How to Read Router backup File (.backup)

RouterOS Beginner Basics
1

Hello All,

I have a .backup file (File > Backup) from my old router which is not functional now. I have a new router now with new configuration. But I want to see what was configured in my old router without changing any configuration in my current router. Is there any way I can only view the configurations from the old backup file ?


Thanks.

2

Myself always use export to file and backup. Backup is between the same model and export you can read as text. The export can also be used to convert settings between diffent models. Have look at the Wiki page:
https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Configuration_Management

3

Hi

Import the .backup on temp router (like chr) and them export the config that you need.

Regards

M.

4

Yeah, but importing backup somewhere else just to see what’s inside is not exactly user-friendly solution. Sure, we also have nicely readable export, but that does not include users and certificates, so it can’t fully replace backup. So there are two ways how to backup config, but none of them is perfect.

MikroTik should either allow export to include everything (e.g. with a new option, if it shouldn’t be there by default) or create a tool to decrypt backups into something readable.

5

I found a tool to decrypt routeros backup
https://github.com/BigNerd95/RouterOS-Backup-Tools

Maybe helpful

6

The backup is binary and encrypted, to be used as a restore on same type of hardware. For migrations, better save export and use that.