Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 cannot restore NTBACKUP volumes created by prior versions of Windows

Users running versions of Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 are unable to launch NTBACKUP in order to restore NTBACKUP volumes created by older versions of Windows.

Microsoft has removed RSM (Removable Storage Manager) from 2008 R2 and Windows 7 in favor of new archiving technology. NTBACKUP which relies on RSM, will not be available in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7, and as such customers find it impossible to restore files or folders or entire volumes from old archives created with NTBACKUP on Windows 2008 Server and prior versions.

Microsoft is creating a utility which will allow users (of MS Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7) the restore capability of some of these old archives. This utility is currently in testing and is scheduled for release to the Microsoft public download site a few months after general availability of the OS. More specific information is not available at this time on the exact date or the name of the utility. The utility will only be able to restore volumes it can see in Windows Explorer. If Windows Explorer cannot access the backed up volume (i.e. tape drives), then it cannot restore it. If backed up volumes ending up with ".BAK" are visible in Windows Explorer, then these ".BAK" files could be used with the new utility to restore files/folders. Details of this functionality are subject to change prior to release of the utility.

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