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Question

Bare-metal restore from agent backup managed by VBR fail

S
Userlevel 3

Hello all,

I’m trying to validate bare-metal recovery of a physical Windows 2019 server.

It is backed up by an Agent job in my VBR server (v11a, latest patch), with the agent installed on the host in version 5.0.3.4708. Backup works fine, file-level restore from VBR in the Windows system too.

I wanted to test the “worst case scenario”, so I copied the backup files on a USB drive, created recovery media from VBR, and tried to restore on a different server (different hardware). Boot media works, but when choosing backup file, I am blocked d by the message :

“Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows is unable to open backup files created by Veeam Backup & Replication”

It looks like the post below, but as everything was recently installed and up to date, I dont know …

Am I missing something obvious ?

Any help would be really appreciated.

Regards.

27 comments

Chris.Childerhose
Userlevel 7
Badge +20

Next try. Created a repository for usb drives like on the original place, imported the backup copy and now i can choose the machine for bare metal recovery and the restore works!

 

 

 

Good to hear you were able to resolve this and needing access to the files is needed.

Chris Childerhose - VMCA2022 | VMCE2023 | Veeam Vanguard 7* | Veeam Legend 3* | vExpert 5* | VCAP-DCV/VCP-DCV | Object First Ace | Cisco Champion | Twitter: @cchilderhose | Blog Site – https://just-virtualization.tech
regnor
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

Next try. Created a repository for usb drives like on the original place, imported the backup copy and now i can choose the machine for bare metal recovery and the restore works!

Good to hear that you solved this one. You were right that you need to create a repository to access the files. My suggestion to import them was a bit unclear.

Max M. | Systems Engineer @Veeam | VMCE/VMCA | former Legend & Vanguard
G
Userlevel 2

Next try. Created a repository for usb drives like on the original place, imported the backup copy and now i can choose the machine for bare metal recovery and the restore works!

 

 

 

G
Userlevel 2

Hm, i tried the following. Import the Backup Copy to my Veeam Server Repository, started the bare metal machine with veeam usb stick, and choose bare metal recovery from my veeam server repository. There are all machines available for restore but not the imported backup copy.

So, backup copy can’t be used for a system restore? Or am i missing something?

S
Userlevel 3

OK, thanks for these response, I also used the data (complete backup chain) from a backup copy job.

I will try to use original backup repo data and give you a feedback.

regnor
Userlevel 7
Badge +14

I would take the data from the primary job…

The format of the copy jobs is slightly different.

 

but i just wanted to test a ransomware scenario, with only backup copy on usb drives are available for restore..

 

The Veeam agent and it's recovery media cannot access backup copies directly. You need to access those through a Veeam Backup repository. So in case of a DR, you would have to install a fresh VBR server, import the backup files and then connect the recovery media to this VBR server.

Max M. | Systems Engineer @Veeam | VMCE/VMCA | former Legend & Vanguard
Chris.Childerhose
Userlevel 7
Badge +20

I would take the data from the primary job…

The format of the copy jobs is slightly different.

Agreed with Joe here on this one.

Chris Childerhose - VMCA2022 | VMCE2023 | Veeam Vanguard 7* | Veeam Legend 3* | vExpert 5* | VCAP-DCV/VCP-DCV | Object First Ace | Cisco Champion | Twitter: @cchilderhose | Blog Site – https://just-virtualization.tech
G
Userlevel 2

I would take the data from the primary job…

The format of the copy jobs is slightly different.

 

but i just wanted to test a ransomware scenario, with only backup copy on usb drives are available for restore..

 

marcofabbri
Userlevel 7
Badge +13

I know this link is for Agent v6.0 but did you select the option for the files on the network and then point it to the VBR server rather than copying the files to a USB disk and using that?  Just wondering if both methods were tried?

How to Perform Bare Metal Recovery - Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Guide

Step 6 shows selecting network location.

 

The server is on a different place/network. So i just copied the backup files to usb drive, bring it to our company and want to test a bare metal recovery..

Ok - so then when you copied the files to the USB drive did you copy all files - VBM, VBK, VIB for the entire backup chain?  If you are missing files in the chain that might be possibly why it cannot read the files properly.  Something to check and make sure.

 

To be more detaild, i have a backup copy job to a usb drive. This usb drive was cloned, so i think i got all files.

But maybe the copy job is the problem in this scenario?

Backup copy job produce a forever incremental, it's possible that got corrupted. Have you select the Health check guard (weekly or how you prefer)?

And have you tried to copy vbks directly from the original source? And here, you have a Synthetic with Check guard or a full weekly or monthly?

Backups are like pizza, I love them. | Linkedin: @marco-fabbri-it
JMeixner
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

I would take the data from the primary job…

The format of the copy jobs is slightly different.

Jochen (Joe) Meixner | Veeam Vanguard 2024 | Veeam Legend 2021 - 2023 | Veeam Certified Architect (VMCA) 2022 | Twitter: @JoMeix | BlueSky: @jmeixner.bsky.social
G
Userlevel 2

I know this link is for Agent v6.0 but did you select the option for the files on the network and then point it to the VBR server rather than copying the files to a USB disk and using that?  Just wondering if both methods were tried?

How to Perform Bare Metal Recovery - Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Guide

Step 6 shows selecting network location.

 

The server is on a different place/network. So i just copied the backup files to usb drive, bring it to our company and want to test a bare metal recovery..

