Conference decwet::networker

    I have news, and almost all of it is good.
    
    To test, I simulated a system disk failure (formatting the system disk
    will do that :) ), and restored the system disks of:
    
    SANDBOX1	Windows NT	V3.51 SP5	Server		Intel
    SANDBOX2	Windows NT	V3.51 SP4	Workstation	Intel
    		Windows NT	V4.0		Workstation	Intel
    SANDBOX4	Windows NT	V4.0		Server		Alpha
    
    In all cases, the restores were successful, including the registry
    files (these had been a problem in previous restore attempts).  The
    solution was to use the different procedure that Legato had previously
    suggested (in reply 222.16); no program changes were involved.
    
    So, I propose these modifications to Legato Technical Bulletin 285:
    
    o keep steps 1-7 as is, with this change: step 1a is vague and
    confusing.  I believe the intent is represented by the following
    wording; if not, then change:
    
    	"a. Install the machine as a regular workstation (if Windows NT
    Workstation is used) or as a Server, not as a Domain Controller (if
    Windows NT Server is used)."
    
    8.Use the NetWorker User program to recover the Registry files SAM,
    System, Software, Security and default ONLY.  Do not recover any other
    registry files now; they will be restored later in this procedure.
    
         NOTE: Select `Overwrite' for files that already exist when you
    	 recover the registry.
    
    OMIT STEPS 9 AND 10.  If you restore the registry and reboot without
    restoring the system files on a Windows NT Server, the rebooted system
    will only log in as a domain member, and won't have the necessary files
    to function as a domain member.
    
    11. Use the NetWorker User program to restore the data EXCEPT for the
    Windows NT V4.0 profiles.
    
    On NT 4.0 systems, the user profiles appear in the NetWorker User program
    in a subdirectory of the Windows directory. If the Windows directory is
    C:\WINNT, then user profiles are of the form:
    
            C:\WINNT\Profiles\UserA\ntuser.dat
            C:\WINNT\Profiles\UserB\ntuser.dat
            etc
    
    for example, C:\WINNT\Profiles\Administrator\ntuser.dat
    
    The operator should unmark these ntuser.dat files before allowing the
    restore to proceed.
    
         NOTE: Step 11 will overwrite the patch for Service Pack 4 (Step 3).
    	 You must reapply the patch before rebooting the machine or else the
    	 renaming of open system files may not proceed correctly.
    
    12. Reboot the machine.
    13. Use NetWorker to restore the profiles in the Registry.
    On NT 3.51 systems, the user profiles appear in the NetWorker User
    program under REGISTRY: as files of the form 'user000'. Mark only these
    Registry user profiles, then start the restore.
    
    On NT 4.0 systems, the user profiles appear in the NetWorker User program
    in a subdirectory of the Windows directory. If the Windows directory is
    C:\WINNT, then user profiles are of the form:
    
            C:\WINNT\Profiles\UserA\ntuser.dat
            C:\WINNT\Profiles\UserB\ntuser.dat
            etc
    
    for example, C:\WINNT\Profiles\Administrator\ntuser.dat
    
    The operator should mark these ntuser.dat files only, then start the
    restore.
    15. Reboot the machine [not sure if a reboot, or just a logout/login is
    needed here]
    
    Here are a couple of loose ends:
    o as I reported in .19, I saw this error during the restore of the
    profiles:
    
    registryasm -r REGISTRY:\admin001
    Recover: Cannot find correct SID dmin001
    Error encountered on the following files: REGISTRY:
    
    That profile restore didn't have a problem with any of the other
    profile files.  So, I was wondering what that 'admin001' file is.  Is
    it really a profile file?  It doesn't have the long filename of the
    other profile records.  Maybe this file shouldn't be restored??  Please
    research and let me know.
    
    o restoring the 5 registry main files and the rest of the system disk
    in the same restore request does work (as the wording in 222.16 seemed
    to me to suggest), but it isn't smooth:
    
    Start time:  1-23-97  5:19p
    Recovering files of client 'sandbox2.hlo.dec.com' from server
    'robot1.hlo.dec.com'.
    Requesting 8419 files, this may take a while...
    registryasm -r REGISTRY:\SECURITY
    Overwriting file REGISTRY:\SECURITY.
    Recover: ***NOTE: You must shutdown and restart to restore the registry
    key SECURITY!
    registryasm -r REGISTRY:\software
    REGISTRY:\software: file exists, overwriting
    Recover: ***NOTE: You must shutdown and restart to restore the registry
    key SOFTWARE!
    registryasm -r REGISTRY:\system
    REGISTRY:\system: file exists, overwriting
    Recover: ***NOTE: You must shutdown and restart to restore the registry
    key SYSTEM!
    registryasm -r REGISTRY:\default
    REGISTRY:\default: file exists, overwriting
    Recover: ***NOTE: You must shutdown and restart to restore the registry
    key .DEFAULT!
    registryasm -r REGISTRY:\SAM
    REGISTRY:\SAM: file exists, overwriting
    Recover: ***NOTE: You must shutdown and restart to restore the registry
    key SAM!
    registryasm -r REGISTRY:\
    Error encountered on the following files: C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT
    Recover: Requesting remaining 8413 files
    C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT
    C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT: file exists, overwriting
    C:\AUTOEXEC.SMS
    
    Note the 'Error encountered' line.  I _think_ what happens is that the
    restore process does not find C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT to be the next file on
    the tape, reports this as an 'error', then spends some time reading
    through the rest of the saveset, repositioning itself, and then finds
    the file.
    
