Other Norton Products

[bryanhbell]

The problem I am about to describe was discussed in two other postings here (from 03-08-2010 and from 09-22-2009), but they were left unresolved are now read-only.

When I use Norton Ghost 15 to perform a drive-based backup of my "media" (E:) drive, I find that the backup is missing all the files from the "Recorded TV" folder, though the folder's subdirectory structure is intact . The missing files include .dvr-ms, .wtv, .mkv, .avi, .ini, .db, and .tmp types.

I am using Ghost 15.0.1.36526 with Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit.

Following the suggestion in AllenM's 03-08-2010 posting, I tried using the Ghost Recovery CD to perform the backup and found that a backup performed this way is NOT missing the files noted above.

This problem is eroding my confidence in Ghost's backups. Could there be other files that are missing in backups of my other drives?

Here are the properties of the backup:

**********

Drives and backup destinations:

Media Drive (E:\) to [Backup Drive]\backup-bryanb-desktop-e\E.v2i

Scheduled backup time:

No schedule

Options:

Backup name: backup-bryanb-desktop-e

Compression level: Standard

[  ] Verify recovery points after creation

No of Recovery points: None

[  ] Search engine support

[X] Prepend computer name to backup data file names

[  ] Save backup files to a unique subfolder

Description: None

Advanced options:

Max file size: None

[  ] Disable SmartSector copying

[  ] Ignore bad sectors during copy

[  ] Perform full VSS backup

[  ] Use password

Encryption level: None

Command files:

Run before snapshot: None

Run after snapshot: None

Run after recovery point creation: None

Offsite Copy:

Disabled

Restore Anyware is not permitted for this recovery point.

**********

Any suggestions on what might be causing this problem?

[redk9258]

Open regedit and navigate to these keys..

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestore\FilesNotToSnapshot

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestore\FilesNotToBackup

By any chance are your files or folders listed there?

If so, make a copy of these registry keys in case you need to restore it later and then delete the part that is stopping your files from being backed up.

[redk9258 · Accepted solution]

To add to this.. I do not have a tuner card installed. But I do see this key in my registry..

I'll bet you have a similar key that causes your files to be skipped.

[bryanhbell]

That did the trick. I deleted the "Media Center Record Path" key (which pointed to E:\Recorded TV) from the registry and now Ghost backs up the files in the "Recorded TV" folder on my E: drive. I'm guessing that Windows Media Center must update this key whenever one changes the folder to which you want recorded shows to be saved. I didn't know that Ghost heeds this key's directions. 

Thanks, redk9258!

[redk9258]

I wonder if that is not included because a recording in process may get corrupted or something. I'd reather have one bad recording instead of losing them all!

[bryanhbell]

While searching for a solution to this problem, I stumbled upon a few possible reasons Microsoft might have for not including this folder.

1. the files in the folder are big and would make backups take longer than most customers expect

2. it might be a copyright violation in some countries to make backups of copyrighted shows

see, for example: http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/whssoftware/thread/9e96c958-f7a3-4724-ab68-d8ee2d0addd5

and http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itpromedia/thread/2c61d4cf-380b-4f58-b0f6-011b55046b...

[Brian_K]

redk9258,

Great find. Do those registry keys apply to a VSS backup? If you used a backup app that didn't use VSS, would those folders be backed up?

[redk9258]

I thought to look there because in another thread someone was complaining about how when you do a hot backup NAV definitions are excluded and they had to download 60 MB to get up to date. When a cold backup is done, either with Ghost 15 or the old Ghost (2003), the definitions were included in the back up. Also the pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys are always skipped. I think it's because of those registry keys.

Funny thing though, there is a registry key right below those called "KeysNotToRestore". One key that is not to be restored is "MountedDevices". As you know, if this registry key was not restored, people would not have that problem of not booting from the correct drive when there is more than one drive left connected after a recovery to a different drive. Unless I am not thinking correctly.