can't open encrypted VBM once copied or moved - Case # 03801441

[jamiej]

Hi,

I use Veeam on a few physical machines, and they backup daily to a shared folder on my local NAS. I normally do not encrypt the backups. Recently, I switched a couple machines to encrypt the backups, as I have been taking copies off-site and thought it would be a good idea to secure those backups by encrypting them.

What I've noticed is that I can only open the VBM on encrypted backups from the location where they were backed up to. For example, the path that one server backs up to is \\alphanas\backups\OFFSITE\ATS02. If I navigate to that path, I can double-click the VBM file, and it will open the file, ask for the encryption password, and then I can see the backups, so everything works normally.

If, however, I copy the ATS02 folder to my local desktop on another computer, or copy to a portable USB drive, then when I open the new copy of the VBM file, I do not get any prompt for entering a password, and it shows "n/a" for computer name, disks included, etc. It also says "No valid restore points".

In one case (for one specific server, that is), I can't even open the VBM file at all. As soon as I double-click it, I get the error message "Unsupported VBM format".

I am able to copy non-encrypted backup folders to other computers or USB hard drives and then open them without issue, so this problem only seems to exist with encrypted backups.

Looking forward to any responses, as this problem means that I would be unable to restore a backup if my NAS were to fail... so in a true disaster my offsite copies would be useless!

[HannesK]

Hello,
and welcome to the forums.

That looks unexpected to me. Veeam backup files are portable (also encrypted backups). Just to make sure: you just "copy & paste" the files? It's not a Backup & Replication "Backup Copy Job"?

Please continue working with support, to find a solution.

Best regards,
Hannes

[jamiej]

Hi Hannes,

Yes, I'm just using a basic copy operation in Windows, dragging the file from the NAS folder to my local desktop, or to a USB drive.

I will update this topic once I've heard back from support.

[jamiej]

I just got an automated email saying my support case has been closed and Veeam was unable to process my request...

edit: new case opened: Case # 03805847

[PetrM]

Hi Jamie!

Do you see the same error when you follow these instructions to import an encrypted backup instead of double click on .vbm?

Thanks!

[jamiej]

Hi PetrM,

Those instructions seem to pertain to Veeam Backup & Replication. I am only using Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows.

Should I be installing Veeam Backup & Replication to try to open these encrypted backups?

[PetrM]

Hi Jamie,

Please accept my apologies, I thought you tried to import a backup chain in Veeam Backup & Replication...
Obviously, there is no need to install Veeam Backup & Replication.

Please continue to work with our support team in order to find a root cause of the issue.

Thanks!

[jamiej]

No worries, I appreciate the reply!

[cowboy898]

did you ever get a resolution to this problem?

[sam.lowry]

Hi, i have the same problem : trying to import a vbm file copied to an external USB drive in Veeam B&R and the password is refused... When i import the vbk file no problem the password is accepted...

[Dima P.]

Hello folks,

Just to make sure we are on the same page: are you copying the entire content of the folder created by backup job (i.e. vbk + vbm + vib files) or just a vbm file? Thanks!

[sam.lowry]

from my side we only copy the vbm file and the reversed incremental complete vbk file... No vib files on the external USB drive

[jamiej]

did you ever get a resolution to this problem?

So far, no. I have been told that my case is being handled by Veeam, but so far they have not responded with any sort of troubleshooting steps nor any additional questions for me.

[jamiej]

Hello folks,

Just to make sure we are on the same page: are you copying the entire content of the folder created by backup job (i.e. vbk + vbm + vib files) or just a vbm file? Thanks!

I am copying the entire folder contents which includes all VBM, VBK and VIB files for the backup job.

[cowboy898]

Jamie,
That was how they handled a ticket I had as well. It went on for over a month with no resolution, ever.

[Dima P.]

