Recover Offline Files

[thom]

Our Admin Domain Controller decided to crash over the Easter bank holiday so I have had fun & games getting it up and running again. It turns out the mobo is dead so we have ordered a new server.

 

The DC was also our sims server. I have got DNS,DHCP and SIMS up and running on temporary PCs and i hope the new replacement server will arrive very soon.

 

The problem is, while I was sorting this out people were logging on with cached credentials and working offline. Not being aware of this, I jonied about 10 PCs to the SIMS workgroup so they could get up and running.

 

Now all of the work they were doing offline is saved in the offline files folder but it won't open it. It just comes up with an error saying "...File not Found...". I presume this is for security so users can't open offline files that don't belong to them. However, I can't re-join them back onto the AD server as it doesn't exist.

 

So does anyone know if it's possible for me to rescue these files stored in the Offline Files folder?

[Geoff]

Login as Administrator. Administrators can view all offline files in the cache.

[fooby]

Not that I don't mind, but googling "recover offline files" (no quotes) returned these results instantly....

 

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=recover+offline+files&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

 

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Windows/Article/ArticleID/39422/39422.html

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;884739

 

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/Q_21709695.html

 

http://blogs.msdn.com/jonathanh/archive/2004/08/21/218463.aspx

[NetworkGeezer]

Login as Administrator. Administrators can view all offline files in the cache.

 

but local administrators can't actually open files perhaps because it would be a way of overriding domain permissions.

 

"I say Head Master can you log on to my PC to see my new Whizz-Bang ™ app. Oh don't worry about the syncronisation. It's some silly Microsoft thing."

[Geoff]

I meant domain admin.

[NetworkGeezer]

I meant domain admin.

 

OK. I hadn't tried that. I am generally wary of login as domain admin on clients.

[thom]

I can't log in as domain admin as there is no domain!

 

I'm looking into the "Client-Side Caching Command-Line Options command-line tool" that fooby highlighted in one of his links. I might also try a knoppix cd to copy the files off if the first option doesn't work.

[Geoff]

Ah yeah, the domain SSID is wrong.

 

local admin then take ownership of everything in the cache should work too.

[thom]

The CSC CMD tool that is provided in the resource kit is version 1 but I need version 1.1 to use the extract switch. However, this isn't available for general download and has to be specially requested by MS telephone support.

Guess how far i got with them!

Does anyone have version 1.1 that they could attach here or e-mail to me?

[thom]

A wonderful person (Brian from http://www.techspan.co.uk) e-mailed me CSCcmd v1.1 and told me how to recover files from the offline files store.

 

Procedure, working offline as administrator from command prompt in folder containing csccmd.exe:

 

1) To extract files to folder C:\RECOVERED:

md C:\RECOVERED

csccmd /EXTRACT /TARGET:C:\RECOVERED /RECURSE

 

2) Note that it will be necessary for the administrator to reset the security rights of the recovered files so that the current user can access them.

 

It worked quickly and accurately, putting all offline files in the recovered folder. It even put the files in sub-directories based on the username.

 

Attached file deleted! - Ric

[wisdum]

Isn't that version 1.0?

 

I also need a copy! Can anyone email it to me?

 

Thanks

 

wis

[plexer]

I don't believe that anyone should be distributing software that is only available from Microsoft support.

 

However it is out there on the net.

 

If you have a need for it MS support should give it to you.

 

I don't know why they haven't released it as it's just got a couple more features than version 1 very strange.

 

Ben

[fooby]

As far as I know CSCCMD cannot be distributed online :-(

 

fooby

[thom]

MIcrosoft told me that if I EduGeek support it then it is OK to put it online

[Ric_]

MIcrosoft told me that if I EduGeek support it then it is OK to put it online

 

EduGeek are not a MS support partner and are not authorised to distribute their tools. Please do not attach software to posts!

[fooby]

Edugeek cannot distribute it, is linking to it externally allowed? Or will this too ensue the Wrath of Bill G?

 

fooby