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Recover files and folders

You can recover files and folders:

Recover files via the Veeam Service Provider Console portal

For your information

Veeam Agent must be running on the source machine and connected to the Veeam Service Provider Console. If the backup agent is unavailable, file restoration via the Veeam Service Provider Console portal is impossible.

Any type of backup created via Veeam Agent is suitable for recovering files and folders via the portal.

During the restore process, the backup agent mounts the file system from the backup into the /mnt/backup (Linux) or C:\VeeamFLR (Windows) directory. For more information about restoring files, see the Performing File-Level Restore guide in the Veeam documentation.

  1. In the Veeam Service Provider Console portal, go to Management → Protected Data.
  2. Select the virtual machine with the files you want to recover.
  3. Click File-Level Restore Portal. The restore portal will open in a new tab.
  4. In the menu on the left, under Restore Point, click Select.
  5. Select a restore point and click Select.
  6. If multiple backup policies are attached to the virtual machine, in the menu on the left, select a policy in the Job field.
  7. Select the files and folders you want to restore. If indexing was enabled in the backup policy settings, you can search for files on the Search tab.
  8. Click Add to Restore List.
  9. Open the Restore List tab.
  10. If you want to restore files to the original location without overwriting existing files, click Restore → Keep. If a file with the same name exists, the restored file will be renamed with the RESTORED- prefix.
  11. If you want to restore files to the original location and overwrite existing files, click Restore → Overwrite. If a file with the same name exists, it will be replaced with the file from the backup.
  12. If you want to download files as an archive, click Download and enter the administrator credentials of the source machine. The files will be downloaded via the source machine, which may affect the download speed.
  13. Optional: on the Audit tab, check that the files have been restored. The backup from which the files were restored will be unmounted from the source machine 30 minutes after closing the restore portal tab or inactivity.

Recover files using Veeam Recovery Media

  1. Connect the Veeam Recovery Media drive to the machine.
  2. In BIOS/UEFI, set the boot priority to this drive.
  3. Turn on the machine and wait for Veeam Recovery Media to load. The SSH server will start automatically and provide connection parameters.
  4. If SSH is not required, click Proceed without SSH.
  5. Accept the license agreement and click Continue.
  6. Click Configure network → Edit a connection.
  7. Configure network settings for internet access and click OK.
  8. Click Back.
  9. Click Activate a connection.
  10. Once the configuration is complete, click OK.
  11. Select the Restore files restore type. Wait for the file system to finish mounting.
  12. To display the files after mounting is complete, click Start file browser. The Midnight Commander file manager will open. The files on the machine (/mnt/system) will be displayed on the left, and the files in the backup (/mnt/backup) on the right.
  13. Select the files and directories for recovery and copy them to the machine.
  14. To exit the file manager, press F10.
  15. To complete the process, click Stop backup mount, power off the machine, and remove the drive with Veeam Recovery Media.

Recover files using the backup agent

Any type of backup created via Veeam Agent (Entire computer, Volume level, File level) is suitable for recovering files and folders. File recovery is performed on a running system with the backup agent installed.

The following file recovery options are available:

For more information about preparing for file restore, see the Before You Begin (Linux, Windows) guides in the Veeam documentation.

Recover files via the backup agent interface

During the restore process, the backup agent mounts the file system from the backup into the /mnt/backup directory.

  1. Launch the interface:

    sudo veeam

  2. Press R.

  3. Select a policy and press Enter.

  4. Select a restore point and press Enter. Wait for the file system to finish mounting.

  5. Press Enter.

  6. Press Esc.

  7. In the /mnt/backup directory, check that the mounted file system is available.

  8. Copy the required files and directories from the mounted system to the machine (for example, using the cp command).

  9. Invoke the backup agent interface:

    sudo veeam

  10. To unmount the backup, press U.

  11. If the “Target is busy” message is displayed, the copying process has not yet completed, or the working directory is inside the mounted backup (/mnt/backup). Navigate to the user's home directory using the cd command without parameters.

  12. To exit the backup agent interface, press Esc.

Recover files via the command line

For more information about restoring using the command line, see the Restoring Files and Folders with Command Line Interface guide in the Veeam documentation.

  1. List the available backups (policies):

    veeamconfig backup list --all

  2. Copy the Backup ID of the required policy.

  3. View available restore points:

    veeamconfig point list --backupid <backup_id>

    Specify <backup_id> — the Backup ID of the policy.

  4. Copy the OIB ID of the required restore point.

  5. Mount the file system from the restore point:

    veeamconfig point mount --id <oib_id> --mountdir <path>

    Specify:

    • <oib_id> — the OIB ID of the restore point;
    • <path> — the path to the directory where the file system will be mounted.

  6. Wait for the Restore point is mounted message.

  7. Copy the Session ID.

  8. Copy the required files and directories from the mounted backup (for example, using the cp command).

  9. After recovery, unmount the restore point:

    veeamconfig session stop --id <session_id>

    Specify <session_id> — the session ID.