I have had to restore a SBS 2003 server from a backup 2mo old but I have the newest data files to addin.

What form are these data files - and for what application?

For example if you have the exchange edb and stm files it should be straightforward to use them (so long as they are not damaged).

There is a good guide here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124040(EXCHG.65).aspx

Just pat head to preserving the existing files (even if they are two months old they are working!).

What do you mean you have "the newest data files like the exchange database and AD"??

Why is this any different than your backup?

Jeff
TechSoEasy

I will have them in thier raw form straight from the hard drive. I'm pretty sure that they are not damaged, but time will tell once I have to do the restore. My second option is to perform a repair installation on SBS 2003. If I have to migrate files over is it possible to restore the AD also or should I just make the updates manually?. Also if the repair installation would work, any input, besides making a copy of the HD.....

Thanks much.

Tech so easy, thanks for jumping in. The user does the backups for the removable drive, and has not done so for 2 months. The hard drive is OK mostly it is hanging on or right after the acpitable.dat file and reboots. I have read about 30 threads and tried all the solutions and nothing has worked, so I think I'm to the point of doing a repair installation or restoring the backup and adding in the files.....any direction would be great.....Thanks.

jimboefx, thanks the file I have will not be in the form of a microsoft backup.....would i be able to copy the raw files over in the same manner as the technet article explains....

Ahh... I saw your question about that (http:Q_23132891.html).  You may not need to reinstall or even restore... what is the make/model of this server?

Jeff
TechSoEasy

I is house built with a nvidia chipset.....If I remember right it is a AMD dual core.....

Sorry guessing again, It may indeed be a Intel based system with on board raid that is configured in a raid 5

If you've already tried to boot into "The last known configuration that worked" from the F8 boot menu, then you should next try to uninstall SP2 then, which is most likely the cause of your problem.
Directions for that are here:  http://windowsxp.mvps.org/spuninst.htm

Jeff
TechSoEasy

I'm not in front of the machine so if it OK, can we go through a couple of steps if that does not work. SP2 has been installed for about 3 months now, would that affect it now?
If I try the uninstall of SP2 and it does not work. What would be the next step. The only event I can figure that happened around this time was the controller lost it's connection with one of the drive. I powered down the machine and checked the cables. After adjusting the cables the third raid drive came back online, but the system would not boot per the previous post. I disconnected the affected drive and tried to reboot, still no boot. I then tried all of the previous suggestions and nothing worked. I am going to work on the server again in about two hours and will try want you suggested, but if that doesn't work I would like to know what I'm getting into once a repair installation has completed. I have booted to the installation CD and after the first repair option and it finds the current installation of windows it does give me the option to repair. Which I'm OK with doing the work of adding in the after effect of whatever I need to I just didn't want to mess with the exchange database or AD.

But, you have helped me before and I trust your advice, so lay it on me.....Thanks.

Instead of saying "try to uninstall SP2 then, which is most likely the cause of your problem", I probably should have said, "try to uninstall the latest update/patch, which is most likely the cause of your problem".

Jeff
TechSoEasy

Thanks to everyone for your help. I had tried everything and the only thing left was to perform the parallel install and retrieve the data that way.....Thanks again to everyone.