Hello folks,

RnD folks have reviewed the details from the case 03805847 and found out the following:

1. That is not the data corruption issue, your backup files are ok. The problem is when you are copying the file from one location to anther original path is being somehow stored in the backup file (thus it shows no valid restore points)
2. To workaround this problem please start restore via Start > File Level Restore / Volume Level Restore and select the backup location in the wizard (it will show all the available restore points and you will be able to select any of those)
3. We will threat the existing behavior as a bug and will fix it it the next versions.

That was how they handled a ticket I had as well. It went on for over a month with no resolution, ever.

Unfortunately, sometimes due to the heavy load support cases in the free queue are closed automatically, that's why sharing the support case ID in the community posts is extremely helpful as we can ask support team to review the case details and start the investigation procedure. Cheers!

[cowboy898]

Unfortunately, sometimes due to the heavy load support cases in the free queue are closed automatically, that's why sharing the support case ID in the community posts is extremely helpful as we can ask support team to review the case details and start the investigation procedure.

I have to say that the above statement bothers me. So what you're saying is if no one wants to work on a problem they just leave it in the queue and it will go away? That is not a good customer service model and does not give me a warm and fuzz feeling about support.

[jamiej]

To workaround this problem please start restore via Start > File Level Restore / Volume Level Restore and select the backup location in the wizard (it will show all the available restore points and you will be able to select any of those)

Hi Dima,

As per my reply to Veeam Support on Friday when this workaround was suggested, it does not work. There is no difference in the behavior whether I double-click the copied VBM file versus navigating to it by right clicking on Veeam in the system tray and going to Restore \ Individual Files \ Browse.

On two of the three servers where I've had this issue, I have since turned encryption off, and now I am able to open those backups properly. Because there are still encrypted backup files within the backup chain, it does prompt me for the encryption password, and once entered I am able to open any of the backups successfully (encrypted and non-encrypted), all from the copies made to my USB drive.

On the third server, I have left encryption on. I am still unable to open those backups unless from the original location where Veeam created them. When I try, I get the error "Unsupported VBM format". So this issue/bug persists, and so far I have no workaround aside from disabling encryption entirely.

[Dima P.]

Jamie,

Thank you for sharing the update! Support team together with QA team is still investigating your case, stay tuned.

cowboy898,

So what you're saying is if no one wants to work on a problem they just leave it in the queue and it will go away? That is not a good customer service model and does not give me a warm and fuzz feeling about support.

I am saying that sometimes, when support team is overloaded with cases from customers with existing support contracts, engineers might not have enough resources to review all cases in the free queue. Whenever it happens the best solution will be to share such case with us and we can get support team or even QA folks involved. Another option would be to raise a new support case after several days. Cheers!

[jamiej]

You're welcome Dmitry. I have another update!

As mentioned above, I actually turned encryption off on two of the servers, and this allowed me to open those copied backups. However, it turns out, that was only possible while the backup chain still contained encrypted backups! After a few days of non-encrypted backups, once the chain was nothing but non-encrypted backups, the issue re-appeared. Meaning I now have completely non-encrypted backups which are giving me the same "Unsupported VBM format" error when I try to open them anywhere other than where they were created.

So not sure if this issue had anything to do with encryption... though I suspect that it did. I'm guessing if I had never turned encryption on in the first place, I would never have experienced this issue.

My support ticket has been escalated to T2 support, so hopefully they will be able to identify what caused the issue, so that I can update this post accordingly.

[Dima P.]

Thanks for sharing the updates, I'll pass this information to our QA folks as it may help during the investigation. Cheers!

[jamiej]

So, T2 support has identified that the issue was that there was an "erroneous character" in my VBM files. Hopefully they can figure out how that happened, and then update Veeam Agent accordingly to eliminate the root cause. I'm still not sure whether this did or did not have anything to do with having enabled encryption at one time on these servers.

[Dima P.]

Jamie,

Thank you for the update! From the case details I've noticed that you are using QNAP built-in backup functionality? Is it used to backup the same content or create a copy of a backup file? Cheers!