Restore fails, copy to same folder succeed

[filippoAdb]

I'm trying a guest file restore from backup on a windows server inside a domain. I select the desired file, then push Restore-keep. I''m prompted for credential and choose a local administrator of the server where the file will be restored.
After a while an error is displayed: "Unable to establish connection with the VM. Check credentials and try again."
I then push "Copy to", select the same destination folder on the server, I choose the same local administrator account and this time the file is correctly copied (restored in its original location).
Do you have an explanation for this weird behavior ? What can I check to investigate this problem ?
Guest processing is not enabled on my backup job, but is not required for file level recovery.

Thanks
Filippo

[jorgedlcruz]

Hello Filippo,
Is the server you are trying to restore-keep the same as the backup job protected?

There is some literature about this here - https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110

I have tried in my lab, and it worked without any problem, and of course, it didn't prompt for any password, as it just recovers to the same VM. It kept the original file and restore the new one with RESTORED-name of the file.

If you are restoring to a different server, the copy to is the expected option.

[filippoAdb]

I want to restore the file on the same folder and the same vm it comes from.
I read the page you linked above and it states:

By default, guest file restore to the original location is performed using the account specified in the backup job for guest OS access. If it does not have sufficient rights to access the target machine, you are prompted for the credentials. Specify user account and password, as required. For more information, see Guest OS Credentials.

In the backup job guest processing is not enabled, so I didn't set an account. When I try to restore the application asks me to choose a user account. It certainly has sufficient rights because if I choose to copy to the the same exact folder the operation is performed.
I suspects that under the hood there are differences between restore and copy to. The account I select is a local administrator on target vm, not a domain user / administrator. I launch Veeam B&R console with a domain admins account.
Is there a log I can check for further information ?

[RomanK]

Hello Filippo,

You are right, restore and copy to work differently under the hood. For copying, CIFS is used for the access, while for restoring some internal Veeam components are used.
The path and the account could be the same, but the methods are different.

As an idea, you may try different account formats like localhost\Administator or SERVERNAME\Administrator. Most likely it will not help, but still worth checking.

In general, all logs are in %ProgramData%\Veeam\Backup.
However, it would be better if you open a support case and provide a case ID in this thread so we could collect all the additional details and investigate it accordingly.

Thanks.