BKF - can't restore

[Marek Kalisz]

*.bkf is on Maxtor One Touch external drive. It was differential, so there
is several parts of it listed inside. When tried to restore with MS restore
function (after a total system crash) got some message aboutsome
inconsistencies and restore started. I bought and tried to use some repair
utilities (BKF Recovery, Nucleus-Kernel BKF, Repair My Backup). Those
recovered some files but most of them - the most important for me:
documents, pictures, etc. - not. Restored subdirectories are empty.
Size of *.bkf file is still same. Besides using those repair utilities I
didn't touch drive since. I believe that those "lost" files should be still
somewhere there. And I need them (it's a few years of work).
Does anyone have some idea what to do now? And, ifI'll have to contact some
recovery service - any recommendation for solid, dependable and not toooo
expensive one?
Marek Kalisz

 

[Vanguard]

*.bkf is on Maxtor One Touch external drive. It was differential,
so there is several parts of it listed inside. When tried to restore
with MS restore function (after a total system crash) got some
message aboutsome inconsistencies and restore started. I bought and
tried to use some repair utilities (BKF Recovery, Nucleus-Kernel
BKF, Repair My Backup). Those recovered some files but most of
them - the most important for me: documents, pictures, etc. - not.
Restored subdirectories are empty.
Size of *.bkf file is still same. Besides using those repair
utilities I didn't touch drive since. I believe that those "lost"
files should be still somewhere there. And I need them (it's a few
years of work).
Does anyone have some idea what to do now? And, ifI'll have to
contact some recovery service - any recommendation for solid,
dependable and not toooo expensive one?
Marek Kalisz

What was the size of the .bkf file BEFORE you started modifying it
using those recovery utilities, and what is its size afterward? Did
you run those utilities on a COPY of the .bkf file, or did you let
them modify your one and only copy? Where is the FULL backup on which
the differential was based?

 

[Marek Kalisz]

Size is the same before and after (160,764,220.416 bytes). Unfortunately I
tried on ONLY copy (original) since I didn't have enough space on other
drives to copy it. (Also, my backup had "verify" option set.) The full
backup is still on Maxtor One Touch external (USB) drive.
Marek Kalisz

 

[Vanguard]

...

Size is the same before and after (160,764,220.416 bytes).
Unfortunately I tried on ONLY copy (original) since I didn't have
enough space on other drives to copy it. (Also, my backup had
"verify" option set.) The full backup is still on Maxtor One Touch
external (USB) drive.
Marek Kalisz

What were the "inconsistencies" that are listed when you attempt to
start a restore?

Was the .bkf file created under the same version of the backup program
as you are using now to perform the restore? I am assuming from the
..bkf extension that you are talking about the Backup program included
in Windows NT4/2K/XP (which is a crippled version of Backup Exec
Desktop which Microsoft licensed from Veritas but Veritas sold to
Stomp Inc and the product got renamed to Backup MyPC who changed their
name to StompSoft and now sells an incompatible PC Backup program -
i.e., nobody wanted that crappy and crippled NT backup program).

At this point, I'd see if you could read the backup files/media to
rebuild the catalogs. Select the Restore tab panel to enable the
"Tools -> Catalog a backup file" menu item. That way you can see if
NT Backup can even read the media files rather than also add the
overhead of trying to actually restore them.

The crippled NT backup program does *not* provide compression. If and
only if the backup media provides compression, as do some tape drives,
then it can enable that option at the device but does not perform the
compression itself. As a result, the backup files saved to the hard
disk are not compressed. That means the 160GB .bkf file that you have
contains about that much in file disk space (i.e., there be 160GB of
files in the .bkf file).

There is Advanced BKF Repair (http://www.datanumen.com/) but I don't
know, as with many trial versions, if the free download will actually
do the repair or just inform you of what it thinks it can do for
repairs. It isn't cheap at $150 but that's cheaper than paying some
data recovery company. You could call them to check if they have a
money-back satisfaction guarantee; i.e., if it doesn't work on your
..bkf file then they refund your money.

 

[Marek Kalisz]

Yes, I bought a year ago Advanced - it didn't work now too. So, since last
year I spent already over $400 only on repair tools for BKF.
"Inconsistencies" were in a message during Restore and it showed after
Restore process was working already for some time. (Yes, all backups were
mark with "verify" option so - something had to happen after.) Yes, I
recataloged it but the new catalog shows directories/subdirectories - mostly
empty (no files inside).
Anyway, thanks for your attention and tips.
Marek Kalisz

 

[Pop`]

Yes, I bought a year ago Advanced - it didn't work now too. So,
since last year I spent already over $400 only on repair tools for
BKF. "Inconsistencies" were in a message during Restore and it showed
after Restore process was working already for some time. (Yes, all
backups were mark with "verify" option so - something had to happen
after.) Yes, I recataloged it but the new catalog shows
directories/subdirectories - mostly empty (no files inside).
Anyway, thanks for your attention and tips.
Marek Kalisz

If this is actually highly important data, the FIRST thing you have to do is
get it copied off someplace; on the net, DVD, whatever. You are at a very
high risk for data loss and thus need to get these protected by copying them
SOMEWHERE! Even if it's only to a friend's drive, or you have to buy
another drive for your own machine. Drives are very cheap these days.

It sounds to me like there's a pretty fair chance you're going to lose your
data. Therefore, I hope it will at least make you think a lot more
seriously about getting a good backup process in place and in use! Never,
ever allow important data to reside only on a hard drive in the future. A
backup kept on the target drive is next to useless.
It sounds like you can afford it, so start looking for a good imaging
program. Norton's Ghost and Acronis' true Image are two I've had experience
with and seem to work well and reliably.

I'd suggest getting access to another computer which can run your
backup/restore programs, and has enough space to work in, and try to ts
there. Or get yourself another external 300 Gig say, drive, to use.
If you can get them onto DVD, then at least you have them to use for
future ts'ing and it'll remove a little of the pressure.
STOP WORKING ON YOUR ORIGINALS! Or, admit that it's OK to lose the
data<g>.

HTH,
Pop`

 

[alexbutton12]

Backup files are generally created with ntbackup.exe utility in Windows. They help you to restore data after upgrading or clean install and most importantly during data loss. However, BKF files can itself get corrupted due to interruption during backup, CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) errors, virus attacks, sudden system shutdown, and other reasons. Use BKF file repair software to restore all data and get rid of permanent data loss fears.Visit : http://www.restorebkf.net/

 

[lucycook124]

Backup files are generally created with ntbackup.exe utility in Windows. They help you to restore data after upgrading or clean install and most importantly during data loss. However, BKF files can itself get corrupted due tointerruption during backup, CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) errors, virus attacks, sudden system shutdown, and other reasons. Use BKF file repair software to restore all data and get rid of permanent data loss fears.You can try this http://www.restorebkf.net/

 

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[glee]

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