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Restoring Data with the TSM Client

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1. Why are you restoring data?

So that we can provide you with the best advice, please select the reason that you want to restore from the following list:

I'm restoring to a new machine as I'm upgrading my system/my system has crashed:
see restoring to a new machine.
I want to restore some files from backup:
see restoring files and folders.
I've deleted some files and need to restore them:
see recovering previous versions/deleted data.
I would like to revert back to a previous version of a file that I've been working on:
see recovering previous versions/deleted data.

Below are instructions for restoring data using the Graphical User Interface (GUI). For how to use the command line interface to restore data, please also refer to our page on using the TSM client command line interface. This contains sections on restoring your data, restoring your data to another machine, and authorizing another machine to restore your files .

2. Restoring to a new machine

If you are upgrading to a new machine, using the TSM client software to move your data from one machine to another can be a convenient way to move data to the new machine. If you can no longer access the data on your old machine (e.g. because it has been lost or stolen, or because its hard drive is no longer working) then a TSM restore is the way to get your data back. In either case, before proceeding, please read our page on how to recover your entire system.

The first thing to check is that you are moving data between two similar operating systems. For example, moving data from a Windows XP machine to a Windows 7 machine is not likely to be problematic; but TSM does not support cross-platform restores, so you cannot restore Mac or Windows data to a Linux machine. If you are moving between different types of operating systems please contact hfs@ox.ac.uk and let us know what you are trying to achieve; we will then advise you on the best course of action.

If you are moving between two similar Windows operating systems then please do the following:

  1. If possible, ensure that you have an up-to-date backup of the old machine - this can be done by following the instructions for completing a manual backup.
  2. Ensure that the new machine is itself registered for the TSM backup service and that it has the TSM client software installed and working - this can be done by following our instructions on getting started.
  3. With both old and new machines registered we now need to know whether they are registered on the same HFS server.
    • Browse to the TSM self-registration page.
    • You should see at least two nodes registered to you, your old node and your new node - there may be others if you have multiple nodes.
    • Select your old node and click Submit.
    • Make a note of the details next to the Server entry - it should be in the format of OX_HFS_B#.
    • Click on the View details of another client button.
    • Select your New Node and click Submit.
    • Make a note of the details next to the Server entry- it should be in the format of OX_HFS_B#.
    • Compare the two server details:


2.1. Both accounts are on the same server

If both the old and new nodes are registered with the same HFS server, follow these instructions.

  1. On the new machine create a new shortcut on the desktop by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting [New] and then [Shortcut].
  2. For the Item Location box, copy and paste the text highlighted below but DO NOT click Next. 
    "C:\Program Files\tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsm.exe" -virtualnodename=OLDNODE
  3. Change OLDNODE to be the old node name of the client whose data you wish to restore.
  4. Now click Next.
  5. Type a name for this shortcut such as Temp TSM Client and then click Finish.
  6. Double-click on the shortcut you have just created.
  7. You will be prompted to enter a password - this is the TSM password for your old node.
  8. You will now see a normal TSM client view and you can follow the normal instructions for restoring files and folders - However, please note these limitations:
    • You will not be able to "Restore files to their current location";
    • You will have to select "Restore files to an alternative location".
  9. Now please follow the instructions for restoring files and folders.

2.2. Both accounts are on different servers

If the old and new nodes are registered with different HFS servers, follow these instructions.

