How to Restore Data from a Backup Set that Contains a Missing or Corrupted Tape

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

SUMMARY

Windows 2000 Backup (Ntbackup.exe) does not have a /missingtape command-line switch that you can use to restore data from an incomplete multiple tape backup set. For more information about the /missingtape command-line switch, refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q101228 Backup: /MISSINGTAPE Command Line Switch

MORE INFORMATION

You can use Removable Storage Manager (RSM) to manage and track removable media usage in Windows 2000. The individual media used in a multiple tape backup set is recorded in the RSM database; the individual backup member tapes are not available to select and restore from in Backup. Only the media catalog entry representing the entire backup set is available on the Restore tab. If you choose to restore the backup set, Backup attempts to load and read data from each member tape in sequence.

If you have a backup set that spans multiple tapes and one of the tapes is bad or is missing, you can use the following procedure to restore data from the remaining backup set members without the bad or missing backup set member(s).

NOTE: In the following steps, the first tape is assumed to be bad or missing, and the restore operation starts using the second and third tapes of a 3-tape backup set.

1. Using RSM, in the Backup application pool, eject any tapes from the library that are members of the backup set that has a bad or missing member. The individual member tapes share the same name with the member number appended. For example:




Tape Names: BKUPSET-1, BKUPSET-2, BKUPSET-3

2. Physically mark or label the tapes using the tapename-tapenumber syntax shown in the previous example so you can maintain the appropriate order when you reinsert them for restoration later.
   
   When you eject the tapes, they are moved to the to the offline media library in Physical Locations (if they are not already there).
   
   WARNING: If any tapes belonging to the backup set are still in a tape changer library (not in the offline library), "free media labels" are written when the media catalog is deleted later in this procedure. Be sure this step is completed before proceeding or data loss may occur. NOTE: As a precaution, you should write protect the tapes you just ejected because they only need to be read during the restore operation.



3. Start Backup. On the Restore tab, click the media catalog entry that represents the backup set that contains a bad or missing member.



4. Right-click the catalog entry and then click Delete from system.



5. When the warning message is displayed, click Yes, and then quit Backup.



6. In RSM, locate Physical Locations, and then click your tape library entry.



7. Right-click the library entry, click Inject, and then insert the tape from which you want to restore data into the tape library. RSM mounts and reads the media label and puts the tape into the Import media pool.



8. Restart Backup. A dialog box may be displayed asking you what you want to do with the new media import. Click to select the Allocate all compatible import media to backup check box, and then click OK.
   
   NOTE: The dialog box is not displayed if you click to select the Always move new import media to the backup media pool check box (on the General tab of the Options menu).



9. On the Options menu, click General.



10. Click to clear the Use the catalogs on the media to speed up building restore catalogs on disk check box. When the informational dialog box is displayed, click Yes.



11. On the Restore tab, click the tape media catalog name for the backup set that you want to restore.



12. Right-click the tape media catalog name, and then click Catalog. This action builds a new media catalog representing the data stored on that tape. When backup reaches the end of the tape, you are prompted to load the next tape or you can automatically load the next tape in the series.



13. Click the appropriate restore options, and then click the start restore.
    
    NOTE: You may receive the following error message when restoring from an incomplete or damaged backup set:

    BACKUP ERROR:
    The media in the drive must be erased before it can be used.

    If Backup cannot continue, or if the next tape in the series is the bad or missing tape, quit Backup and perform the procedure again starting with step 1. Continue restoring the data, but use the next tape in the series as the "first tape" to begin the restoration process.



14. After you restore the appropriate data, you should perform another backup of the restored data. You should do this using a good set of tapes so a new complete backup set is created to replace the original backup set that was damaged.

Additional query words: missingtape ntbackup

Keywords : kbenv
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto