FAQ - Using UNIX: Restoring Files and Mail with DSMC

Table of Contents Restoring Email Inboxes and Mail Files How do I restore my icarus inbox (or other mailbox)? How do I restore my tigger inbox (or other mailbox)? How do I restore my mailserv inbox (or other mailbox)? I deleted an email message that I shouldn't have. Is there any way to get it back? General Questions on dsmc backup restoration How do I restore files using dsmc? How do I use the dsmc -pick option? I deleted mail/files and I could not get dsmc to work. DSMC works but it won't stop running. Where do I find out more about dsmc?

Question 1.1 How do I restore my icarus inbox (or other mailbox)?

• Use the following command to select the copy of your inbox that you want to restore, and to restore it to a SEPARATE mail folder. (If you don't restore it to a different folder, it will overwrite your current inbox, and you will lose all your newer email.)

  So, the command to restore your inbox on icarus is:

  dsmc restore -inactive -pick  /var/mail/netid  ~/mail/oldinbox

• Make sure to replace netid with your own netid (for example, adabyron or jstude99). This will restore your inbox to a mail folder called oldinbox, which is viewable through pine or WebMail. (How do I use the dsmc -pick option? below explains how to use the -pick option.)

• While you're still logged in, you can use pine to open the restored inbox; enter the command:

  pine -f oldinbox

  Or you can use WebMail (the folder list is at the top right of the WebMail screen.)

• Note that this will bring back a copy of your entire inbox; be sure to go through it and delete all the messages that you either already have or don't need to keep.

• If you would like to restore a specific mailbox, say sent-mail, use the following command.

  dsmc restore -pick -inactive   ~/mail/sent-mail   ~/mail/oldbox

  The version of the sent-mail mailbox that you select to be restored will be saved into the mailbox oldbox, which you can open in either pine or WebMail. (How do I use the dsmc -pick option? below explains how to use the -pick option.)

• If you would like to restore a specific mailbox, but you are unsure of its name, use the following command.

  dsmc restore -pick -inactive   "~/mail/*"   ~/mail/restoredboxes/

  The file(s) you pick to be restored will be saved into your restoredboxes/ directory, which doesn't have to exist before you enter the command; you can open the restored mailboxes in either pine or WebMail. (How do I use the dsmc -pick option? below explains how to use the -pick option.)

Question 1.2 How do I restore my tigger inbox (or other mailbox)?

• The same as on icarus, except the dsmc command to use when restoring your inbox on tigger is:

  dsmc restore -inactive -pick  /var/spool/mail/netid  ~/mail/oldinbox

  That is, add the "/spool" between "/var" and "/mail/".

• For further instructions, see How do I restore my icarus inbox? above.

Question 1.3 How do I restore my mailserv inbox (or other mailbox)?

• We run ADSM on mailserv exactly the same as we run it on icarus and tigger. However, because you can't log in to mailserv, you can't use dsmc yourself to recall missing mailboxes.
• Instead, send email to systems@uic.edu that says which mailbox is missing (or which mailbox held the messages that are missing), and the day and time when the missing messages were last in the mailbox.
• And do this quickly; we only keep backups for about a week.

Question 1.4 I deleted an email message that I shouldn't have. Is there any way to get it back?

• If the message was on the server -- in your inbox or any other IMAP email mailbox that lives on the server -- at least overnight, there might be a copy of the missing message on the email server, in an archived copy of that mailbox.
• If your account is on tigger or on icarus, follow the instructions above to recall an older copy of the mailbox in question, and retrieve the message from the restored copy of the mailbox.
• If your email account is on mailserv, then send an email message to systems@uic.edu explaining your problem. Be sure to include the name of the mailbox that the message was in and a good enough description of the message that we'll be able to tell whether we've found it or not. The first and last dates that you know the message was there are particularly useful.
• Be sure to do this as soon as you realize the message is missing -- these are backup copies, not archives, and they're only kept for a short period of time.

Question 2.1 How do I restore files using dsmc?

• Login to your icarus/tigger account, use cd go to the directory that the file you want to restore was stored in, and enter:
  dsmc
  at the prompt.
• Look for the most recently backed-up files with this command:
  restore -pick *
• If the files you are looking for don't show up, try using this command:
  restore -pick -inactive "*"
  Make sure you put the asterisk in quotes here -- all file names should show up.
• You should be able to pick the files you need to restore with the key guide at the bottom of the pick screen. (Don't restore a file that has 0 bytes; it's empty.)
• How do I use the dsmc -pick option? below explains how to use the -pick option.

Question 2.2 How do I use the dsmc -pick option?

• Taking as an example the command given above to recover deleted email inboxes and using the netid adabyron:

  dsmc restore -inactive -pick /var/mail/adabyron ~/mail/oldinbox

  Again, replace adabyron with your netid. This command will restore your inbox to a mail folder called oldinbox.

  The following sample DSMC pick menu is displayed.

  ADSM Scrollable PICK Window - Restore
  
       #    Backup Date/Time             File Size A/I  File
          -----------------------------------------------------------------------
       1. | 05/02/01   03:21:27         85226  A   /var/spool/mail/adabyron
       2. | 05/01/01   06:28:05        677085  I   /var/spool/mail/adabyron
       4. | 04/29/01   05:33:45        784093  I   /var/spool/mail/adabyron
       5. | 04/25/01   04:09:13        568901  I   /var/spool/mail/adabyron
       6. | 04/24/01   03:55:01        337219  I   /var/spool/mail/adabyron
          |
          |
          |
          |
          |
          |
          |
          |
          |
          0---------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------7
  <U>=Up  <D>=Down  <T>=Top  <B>=Bottom  <R#>=Right  <L#>=Left
  <G#>=Goto Line #  <#>=Toggle Entry  <+>=Select All  <->=Deselect All
  <#:#+>=Select A Range <#:#->=Deselect A Range  <O>=Ok  <C>=Cancel
  pick>
  

• Type the one character commands listed in the three lines at the bottom of the page beside the pick> prompt to move up, move down, move to the bottom of the list, etc.

• After you decide which day's backup you want to restore, type the number of that line beside the pick> prompt, press Enter. An x will appear in the first column of that line.

• Then type o (the letter "O") and press Enter again.

• ADSM will begin to backup the file you selected.

Question 2.3 I deleted mail/files and I could not get dsmc to work.

• If dsmc was not successful, try entering this at the command line:
  dsmc restore -pick -inactive /location_of_files
  Where /location_of_files is the exact location of your files. For example: /usr/mail/adabyron or /homes/home5/adabyron
  (How do I use the dsmc -pick option? above explains how to use the -pick option.)
• If you used dsmc correctly, but did not see any results, please remember that dsmc takes a long time to complete, generally your files will be restored anywhere between .5 and 1.5 hours. If you are restoring an entire directory or many files at once it could take up to 2 or 3 hours.
• Unfortunately, you cannot issue this command and then logout. You need to stay connected the entire time you are restoring files. Hence, use dsmc when you have plenty of time.

Question 2.4 DSMC works but it won't stop running.

• DSMC takes a long time to complete, generally your files will be restored anywhere between .5 and 1.5 hours. If you are restoring an entire directory or many files at once it could take up to 2 or 3 hours.
• Unfortunately, you cannot issue this command and then logout. You need to stay connected the entire time you are restoring files. Hence, use dsmc when you have plenty of time.

Question 2.5 Where do I find out more about dsmc?

• See ADSM Backup Clients for UNIX: dsm and dsmc.

Need Additional Help?