The backup file contains unrecognized data and cannot be used - but it's not corrupt!

I'm getting an error when attempting to restore a file created with
windows backup - "The backup file contains unrecognized data and cannot
be used" .. however the file is not corrupt, because I can open and
restore from it on the machine that it was created on, just not another
machine.

The backup is created on a standalone (workgroup) server that's not
part of any domain. The backup of the system is saved locally to its
own hard drive, then a script copies it across to another server for
backup to tape. The remote server is on our main domain.

If I try to restore the file on the server that created it, it restores
fine. However if I try to restore it on the domain server, I get the
above error. I'm guessing it might have something to do with the fact
that one machine is on the domain and the other is not, but I could be
wrong. The option to only allow administrators to restore the file is
turned off.

Both servers are running windows 2003, latest service packs and
patches.

Anyone have any ideas?

"kazza" <google@kazza.id.au> wrote in message
news:1163980279.329290.103350@f16g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I'm getting an error when attempting to restore a file created with
> windows backup - "The backup file contains unrecognized data and cannot
> be used" .. however the file is not corrupt, because I can open and
> restore from it on the machine that it was created on, just not another
> machine.
>
> The backup is created on a standalone (workgroup) server that's not
> part of any domain. The backup of the system is saved locally to its
> own hard drive, then a script copies it across to another server for
> backup to tape. The remote server is on our main domain.
>
> If I try to restore the file on the server that created it, it restores
> fine. However if I try to restore it on the domain server, I get the
> above error. I'm guessing it might have something to do with the fact
> that one machine is on the domain and the other is not, but I could be
> wrong. The option to only allow administrators to restore the file is
> turned off.
>
> Both servers are running windows 2003, latest service packs and
> patches.
>
> Anyone have any ideas?
>

I suspect that the two machines are using different flavours of
ntbackup.exe and can therefore not process .bkf files created
by the other machine.

> I suspect that the two machines are using different flavours of
> ntbackup.exe and can therefore not process .bkf files created
> by the other machine.

They're both using ntbackup 5.2.3790.1830

If I try to open the backup file on a third server, that is also a
completely standalone machine, it can open the backup file ok too. I
wonder if it really is something to do with whether the machine is on
the domain or not....

Out of interest, although it's not really a corrupt backup file, you might want to try a backup repair utility to see if that can see/open the file on the system concerned.

Take a look at and try the free demo version of the product it recommends. It provides a visual preview window that shows the contents of each file within the bkf backup file so you can see what you system thinks is recoverable using it. Just thought it might be another angle to explore.

In this situation,your bkf file may have damaged and need to fix it.Here are some BKF file recovery tools to repair your BKF file.

Most of them provide a free demo so you can try first.

Alan