# Restoring Guest Files and Folders for Hyper-V

You can restore files and folders from a Hyper-V virtual machine backup to the source VM, to another VM, or to a guest agent.

Commvault indexes guest files and folders of Windows and Linux virtual machines on Hyper-V streaming, and of Windows virtual machines on Hyper-V IntelliSnap backup copies.

## Considerations

To browse a Linux VM, you must use a Linux access node.

Note

By default, when you restore guest files from a backup of a Hyper hypervisor, Commvault selects the access node to perform the operation. If you want to choose a specific access node yourself, use the Preferred node for guest file restores setting in the configuration for the Hyper-V hypervisor. The access node that you specify is used for all guest file restores associated with this hypervisor.

## Before You Begin

- If a passkey is configured for restores, you must have the passkey.

- For virtual machines that are hosted on an SMB share, a Microsoft limitation prevents restore operations from reading file and folder information from a snap backup. To enable restores of guest files and folders from Hyper-V backups using a backup plan, enable the Collect file details option on the VM group before performing the backup.

- To restore virtual machine files and folders when the total restore size is larger than 10 GB or has more than 10,000 files, use a restore-only file system agent installed in the destination client or virtual machine.

- To restore to a VM, the following requirements must be met:

  - The proxy for the restore must be Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 or later.

  - The guest operating system for the destination VM must be Windows 2008 R2 SP1 or later.

  - The destination VM must have the latest integration services installed.

## Procedure

1. From the Command Center navigation pane, go to Protect > Virtual machines.

   The Overview page appears.

2. Click the VM groups tab.

   The VM group page appears. The VM groups area displays summary information for any existing VM groups.

3. On the VM groups tab, in the row for the VM group, click the action button , and then click Restore.

   The Select restore type page appears.

4. Select Guest files to restore files or folders to the source virtual machine, to another virtual machine, or to a guest agent.

   The Restore page appears.

5. To select a different MediaAgent or source copy for the restore, or to switch to live browse mode, do the following:

   1. If you intend to switch to live browse mode, in the left column, you must click a folder in order for the Browse from media toggle key to be displayed in the Change source dialog box.

   2. In the upper-right area of the page, click Change source.

      The Change source dialog box appears.

   3. To switch to live browse mode (browsing from media), move the Browse from media toggle key to the right.

   4. To select a specific source and/or MediaAgent for the restore, do the following:

      - Restore from copy: Select one of the following:

        - Automatic (default): The software searches for the requested data in the primary copy. If the data is not found in the primary copy, the software selects a secondary or auxiliary copy.

        - Primary: The software searches for the requested data in the primary copy.

        - Snap copy: The software searches for the requested data in the snap copy.

      - MediaAgent: Select the MediaAgent that performed the backup.

      For more information, see MediaAgent and Copy Precedence Considerations for Virtualization Restores.

   5. Click OK.

6. Select the objects to restore, and then click Restore.

   The Restore option dialog box appears.

7. Specify the following:

   By default, files are restored to the source VM, using the same VSA proxy as the backup.

   1. To restore in place:

      1. Select the Select client tab (the default option).

      2. Verify that the source VM is selected in the Destination client box (the default option).

      3. Optional: To use a different VSA proxy, change the value in the Access node box.

         For Hyper-V, all Hyper-V nodes within the clusters that host the virtual machine are displayed.

   2. To restore to a different VM:

      1. Select the Other VM tab.

         By default, the same VSA proxy that was used for the backup performs the restore.

      2. To use a different VSA proxy, change the value in the Access node box. The access node must be a node in the cluster that hosts the destination virtual machine.

         The proxy must be Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 or later.

      3. If the destination VM resides on another hypervisor, select the host name of the hypervisor from the Destination hypervisor list, and then browse to select the destination VM.

         The guest operating system for the destination VM must be Hyper-V 2008 R2 SP1 or later, and the destination VM must have the latest integration services installed.

      4. In the Virtual machine login area, type the username and password for the destination VM.

   3. To restore to a guest agent:

      1. Select the Select client tab (the default option).

      2. Select the guest agent from the Destination list.

         By default, the Local System account on the destination client is used to perform the restore operation; but you can use the Impersonate user option to provide credentials for another user account. The Impersonate user option will only be used if the destination path is a UNC.

      3. Optional: To use the Impersonate user option, type the host name and credentials for the new destination hypervisor.

         The user must have permissions to create files in the specified location on the destination.

8. For the Destination path box, type a full path or click Browse to select a destination folder.

9. To delete an existing file and replace it with the restored file, select Unconditionally overwrite if it already exists.

10. Click Submit.

## Related Topics

File Indexing for Virtual Machines

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