Disaster recovery 1

[outonalimb]

Can we discuss the following please:

A PDC's hard drive fails and all you've got is a full backup on tape from the previous day (using Backup Exec 7). There is no BDC on the domain so all you're left with is the tape and a new hard drive to install in the server. What is the best way to recover the PDC and can you actually do it?

Can anyone please give some advice on what to do if this situation arises? Remember there's no BDC and there's only a backup tape for recovery.

I've always worried about what i'd do if this occurred in the network I manage (11 small domains spread across the UK).

Regards,

 

[NortonES2]

Assuming you have only replced the hard disk and no other hardware try this:-

Install NT4 server into a different directory than the original ie WINNT1. Then install the Backup Exec software and tape driver.

Restore all the data from the backup tape (excluding boot.ini, NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR) this will create your original WINNT directory.

Edit the boot.ini file to point to WINNT instead of WINNT1.

You should then be there.

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[outonalimb]

Thanks for that but what about the SAM, registry and any other 'open' files that Backup Exec might not be able to backup.

Will an RDISK /S help?

 

[NortonES2]

If you selct the whole of the C:\ drive then backup Exec will backup the Registry, SAM etc required for NT4. It is a diferent story with AD.

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[outonalimb]

Thanks for that, but why do I not restore the boot.ini, NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR files from the backup tape.

Regards,

 

[NortonES2]

You can do if you are using the same hardware, though I prefer not to as more often than not you will be restoring to a different machine.

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[outonalimb]

One more question. At the point where I have reinstalled NT Server, do I need to reinstall the same service pack the server had installed at the time of failure?

Thanks for your help.

 

[NortonES2]

You will need to install any Service Packs required by backup exec (can't remember what the requirments are for BE7). Your Domain Controller will be restored with the same SP that it was backed up with as this is included on the backup tape.

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[outonalimb]

Hi, i'm back again...

After doing some more research, I keep reaching the conclusion that NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR are generic files that could be restored to any system. I could be wrong, what are anybody's thoughts on this?

What files would stop Windows loading if I were to restore to a new server with a different hardware configuration? Obviously, the system board, video card and NIC would be different so this would cause problems.

This would mean that fully restoring the original backup from the old server to the new server wouldn't work. Is the HAL.dll file important?

Please help!

 

[NortonES2]

Not sure about NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR but the others I would replace are:-

\winnt1\system32\hal.dll \winnt\system32
\winnt1\system32\ntoskrnl.exe \winnt\system32

\winnt1\system32\ntdll.dll \winnt\system32
\winnt1\system32\kernel32.dll \winnt\system32

and your disk adapter ie:-

\winnt1\system32\drivers\cpqarray.sys \winnt\system32\drivers\aic78u2.sys


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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[NortonES2]

The disk adapter example above is if you are replacing the old Adaptec adapter with HP smartarray.

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[randum77]

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Quoting NortonES2:

Assuming you have only replced the hard disk and no other hardware try this:-

Install NT4 server into a different directory than the original ie WINNT1. Then install the Backup Exec software and tape driver.

Restore all the data from the backup tape (excluding boot.ini, NTDETECT.COM and NTLDR) this will create your original WINNT directory.

Edit the boot.ini file to point to WINNT instead of WINNT1.

You should then be there.
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Comment on the backup exec. I have it installed and running as a remote agent on a server that just recetly crashed. It is a default install no special options or anything. I tried exactly as you specified and I notice quite a bit of system files were missing. I looked at the catalogs as far back as I could and noticed they have never been backed up although they are selected. This is consistent with several servers. Any suggestions? Do I need to purchase a special option? I noticed an Open File option. Is that what i need to get those files backed up?

 

[NortonES2]

If you don't have the Advanced Open File option you should check that BE is set to backup open files with a lock.

Would be interested to know which files were missing.

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[randum77]

I have a couple systems that if the file is locked by another app, the server will crash, so I guess the only option is to purchase the open file option.

If don't have a list the DLL's that were missing since I don't have much of a camarison. I do know the NTOSkrnl.exe is not existant in any of the backsup I have looked in. Would you happen to have a list of file that are in use on a system 24/7 from a default configuration. That is, asides from services and that sort.

 

[NortonES2]

It could be that these files are not backed up but need to be copied from the new installation as mentioned above.

hal.dll, ntoskrnl.exe, ntdll.dll, kernel32.dll

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If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!

 

[bchizary]

hi just been looking at this thread- sound good- so if i am installing nt on another server, for example the server is completely unrecoverable, i plug the spare one in (a different hardware to the bust server) install nt into WINNT1, restore all of the c drive bar the files you have mentiones, and then point boot.ini to WINNT- then i should be ok?

cheers