    The better way to do this, I think, is to make the 5 registry file
    restore, and the C:\ partition restore be two separate retores, the one
    following the other.
    
    o Also mentioned in this thread is a forth-coming patch from Legato for
    the 'truncating' problem.  What are the plans for this being embodied
    in Digital's code?
    
    o TB 285 mentions, in step 7, a Legato patch.  But it doesn't say
    which version(s) of NetWorker need the patch.  Please clarify, both for
    Legato code and Digital code.
    
    Please let me know if I can clarify this.  I'm looking for to this new
    procedure being documented in TB 285, as well as in Digital's NetWorker
    documentation.  It certainly should go into the kit README ASAP.
    
    tl

    What is the latest on this issue?  Has Legato updated their procedures?
    
    Thanks
    tl

    Sorry to whine again, but I really need to nail down our site restore
    procedures.  I'd like to just reference one approved by you folks
    and/or Legato, rather than craft my own, and hope I've got it all
    right.
    
    Thanks
    tl

    In lieu of an official one that works, I've modified the Legato
    Technical Bulletin 285 with things I've learned and the information in
    this notes thread.  Feel free to share it with Legato.
    
    	http://www-iss.hlo.dec.com/285.htm
    
    tl

I get an access dialogue box: ...name: password:...

    same as -1
    
    I tried the anonymous ftp approach of answers in the dialog box
    ( one can always hope .... ) but without success !

    Oops! Sorry about that.  The file can be read now, without
    username/password.
    
    tl

Terry,

Thanks for your effort on this one.  I've been pinging Legato about
once a week since you brought this up.  I haven't gotten much from them 
yet.  You would think this would be an important issue that some of 
their other customers would have run into by now.  Oh well.  Maybe if
we hand them the necessary changes they will take care of it.

Thanks again.

-- Rich Randall

    Rich
    
    Thank YOU for your attention to this.  Heck, if Legato puts their logo
    onto my instructions, and puts that on their server, I'm willing to
    call it 'done' :).
    
    tl

Terry,

Legato evidently has a patch out that may fix some problems with restoring
a Registry.  They are on the Legato web site under support.  Specificaly
patch 2 for Networker NT V4.3.  Have you tried this out or did you get 
things working without it?

-- Rich Randall

    Hi Rich
    
    In the testing I completed, I was able to successfully restore the
    Registry using the modified procedure I pointed to in a previous reply. 
    I did not install any NetWorker patches.  Legato's original
    instructions including the steps to install a NetWorker V4.2 patch, so
    I didn't use this, as I was using V4.3.
    
    So, in a word, no.
    
    tl

    Hello,
    
    Is the procedure of Technical Bulletin 285: works if the client NT is
    PDC or BDC ?
     The steps 9 and 10 are : restoring NT file system ??
    
    Thanks for help
    
    philippe

    Philippe
    
    The procedure I documented in a previous note (an enhanced Technical
    Bulletin 285) does work when restoring a primary domain controller or
    backup domain controller.  The trick is, when rebuilding Windows NT
    Server prior to installing NetWorker, MAKE SURE you install the systems
    as a Server, not a PDC or BDC.  This is noted in the TB285
    instructions.
    
    tl

    Hello,
    
    I test restore Nt client :
    
       client :	Alpha NT 4.0 with networker 4.3 for alpha
       Server : alpha unix with networker 4.2A
    
    The restor is ok for registry but I have a problem with open files :
    
    	Message is : Recover : file  ... you must reboot to restore this
    file.
    
    The file is rename in _*.* .
    
    I have install the patch for alpha NT4.3-002 . The pb is the same.
    
    
    Where is the path for this pb and this version for ALPHA.
    
    On the web , the patch 4.3-002 does'nt ok for ALPHA (service networker
    doesn't start)
    
    Thanks for help.
    philippe	

    hello,
    
    in TB285 you install patch 4.21-003 for pb of open files when restore
    NT client with server Unix .
    
    I want the same patch for ALPHA ?
    Is this patch existing for Networker 4.3 client ALPHA ?
    Is this patch for a server or a client ?
    
    Thanks for Help
    Philippe
     

    Hello,
    
    I have NT 3.51 SP 5
    Networker client 4.3 alpha
    
    When I want to restore profile admin000-S, admin001-S, root000-s ...
    if these profiles doesn't exists, It can't be restored.
    
    Before restoring, I have only admnistrateur with the file admin000.
    
    Is there a solution for restoring all profiles ?
    
    Thanks
    
    Philippe
    

What happens if try to restore those profiles using another user account
with administrator prviledges?  Sometimes Networker NT has trouble with
open files and this may be one of those cases.  Try creating another
user with all the priviledges and restoring those profiles.

-- Rich Randall

    Hi,
    
    After restore Registry, I reboot on this new registry and I restore
    profiles with an account different of administrateur.
    
    	It's OK .
    
    For restoring profiles, it's necessary to have an account who has no
    profile on the backup. 
    After connexion he create : test001 if the profile test000 is not on
    disk. The account test uses test001. When you want to restore test000,
    recover says : test000 doesn't exists ; mismatch file name 
    
    Philippe