Is it possible to repair a chain metadata file?

[AlexLeadingEdge]

Hi guys,

I see that the backup last night has started a new Full Backup, replacing the Chain Metadata file, leaving another orphaned Full Backup and 10 orphaned Incremental Backups. Is it possible to re-link the now orphaned backup files? Ideally I would like a process to be able to do this, otherwise I'm deleting all the backup files for the last 6 months and all the historical data changes will be lost.

Historical data is important to us because it may contain a backup of a file from before data corruption has occurred that has not yet been discovered.

[HannesK]

Hello,
in general, support can help to create a new vbm file. I also recommend to ask them cleaning up the configuration database in case you delete / move the old files.

The question is, whether a new vbm file is really required. Because you can also restore from a backup-file without VBM by just "double clicking" on it.

Best regards,
Hannes

[AlexLeadingEdge]

Hi Hannes,

Being able to merge orphaned files back into a backup chain would be handy not only for the historical backup information, but for the simple fact that the backups are then subject to grandfathering, which we usually set to a calculated amount so that the drive doesn't fill up but also maximises how many backups we can do.

Is there some tool we can use to do it ourselves?

[AlexLeadingEdge]

Case #03804029

[HannesK]

Hello,
as I read through the case, I see that support, me and you are talking about different things. I expected that you have a central backup & replication server that manages your agents. But according to the case, it seems like you have a completely different situation.

What is your exact setup?

Best regards,
Hannes

[AlexLeadingEdge]

Hi HannesK,

We have a lot of different setups depending on the client, but in this case it would be a stand-alone Veeam Agent for Windows where for some reason the Agent has created a Full Backup and replaced the Metadata Chain File. This means we then have two Full Backups, one of which is orphaned, and a whole heap of orphaned Incrementals. The Veeam Agent for Windows uses a Server licence.

I was hoping there was a way to rebuild the Metadata Chain File so that I could link all the backup files together so I don't lose the history. The alternative seems to delete all the orphaned backups so the drive doesn't fill up, which is "acceptable" if there are multiple rotated USB drives, so the history isn't lost, but when it is the only backup drive then all the history is lost, which happened to one client the other day, so if they find a corrupted file and know it was last modified several months back then we can't restore it.

This situation doesn't happen very often, but it is an issue for us, hence why I'm asking...

[HannesK]

hmm, if he cannot restore, then the file is broken. as I mentioned earlier

Because you can also restore from a backup-file without VBM by just "double clicking" on it.

[nonobio]

Hello,

I have the same question : veeam-agent-for-windows-f33/my-veeam-ag ... ml#p352511

Did you found a solution to resume old backup chain ?

Thanks

[AlexLeadingEdge]

They said I could import the backups into Backup & Replication Community Edition.

After you import the backup files, you need to create a Veeam Agent backup job from Veeam server that map the imported backup files. Then if the VBM file is missing, rerun the backup job from Veeam server will recreate VBM file base on the Veeam backup database from Veeam backup server.
Here is the detail that how to map backup.
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... l?ver=95u4

In all it was too much of a hassle so I just copied the Full backup to another USB drive and formatted the first USB drive and started again. After a few months I will delete the Full backup on the other USB drive.

Thankfully we rotate through three different USB drives so the issue wasn't a big one in this case.

[nonobio]

Hello,

Thanks for the tip about "Backup & Replication Community Edition" but i don't understand what are the requirements to install it : i just downloaded an ISO file.
Can i install it on Windows like the Agent for Windows ? I will try to mount the ISO...

I think i will also say goodbye to my old chain and let Veeam create a new one. I also have others backups so it isn't a big lost for me but it is annoying about the confiance i have in Veeam Agent for Windows. As i said in another post : "Veeam Agent for Windows is great.. when all is working fine, but when it goes wrong, it seems hard to found another solution than start a new chain

[nonobio]

I can reply to myself : it is possible to install Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition on Windows by mounting the iso file downloaded : i did it

But it is a far more complicated software than "Veeam Agent for Windows" !

I started to try to import my breaked backup to B&R but i couldn't see it. Then, simply by opening the file from my Windows file explorer : i choosed "B & R" to open it.
My backup password was asked (crypted backup) then all my restore points was browsable !

I tried to restore a file with success. It is a good news but, as i ask in my post : post352861.html#p352861 : it's seems that it is the vbm file which is corrupted and prevent "Veeam Agent for Windows" to work with my backup chain.

The question : is it possible to repair or recreate this VBM file to force Veeam Agent for Windows to reconize my backup chain and continue to backup incrementaly ?

and also : should i backup this vbm file to be able to avoid future issues ?

Thanks

[Dima P.]

should i backup this vbm file to be able to avoid future issues ?

It's not required - metadata file (vbm) is duplicated in the actual backup file.

is it possible to repair or recreate this VBM file to force Veeam Agent for Windows to reconize my backup chain and continue to backup incrementaly ?

Should be possible either with Veeam B&R or via support team. Since I've asked our support team to get in touch with you, kindly, await for their response. Please let us know how the investigation goes. Cheers!

[nonobio]

Hello,

Thanks for your reply.

Just to precise : i'm would like to be able to resume backup with "Veeam Agent for Windows", not "Veeam Backup & Replication"...

[Dima P.]

Hello Bruno,

Sure. I've mentioned Veeam B&R as a possible way of accessing the data but not as a replacement of Veeam Agent for Windows. Cheers!

[nonobio]

Hello,

I had a reply from the support team : it is possible to recreate a vbm file but it isn't possible to resume backup chain "repaired" with "Veeam Agent for Windows"

So i deleted all my chain and started a new one...

Thanks
Bye

[Dima P.]

Hello Bruno,

Thanks for sharing the update with us. Looks like after vbm is being repaired the backup chain looses the original job ID (thus cannot be mapped automatically). In the upcoming version we will add manuall mapping functionality and that should help to address this issue as well. Cheers!

[Vek17]

It is possible to link even with a mismatched object_id and job_id it is just a complete pain and requires manually editing the DB to link. I had a case 03597931 where this took place. That said upcoming manual mapping without jumping through hoops is what I've hoping to get so good to hear it is coming.

[Dima P.]

Hello Vek17,

Completely agree that manual edit of the DB should not be considered as common workaround. Thanks for the feedback, we will review your case details to make sure that manual mapping will address such issue as well. Cheers!

[nonobio]

Hello,

Great news

Thanks