How to Restore Individual Files When FLR Fails

Restore Procedure

1. Launch an Instant Recovery of the Virtual Machine you need to retrieve files from.
   • Use the “Restore to a new location” option.
     Failure to select this will cause the Instant Recovery to prompt asking if the production machine should be deleted.
   • You must rename the Virtual Machine when performing the Instant Recovery. It is suggested to add a suffix, such as "_ir" or "_restored"
     Failure to rename the Instant Recovered VM will cause the Instatnt Recovery wizard to prompt asking to overwrite the production server.
   • Uncheck the box for "Connect VM to network."
     Failure to do so will cause the restored VM to communicate with the production network and cause an IP conflict.
2. After the Instant Recovery is successfully published, in VMware vSphere Client, create a new virtual disk for the VM. Create the disk on a production datastore. Make the disk large enough to contain the files you need to retrieve.

3. Connect to the Guest OS of the Instant Recovered VM. As the VM has no network connection, you will need to use local credentials or cached credentials.
4. Initialize and format the temporary disk you attached in Step 2 just as you would any other disk in that operating system.
5. Transfer the data you want to restore to that disk.
6. When all data you need to retrieve is on the extra VMDK, edit the Instant Recovered VM and note the disk's name and location. Then, remove the extra disk from the instant recovered VM.
   

7. Attach the extra disk to the machine in Production where the files are needed.