Backup Bkf To Tape
I've got old backup tapes made with previous versions (v10 and v12) that I need to pull data from (related to this prior question).
This software application is applauded by numerous users due to advanced scanning algorithms and simple interface to recover BKF file. With this best way to restore BKF file, you can recover backup data created using NTBackup utility, Backup Exec by VERITAS and other utilities that support Microsoft Tape Format. BKF is file format for Windows backup archives. Microsoft has added NTbackup.exe utility in MS Windows XP or other versions, that can store some or entire partition data in a BKF folder. Windows Backup files may be damaged due to virus codes, corrupt storage device and broken download.
This example creates a normal backup of the remote share iggy-multi c$ and names it 'My Job 1'. It pulls a tape from the Backup media pool, and names the tape 'Command Line Backup 1.' You can substitute 'Command Line Functionality' in the command with the actual description of your backup. This backup is verified after the backup job is complete.
I have a machine set up with Windows Server 2008 and a trial version of Backup Exec 2010. It appears to be able to access the tapes and such when I run Inventory/Catalog commands, but each 'inventory' command spins up the drive for a moment then looks (and sounds) like it's doing nothing after a few minutes, and the Job Monitor just shows the job 'running.'
My main question is -- is there an easier way to read these tapes than going through the whole song and dance of inventory / catalog / scan / etc that BE wants you to do? It was previously suggested to me to try using NTBackup to restore files from tape, but it looks like tape drive support for that was removed in Server 2008 (naturally). All I really need to do is scan the contents of each tape individually and be able to restore data from each - but the typical BE process seems overly complicated to me...
Backup Bkf To Tape Adapter
UPDATE - 2011-Feb-09
I've now got a Windows Server 2003 set up with the LTO drive and I'm just trying to use NTbackup to restore. When I open ntbackup.exe, I can see the 'LTO Ultrium' drive as a device, but the tape that's loaded is not cataloged. How do you catalog a tape with NTbackup? I see the option to 'catalog a backup file', but that asks to browse to disk somewhere for a .bkf file...
1 Answer
Using BU Exec will give you a very good chance to recover what you require. While process is a bit time consuming, it will reveal the contents of the tape and allow the restore. The time is worth it if you want the data back.
Dave MDave M