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Have just run into an issue where I need to find a file that is on an old Server 2008 R2 backup using Windows Server Backup.

Is there any method of viewing that data if we don't have 2008 R2 installed on any hardware now?

gchq
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  • Have you tried restoring the catalog using wbadmin? https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/wbadmin-restore-catalog – Greg Askew Jul 08 '20 at 19:01
  • Will that allow me to view the files from Windows 10 or Server 2019? As far as I know the catalog (and data) are intact, just can't be read from any other OS – gchq Jul 08 '20 at 19:17
  • I'm not aware it would not work. When you say `can't be read from any other OS`, what are you doing that isn't working? Attempting to restore the catalog? – Greg Askew Jul 08 '20 at 20:08
  • To find a file that is on the backup. With Windows Server Backup it will only read and restore files to the same OS and we don't have any more 2008 R2 boxes – gchq Jul 08 '20 at 20:46
  • Download the evaluation edition, spin it up in a VM, and restore your data. - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=11093 – joeqwerty Jul 08 '20 at 22:17
  • I do have the original 2008 R2 install discs. I am totally sure that I also copied the files somewhere as well as the backup - if I can't remember where then that might be the answer. Thank you :-) – gchq Jul 08 '20 at 22:32
  • Any change you could set up a VM running Windows Server 2008 R2 to retrieve backup data from it? For instance, you could run a VM in Microsoft Azure. – A.Newgate Jul 09 '20 at 08:04
  • In the end I managed to locate the hardware and it booted :-) Copied the file I need and for good measure it's now copying the all the files I may need in the future. Thank you both for the VM suggestion - that would have been the next method to try – gchq Jul 09 '20 at 17:15

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