Backup file got corrupt?? Now Recover it!!

With technical advancements over the years, storage media are becoming more sophisticated and economical by the day. We spend so much on the these devices because we want a repository to store our ever-increasing data. And we all know that data is the most important part of our PC. So, one should take proper measures to safeguard this data as well. Windows (2000, XP, 2003 Server) users have the option to create backup of the data using in-built NTBackup utility. This utility enables you to take timely backups (in the form of .bkf files) using various modes. However, at times these .bkf files may get corrupt because of reasons such as human errors, power surges, interrupted backup process, virus infections, etc.
In such cases, you should look to replace the bkf file with its updated backup. However, if you do not have the backup then you should use a third-party BKF repair tool to repair BKF file.

Consider a scenario wherein you want to format your pen drive. You transfer the data to your hard disk and create a backup of the data using NTBackup utility. However, when you try to restore the data an error message is displayed:
“[Unrecognized Media]
The backup file is unusable. You must erase it, or choose another file.”

This error message signifies that the backup file is inaccessible.

Cause:
The most possible cause for this situation is that while the backup was in process, it may have gotten interrupted, and you did not confirm whether the backup was complete or not.

Resolution:
First things first, to avoid such slip-ups in the future, select the Verify Data after Backup advanced option. This would ensure that the backup is complete and the integrity of the backup files is maintained.

Then, if you still have the data for which you took the backup, then you can use the data. However, if this is not the case then you should use a third-party BKF repair software that will do the BKF recovery. Such tools are read-only in nature and do not overwrite the original data while scanning the damaged area.

Rectifying the CRC Error in corrupted BKF file

You must have gone through the pain of losing your important data due to various reasons. To avoid such situations, you should routinely backup your valuable data. For this purpose, the Windows (2000, XP, and Server 2003) users can use the NTBackup utility, which creates backup in the form of BKF file. These files are useful when you encounter data loss, data inaccessibility, drive corruptions, system malfunctioning, etc. However, even the BKF files can get corrupt because of various reasons such as virus infections, missing catalog files, media errors, CRC errors, etc. In such cases, you should recreate the backup. However, if you have lost the data itself, there is no possibility of recreating the backup. In such cases, you should use a third-party BKF repair tool to repair BKF file.

Consider a scenario wherein you have created a backup of a system over the network as you want to format it. After formatting the system, you run NTBackup to restore the backup. However, you are unable to do so. It seems that the bkf file has gone corrupt.

Cause:
The issue may have occurred because of the Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) error.

The CRC is used to validate the integrity of a data block. It is an error checking method in data transfer where a CRC character is produced at the transmission end. This character's value is dependent on hexadecimal value of all the 1s that are there in the data block. The error is a result of some of the bytes of the file getting lost or overwritten due to a random reason.

Resolution:
It is quite possible that you may have lost the data for which you created the BKF file. So, you would not be having the data anymore. To resolve this error you should contemplate using a third-party BKF recovery tool to repair BKF file. Such read-only tools are highly interactive and do not overwrite while scanning the damaged area using fast yet sophisticated algorithms. These tools do no require sound knowledge to perform BKF recovery of corrupted BKF file.

Repair BKF file created by Backup Exec

Backup format(BKF) Microsoft Tape Format or MTF basically tends to back up files. Files can be backed up to tape, ZIP drives, floppy disks, and hard drive. What if those created BKF file gets corrupted then in this case BKF Software which is an effective backup repair tool; is used to repair BKF files that are inaccessible or fails to restore. So, one should employ appropriate measures to safeguard the data. One such measure is to create timely backups of the data. There are many utilities using which you can take backups on a routine basis. Backup Exec from Veritas is one such utility that enables you to create backup in the form of BKF files. However, even these files are prone to corruption and you may not be able to restore the backup. In such cases, you should again create the backup. However, if you have lost the data before realizing BKF file corruption, then you should use a third-party BKF repair tool to perform BKF recovery.

Consider a scenario wherein you have created a backup of some files on your Ultrium 3 tape using Backup Exec software. Then, after a week or so, you try to restore the BKF file but not able to do so. An error message is displayed, that is:
“Unable to create selection list.”

You are able to restore other backups in the tape, but not able to restore this specific one.

Cause:
The most possible cause of this error message is that the catalog of the backup file has corrupted. The reasons for this behavior could be database corruption or media label conflict within the catalog. The BKF file can get corrupt due to various reasons such as human errors, virus infections, incomplete or improper data backup process, etc.

Resolution:
First of all, if you have the original data then you should create its backup again. However, if you do not have the original data or you have deleted it then you should use a third-party BKF repair software to repair the corrupted BKF file. These tools are highly interactive and read-only in nature, and ensure that no data is lost while scanning the corrupted file.

Repairing Backup file after NTBackup Drive regulate Messages

Microsoft NTBackup utility generates some verify messages “the backup file (.bkf file) is corrupt” after you complete the backup process.While running any server version of Windows, you can see these verify errors in the Application Event Log. It is highly recommended to consider the error messages and take corrective measures as soon as you bump into them, else the backup file can not be restored due to corruption. However, to fix the corruption of such corrupted BKF files, various BKF Repair softwares are available in market.

The further scenario illustrates a suitable situation when you can encounter such drive verify errors. Let's say, you use the NTBackup command-line tool and select 'Verify After Backup' option. When the backup is done, viewing the Application Event Log prompts you the following event:

ID : 8009
Source : NTBackup
Type : Error
Category : NoneDecription : End Verify to 'C.'

NTBackup reports the above event when it observes some differences in the data on original and backup destination.

