SSR / Windows SBS 2011 Restore Problem

[dazellerington]

Dear All,

I am doing a 'dummy run' restore to a new server (totally different hardware)

I've run through the recovery process and the OS has successfully recovered from recovery point stored on USB drive. It went through the windows setup process on first time boot and now presented me with a normal SBS login screen. I note that it tried to autologin so I assume it has not finished yet.

Problem is, it won't accept the administrator password or any other user/password combination: username or password incorrect.

The Administrator account is enabled and I use it all the time.

A couple of notes:
1. The network drivers did not install during recovery as it asked for them but previous dummy runs revealed it crashed if I pointed it to the network driver. It asked for the SATA raid driver and installed okay.

2. I've booted into the SBS install disc, got a command prompt and copied cmd.exe over utilman.exe so I can get a prompt by clicking the accessibility button on the login screen. - cheeky. So I have tried net user Adminsitrator NewPassword123 and also trying with the /DOMAIN option.

Even if I change it using net user, the login screen just refuses anything!

Can anyone help. It's sooo close :)
And it would be fantastic if it will restore and I don't have to re-install everything
After all, it's what I bought SSR for...

Best regards,

Darren.

[dazellerington]

Update on this:

1. I can login in safe mode okay with my administrator account

2. I've now installed the network card drivers ok (from safe mode).

Any help ??

With thanks.

Darren.

[Andreas_Horlach]

First, verify the new hardware: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg491249.aspx

This original server was a domain controller? If so, try booting into DSRM mode, go to your Device Manager and enable viewing non-present devices (click View > Show Hidden Devices), then remove the NIC, if present. Click the Refresh button and allow the new NIC to detect. After the new NIC detects and installs, open the SBS 2011 console and run the Fix My Network wizard and follow any instructions to resolve the issues. From another forum post, a user mentioned that original SBS administrator account created when SBS 2011 was installed syncs with the DSRM account. However, if that SBS administrator password changed, DSRM password does not, so you will likely need to know the original username\password.  

Check the event logs to ensure that the AD services are starting. Because this is completely different hardware, and because you are running SBS 2011, I don't believe DCPROMO will work to promote this to a DC again. You will likely have to use the wizard. 

[dazellerington]

Dear Andy,

Thanks.

I went to DSRM mode and logged in as .\Administrator and the original password OK. I did fix my network and it reported nothing useful except none static IP.

No, Directory services are not running according to lots of failed services' event logs.

Reboot and I stil can't login 'normally'

What can I do now? 

Best regards,

Darren

[Andreas_Horlach]

While in safe mode, can you create a new administrator level account and password, and try that on reboot? I'm wondering if there is something with the cached password. 

The below steps are from an email a customer sent to me that was having a similar issue. Restart the restore from the recovery disk. Only, follow these steps after you boot into the Recovery DIsk. To ensure you are using the latest recovery disk, log into FileConnect.symantec.com and use your serial number (not SSR license key) to log in. If you've lost that, you can download the trial version of SSR 2013, which contains the latest recovery disk (https://www4.symantec.com/Vrt/offer?a_id=88724). 

1. Select Analyze 
2. Unplug the USB device so we do not erase the current backup image file. 
3. Open the command prompt and type “Diskpart” 
4. Type “List disk” 
5. Take note of which drive is the destination you are going to. You should be able to tell by the size. 
6. Type “select disk [disk number] 
7. Type “clean” press enter. 
8. When done, type exit 
9. Click Recover my Computer. 
10. View Recovery Point by filename. 

11. Click Browse. 
12. Select the system reserved partition, then click next.
13. Select the disk you need to initialize, then click ok. 
14. Click Edit 
15. For the System Reserved(OS) Partitions Make sure the following options are selected 
Restore the original disk signature 
Set drive active for booting OS 
Restore Master boot record 
Check for file system errors after recovery. 
16. Hold shift down, and click use restore anywhere, uncheck all options here, then click ok. 
17. Let it finish the recovery of the system partition without rebooting. 
18. Click recover my computer again select by filename and select the image of the C: drive. 
19. Shift click use restore anywhere, unchecking all options here. 
20. Click Edit make sure we have everything unchecked here then click ok run the restore making sure we do not reboot. 
21. Do the same steps for any other volumes, with the only option selected on the additional drives is restore original disk signature. 
23. Run the restores without rebooting.
24. After all drives have been restored, click utilities and run the support tool, changing the output path to a USB flash drive or network drive. These are the restore logs.
25. Restart the server and see if this makes a difference

[Andreas_Horlach]

I also found this that might help: http://www.howtogeek.com/106333/how-to-reset-your-forgotten-domain-admin-password-on-server-2008-r2/

[bsanford]

I am experiencing the same issues on a SBS2003 restore. None of the suggestions above corected the problem.

Just curious if there was a known resolution to this issue.

Thanks!