  1. Browse to the TSM self-registration page
  2. You should see at least two nodes registered to you, your old node and your new node - there may be others if you have multiple nodes.
  3. Select your old node and click Submit.
  4. Make a note of the details next to the Server IP Name and Server Port.
  5. Now on the new machine browse to C:\Program Files\Tivoli\TSM\baclient\.
  6. Copy the file dsm.opt from this location to the root (top level) of C:\.
  7. Rename this file from dsm.opt to dsm-temp.opt - this is to distinguish it from the original dsm.opt.
  8. Double-click on dsm-temp.opt; by default Windows will not recognise the file type, so when prompted select [Select a program from list] and click OK.
  9. From the list of programs chose Notepad and click OK.
  10. Then dsm-temp.opt will open in Notepad.
  11. Find the line that starts 
    TCPServeraddress
    and replace the entry that appears directly after that with the Server IP Name detail you noted earlier.
  12. Find the line that starts 
    TCPPort
    and replace the entry that appears directly after that with the Server Port detail you noted earlier.
  13. On the new machine create a new shortcut on the desktop by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting [New] and then [Shortcut].
  14. For the Item Location box, copy and paste the text highlighted below but DO NOT click Next. 
    "C:\Program Files\tivoli\TSM\baclient\dsm.exe" -virtualnodename=OLDNODE -optfile="c:\dsm-temp.opt"
  15. Change OLDNODE to be the old node name of the client whose data you wish to restore.
  16. Now click Next.
  17. Type a name for this shortcut such as Temp TSM Client and then click Finish.
  18. Double-click on the shortcut you have just created.
  19. You will be prompted to enter a password - this is the TSM password for your old node.
  20. You will now see a normal TSM client view and you can follow the normal instructions for restoring files and folders - However, please note these limitations:
    • You will not be able to "Restore files to their current location";
    • You will have to select "Restore files to an alternative location".
  21. Now please follow the instructions for restoring files and folders.

2.3. Tidying up after restoring to a new machine

If you have restored to a new machine then there are some tasks that need to be completed: only perform these tasks when you have finished restoring data from the old node, and it is no longer required.

Tidying up the new node

Tidying up the old node

3. Recovering previous versions/deleted data

If you have deleted a file from your machine that had previously been backed up then it may well still be available to restore. Similarly, if you have modified and saved a file which has subsequently been backed up, then you may still be able to restore the earlier version of the file.

  1. Run TSM (Mac users must select [TSM Tools for Administrators]).
  2. Click on Restore.
  3. Click on [View] and then chose [Display active/inactive files].
  4. You will now be able to see files both active and inactive files - inactive files can be identified by as file with an "x" next to them.

    Figure /hfs/help/images/restoring06.gif []

  5. Now please follow the instructions for restoring files and folders.

For more information on active/inactive files please see our FAQ item What are active and inactive files?.

4. Restoring files and folders

In order to restore selected files and folders please follow these instructions:

  1. Run TSM (Mac users must select [TSM Tools for Administrators]).
  2. Click on Restore.
  3. Under the nodename, click on the + sign)next to File Level to expand it, and do the same again on the partitions from which you wish to restore data.
  4. Highlight the files and folders you wish to restore by ticking the grey boxes next to them (ticking the folders automatically selects all the files and sub folders underneath them).
    • If you can't see some files you were expecting to see click on [View] and then chose [Display active/inactive files] (see further 3. Recovering previous versions/deleted data).

      Figure /hfs/help/images/restoring01.gif []

  5. When you have selected all the files/folders that you wish to restore, click on Restore.
  6. You will now be prompted either to restore to the original location or to select a new location.

    Figure /hfs/help/images/restoring02.gif []

  7. Remember - If you are running Windows and are restoring data to a new/different machine, you must select an alternative location (see further Why can't I just restore my data back to the same location when restoring to a new machine?).
    • Browse to the alternative location and click OK.
  8. A task list will appear while the restore takes place:

    Figure /hfs/help/images/restoring03.gif []

  9. You will receive a confirmation message that the restore has then finished; click OK.

    Figure /hfs/help/images/restoring04.gif []

  10. You will then see a brief summary:

    Figure /hfs/help/images/restoring05.gif []

  11. The number of files inspected and restored should be identical, and the number of those failed should be zero.
    • If the number of files failed is greater than zero, then please review the section below titled 5. More information about restoring data to check for your error message(s).
    • If the number of files failed items is zero, then this indicates a successful restore of your data.

If you have restored to a new machine then there are some tasks that need to be completed: please see the section 2.3. Tidying up after restoring to a new machine.

5. More information about restoring data

Restoring Data FAQ (See all FAQs)

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