Recover voicemail

[brewerdude]

Had a user request to record a voicemail message off-line as it was a final message left by her husband that just passed away. We gave her the instructions on how to record to tape using a handset to audio jack adapter connect to her phone. Unfortunately, she did not do that in time, and it's been auto-deleted. We do make a daily back-up, but I'd rather not restore the entire system to get back one message for one user. Are there any other ways to get this information off the tape without restoring the entire system? We're using Meridial Mail ver 12.

Any creative ideas are welcomed.

 

[Johnthephoneguy]

It probably means alot to her, I would do a complete backup on sunday morning, then do a restore with her message on it, record it for her, then restore to the backup you just did earlier that morning.

It is a hassle yes, but just imaging if that was your wife/husband, you'd want anything you could hold on to also. You can be a hero here and do the right thing or blow her off and tell her it's gone.

 

[brewerdude]

I was thinking that's probably my only option. Was just wondering if there were any others.

 

[Stagemusic]

I vote with the phoneguy. Sometimes, the right thing is very inconvenient. But it's still the right thing.

 

[johnpoole]

your right, there is not another way to go.. you can't pull msg's off of the backup..

john poole
bellsouth business
columbia,sc

 

[johnpoole]

i don't know if i would do the double restore.. when my system is down people can die.. takes an act of congress and backup systems installed to do a reboot... i have a class of service for maybe 10 users out of 2000 that never deletes msgs.. in the future, build an exec class, you can change her class to non delete and save the msg.. for the keep read msgs tab =0,

john poole
bellsouth business
columbia,sc

 

[brewerdude]

our execs have such an option, but this is standard employee. Would be difficult for me to figure out who to randomly give this access to.

 

[Johnthephoneguy]

I agree the double restore is a pain, but when you consider the options here and what is at stake, I think this could be classified as one of those "above and beyond" processes to do the right thing.

I know if it was the only(or last) chance to hear my loved ones voice, i would want that extra effort to get it back for me.

 

[johnpoole]

i have gotten request to save a msg for over the 8 days i allow.. i change the class then check to see if the person made the recording.. the few times i had that request, it was a hr problem.. someone called the boss and left a msg and legal needed a copy... not all managers have perm storage, but i make the change as needed, then check with the user

john poole
bellsouth business
columbia,sc

 

[FonePhreak]

Remember, no good deed goes unpunished. I would check with management and get their approval before I took down the voicemail system (even if it was done during off hours). If you get a "no", at least you're not the bad guy.