in the CD but when I boot off the CD, it is not able to load NIC and SCSI drivers. Its a Dell R310 server. sad

Interestingly, two days back, I ran the Driver Validation from the standard Symantec Recovery CD on a Dell R710 and it was successful. I ran the same validation today on the same hardware (without changing any hardware) and it fails stating the NIC and SCSI drivers are not available. Seems like Symantec System Recovery 2011 is not stable.

I am trialling SSR2011 and am not impressed at all. angry

Markus_Koestler
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP   

Then I'm out of luck, sorry.

dinesh_goundar
Level 3

Anyone has any other ideas? I was hoping some Symantec engineer might respond!

criley
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited

One thing that may be worth checking...

The drivers that you have been adding to the custom SRD; can you just boot off the SRD and then use the option to manually load those drivers? That might give you some clues.

In my experience, you sometimes have to experiment with drivers before you get the one that will work successfully with WinPE.

Hope that helps.

dinesh_goundar
Level 3

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the update. I will try this today and advise.

dinesh_goundar
Level 3

Hi Chris,

 

This doesnt work either. It says that it has successfully loaded the drivers but neither the NIC nor the hard disk show up. I have confirmed that those are the correct drivers and are 32bit.

Why doesnt the SSR Recovery CD have these drivers by default? This is a widely used machine. I have tried using a Recovery CD from another vendor and this worked without a problem.

criley
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited

I have tried using a Recovery CD from another vendor and this worked without a problem.

What version of Windows PE (assuming it is PE based) is this recovery CD using?

If a manual load does not work, this suggests the drivers are not the right ones. Maybe it is worth you speaking to the hardware vendor and explaining what you need (driver that is fully compatible with WinPE 2.1).

dinesh_goundar
Level 3

Hi Chris,

The other vendors Recovery CD is WinPE 2.1 as well. I have checked the drivers that I am adding and those are the correct ones. I have added both x86 and x64 drivers. I have also created custom recovery CD from 2008 x86 version machine and the wizard added all the drivers required (32 bit) and this didnt work either.

I did a driver validation from the custom CD and this was successful yet when i booted off it, the NIC and HD was not available. :(

criley
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited

x64 drivers wont work, they must be x86.

Do you have a support contract with us? If yes, can you open a case for this? I think this needs further investigation.

Can you provide the download link to the drivers that you are using?