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Unable to restore executable file using the Backup/Archive client

Troubleshooting


Problem

During an restore of a specific executable file, the file cannot be seen in the Backup/Archive client.

Symptom

The executable file cannot be seen in the restore panel of the Backup/Archive GUI, command line, or web client.

Cause

In Windows 2008/2008 R2, all executable (.exe) files that are part of a Windows service are automatically added to the Windows VSS System Writer exclude list.

Environment

Windows 2008 or Windows 2008 R2

Diagnosing The Problem

Verify the file in question is listed in Windows diskshadow. Diskshadow is a Windows utility that can be used to query the Windows VSS writers. To do so, open a Windows command prompt and run:

diskshadow /l c:\diskshadow.out

From the DISKSHADOW prompt, run:

list writers detailed

exit

Open the c:\diskshadow.out file and search for the file in question.

Example: The Tivoli Storage Manager client scheduler service is added to the Windows VSS System Writer exclude list when a scheduler service is installed.

Output from diskshadow.out


- File List: Path = c:\program files\tivoli\tsm\baclient, Filespec = dsmcsvc.exe

The above output shows that the dsmcsvc.exe file will not be processed during a backup of the file system or specifically of this one file. It will be backed up during the System State backup.

Resolving The Problem

Restoring the specific object must be done using the command line client and must be restored from the System State filespace.

To restore the specific file, the full path must be known. If this is unknown, the QUERY BACKUP command can be used to determine the full path.

The following syntax assumes that the Windows host name is 'GILROY' and the file that is needed is 'dsmcsvc.exe'.

Determine the full path to the file

dsmc q backup "{GILROY\SystemState\NULL\System State\SystemState}\dsmcsvc.exe " -su=yes

Output:

Size
Backup Date
Mgmt Class
A/I
File
----
-----------
----------
---
----
8,538,872 B 05/13/2014 14:08:37 DEFAULT A GILROY\SystemState\NULL\System State\SystemState\\gilroy\c$|\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsmcsvc.exe

Restore the file to an alternate location
restore "{GILROY\SystemState\NULL\System State\SystemState}\\gilroy\c$|\program files\tivoli\tsm\baclient\dsmcsvc.exe" c:\temp\


Restore function invoked.

Restoring 8,538,872 GILROY\SystemState\NULL\System State\SystemState\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsmcsvc.exe --> \\gilroy\c$\temp\dsmcsvc.exe [Done]

[{"Product":{"code":"SSGSG7","label":"Tivoli Storage Manager"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU058","label":"IBM Infrastructure w\/TPS"},"Component":"Client","Platform":[{"code":"PF033","label":"Windows"}],"Version":"All Supported Versions","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB26","label":"Storage"}}]

Product Synonym

TSM

Document Information

Modified date:
17 June 2018

UID

swg21669215