Note: Similar type of event can also occur as informational message with Event Type as 'Information'. This happens when NTBackup doesn't find any differences in data on original and backup destination.

Explanation:
Event 8009 with type 'Error' can occur because of two main reasons:

• There have been some changes in original file(s) after the backup has been completed.
• Backup file (BKF file) created by NTBackup utility is corrupt and will not restore.

Checking backup reports is therefore a suggested action to ensure the consistency of backup file and to have error-free restoration. For detailed information about the cause, you can check the Backup.log file.

In case, few files have been deleted, edited, or added, or the backup file is corrupt, you can start another backup process. But if you ignore these errors, the result can be incomplete restoration. However, if the BKF file is corrupt, you can use a MS BKF Repair Tool. A BKF Repair software can scan your corrupted BKF file and restore the file contents to a safe location.

Recuperation BKF file using variousVSS Server

There is a backup utility tool so called NTBackup utility in the Windows operating systems such as Windows Server 2003, XP, and 2000 which helps you in creating backups of your remarkable data in the form of BKF files and in case of backup file corruption one can use this tool and get it recovered using the Restore Wizard. Using this tool, backup can be restored on floppy disks, zip drives, magentic tapes and hard drives. Sometimes BKF files may get corrupt due to various reasons such as corruption in storage media, virus infections, power surges, human errors, etc. In such cases, one should have backup of the their data. However, if you have lost the data then this third party tool so called BKF repair tool can be taken in use to perform BKF recovery.

Consider a scenario wherein you have a Windows XP system. You have created a backup of your hard disk as you are about to format it. After formatting it, you try to restore the backed up data. You are unable to do so and an error message is displayed, that is:
“Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: File
Media name: "bkup_file.bkf created MM/DD/YYYY at HH:MM AM|PM"
NTDS has reported a VSS error 0x800423f0...”

The BKF file has corrupted and, thus, is inaccessible.

Cause:
The root cause for this error message is that the BKF file created in the Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) server interface has corrupted. The reason behind this is that the VSS server acts differently in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows operating system. A BKF file created in the 32-bit VSS interface needs a 32-bit VSS-based backup tool to restore the backed up data. Therefore, for appropriate restoration one needs to have the operating system, database, and the catalog files on the same volume. However, the aforementioned error message is displayed when either of the volume is on the system drive, which apparently leads to corruption of the BKF file, thereby accounting for restoration failure.

Resolution:
Windows may not provide you any method to repair BKF file. So, this third-party BKF repair tool can be used to repair the corrupt file for BKF recovery. Such read-only tools are able to repair BKF file without damaging the original contents.

Repairing corrupt BKF file from multiple tape set

Most of you must have faced the agony of data loss due to sundry reasons. In such situations, a lot of people crib over not having a tool to take timely backups of the valuable data. Well, the things are not so terrible actually. For those who don't know, Windows (2000, XP, and Server 2003) users can use the NTBackup utility that enables you to take the backups in different modes such as differential and incremental modes. The backups, using NTBackup, are created in the form of BKF files. However, sometimes these BKF files too can get corrupted. In such cases, you should take appropriate corrective measures to solve the issue. However, if you are unable to do so then you should use a third-party BKF repair tool to repair BKF file.

Consider a scenario wherein you have taken the backup of some data in a multiple-tape set. The backed up data is located on two different tapes. When you try to restore the BKF file, you are unable to do so. An error message is displayed, that is:
“Error: An inconsistency was encountered on the requested media”

This error message is displayed when you restore the BKF file from the first tape, and start restoring the data from the next tape.

Cause:
The cause of this error message is that NTBackup prompts you to mount the incorrect piece of media to restore the backup from. Stated problem occurs when backup is appended innumerable times to make it reside on different members of a media set, not for a single backup set spanning a number of media.

Resolution:
To address this issue, you should select and restore and BKF file from one backup set at a time. This should resolve the problem. However, if you are still not able to resolve it then chances are that the BKF file is corrupt and, therefore, inaccessible. In such cases, you should use a third-party BKF repair tool to repair BKF file. Such read-only tools use fast yet sophisticated scanning algorithms to perform BKF recovery without overwriting the original data.

Cannot Restore Backup

Some computer users have the habit of taking daily backups of their data. To help these users, Microsoft provides an inbuilt backup utility (NTBackup) in Windows operating system. The utility allows the users to create a backup of all or selected files, and save it on the network or personal computer. The utility also allows the user to restore the backup at the desired location. However, there are certain situations where the utility fails to restore the data backup. Such situations occur when the backup file gets corrupted or damaged. In such cases, the backup file needs to restored from another valid backup. But, if that file is also corrupted, then the user needs to repair the corrupted backup file by using a commercial repair BKF file.

Consider a practical case where you create a backup file – using NTBackup utility – that contains all your accounts-related files and folders for previous year. You save the file on the network drive and delete all the files from your system. However, the next time when you attempt to restore the file, you view the below error message:
“The backup file contains unrecognized data and cannot be used.”
After the above error message appears, all your previous year's accounts files and folders become inaccessible. Moreover, the same error message appears, regardless of the times you try to open the file.

Cause:
The restoration of the BKF file fails due to the corruption of the file. Few causes for BKF file corruption could be header damage, media read/write error, virus hit, and CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) errors.

Resolution:
To access the BKF file post corruption and to access the financial records, you will need to follow the below steps:

• Use a copy of BKF file and perform restoration at your desired destination.
• However, in case of unavailability of BKF file backup, you will need to repair the corrupted BKF file by using a powerful BKF Repair tool. A MS Backup Recovery application scans, repairs, and restores the BKF file, irrespective of the cause of its corruption.