Ok - so then when you copied the files to the USB drive did you copy all files - VBM, VBK, VIB for the entire backup chain?  If you are missing files in the chain that might be possibly why it cannot read the files properly.  Something to check and make sure.

 

To be more detaild, i have a backup copy job to a usb drive. This usb drive was cloned, so i think i got all files.

But maybe the copy job is the problem in this scenario?

marcofabbri
Userlevel 7
Badge +13

I know this link is for Agent v6.0 but did you select the option for the files on the network and then point it to the VBR server rather than copying the files to a USB disk and using that?  Just wondering if both methods were tried?

How to Perform Bare Metal Recovery - Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Guide

Step 6 shows selecting network location.

 

The server is on a different place/network. So i just copied the backup files to usb drive, bring it to our company and want to test a bare metal recovery..

Ok - so then when you copied the files to the USB drive did you copy all files - VBM, VBK, VIB for the entire backup chain?  If you are missing files in the chain that might be possibly why it cannot read the files properly.  Something to check and make sure.

This too is super important.

Backups are like pizza, I love them. | Linkedin: @marco-fabbri-it
marcofabbri
Userlevel 7
Badge +13

Managed by Backup Server

Ok, but you tried a recovery media created directly from the agent itself?

Backups are like pizza, I love them. | Linkedin: @marco-fabbri-it
Chris.Childerhose
Userlevel 7
Badge +20

I know this link is for Agent v6.0 but did you select the option for the files on the network and then point it to the VBR server rather than copying the files to a USB disk and using that?  Just wondering if both methods were tried?

How to Perform Bare Metal Recovery - Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Guide

Step 6 shows selecting network location.

 

The server is on a different place/network. So i just copied the backup files to usb drive, bring it to our company and want to test a bare metal recovery..

Ok - so then when you copied the files to the USB drive did you copy all files - VBM, VBK, VIB for the entire backup chain?  If you are missing files in the chain that might be possibly why it cannot read the files properly.  Something to check and make sure.

Chris Childerhose - VMCA2022 | VMCE2023 | Veeam Vanguard 7* | Veeam Legend 3* | vExpert 5* | VCAP-DCV/VCP-DCV | Object First Ace | Cisco Champion | Twitter: @cchilderhose | Blog Site – https://just-virtualization.tech
G
Userlevel 2

I know this link is for Agent v6.0 but did you select the option for the files on the network and then point it to the VBR server rather than copying the files to a USB disk and using that?  Just wondering if both methods were tried?

How to Perform Bare Metal Recovery - Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Guide

Step 6 shows selecting network location.

 

The server is on a different place/network. So i just copied the backup files to usb drive, bring it to our company and want to test a bare metal recovery..

S
Userlevel 3

I know this link is for Agent v6.0 but did you select the option for the files on the network and then point it to the VBR server rather than copying the files to a USB disk and using that?  Just wondering if both methods were tried?

How to Perform Bare Metal Recovery - Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Guide

Step 6 shows selecting network location.

I did not try, as I don’t have the same VLAN and FW configuration on my office, the backed up Windows server is in a remote site. And as our VBR systems are isolated, it will require to open FW rules. I wanted to avoid this for the test, ans also validate that having “only” a backup and the boot media will do the job.

S
Userlevel 3

The version of the agents at backup and restore time is the same?

Hello, yes agent version is the same (installed 5 days ago, no update since)

Chris.Childerhose
Userlevel 7
Badge +20

I know this link is for Agent v6.0 but did you select the option for the files on the network and then point it to the VBR server rather than copying the files to a USB disk and using that?  Just wondering if both methods were tried?

How to Perform Bare Metal Recovery - Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Guide

Step 6 shows selecting network location.

Chris Childerhose - VMCA2022 | VMCE2023 | Veeam Vanguard 7* | Veeam Legend 3* | vExpert 5* | VCAP-DCV/VCP-DCV | Object First Ace | Cisco Champion | Twitter: @cchilderhose | Blog Site – https://just-virtualization.tech
JMeixner
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

The version of the agents at backup and restore time is the same?

Jochen (Joe) Meixner | Veeam Vanguard 2024 | Veeam Legend 2021 - 2023 | Veeam Certified Architect (VMCA) 2022 | Twitter: @JoMeix | BlueSky: @jmeixner.bsky.social
G
Userlevel 2

Hello, same problem her.

Trying to validate bare-metal recovery of a physical Windows 2019 server. Copied the backup files on usb drive, created recovery media from VBR and tried to restore on a different server.

 

“Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows is unable to open backup files created by Veeam Backup & Replication”

 

S
Userlevel 3

Similar issue solved by the community:

 

Hello, thanks but I mentionned this thread in my question … as I said, backup and media creation are made with same (latest) versions, so this case didn’t helped me much.

marco_s
Userlevel 7
Badge +7

Similar issue solved by the community:

 

Marco Sorrentino - Italy | System Engineer | VMCE & Veeam Lover
marco_s
Userlevel 7
Badge +7

Hi Simon, could it be that during the copy the backup file got corrupted? Have you tried to restore using the original backup repository as the source?

 

 

Marco Sorrentino - Italy | System Engineer | VMCE & Veeam Lover
S
Userlevel 3

Managed by Backup Server

marcofabbri
Userlevel 7
Badge +13

Backup of that Win server is managed by backup server or managed by agent?

If it’s the second, I’ll give a try to create recovery media from Agent itself.

Backups are like pizza, I love them. | Linkedin: @marco-fabbri-it

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