Why is restoring a backup that difficult if not impossible????

[msatter]

Darn, I confirmed today to fast and locked myself out of the router and did not activated Safe Mode so I was $$%#@(($&&&.

So I thought I restore my backup file and go on…NO WAY said my Mikrotik and kept complaining about bad password. So I tried the old trick to downgrade to a stable version and try again. I was flabbergasted that trick did not work.

So I went in panic mode and tried all the things that could be pressed in Winbox with no result. Then restore a very very old backup file and worked and after reboot I could now restore my latest backup file and then I updated the Mikrotik back to 6.40.4.

I have now lost an hour to total stupid behavior of the Mikrotik 750G3 in my case and this is totally unreliable behaviour otherwise good functioning RouterOS.

[Paternot]

The backup can only be restored on the same unit (not same model, it must be the same unit), with the same ROS version used to do the backup.

I agree that this is… sub optimal. But that’s how it works.

If you want to migrate from one unit to another, use export instead. And remember to backup certificates and keys - the export doesn’t keep them.

[msatter]

Thanks, it was the same unit and it did not work.

I had also a export but that always gets stuck on a the error that an interface already exists…this error is there since almost a year not being solved. And being an import/script it won’t tell where it failed so you are doomed to import line for line to see where it goes wrong.

[msatter]

Having now Internet back what was not the case when I blocked and had to reset my Mikrotik. I found this in the Wiki:

Configuration parts to watch out for in exported .rsc files

Things that should be removed from export files that were created with: “/export”, before attempting import on new device.

Interface renaming that is in conflict with default ethernet naming scheme.

/interface ethernet
set [ find default-name=ether5 ] auto-negotiation=no name=ether1-gateway
set [ find default-name=ether6 ] name=ether2
set [ find default-name=ether7 ] name=ether3
set [ find default-name=ether8 ] name=ether4
set [ find default-name=ether1 ] name=ether5
set [ find default-name=ether2 ] name=ether6
set [ find default-name=ether3 ] name=ether7
set [ find default-name=ether4 ] name=ether8

In older version exports default entries might show with “add” instead of “set” command. That should be edited before import to avoid errors.

Check if interface/module: ether/wlan/modem/com/etc count match on new and old device. If there will some missing that will end up in error during .rsc import.

…

In case of problematic import attempt.

Reset the configuration on that device.

Run import command again with “verbose=yes” argument. It will stop also stop import process on problem which you already encountered, but will also show place where export failed. That way showing you place where things need to be edited in .rsc import file

So on the interface part I can only suggest to add an option to the export-file and that it is a system export and then the /interface part is committed. This also avoids 99.9999999% percent of the “verbose=yes” being needed.

Hey Mikrotik, think with us and solve the pitfalls before entering them in the Wiki. The Wiki is not accessible when the router does not want to accept the backup/import files.

link: https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Configuration_Management

I tried to use the run after reset and then the interfaces are also available probably so the import got stuck on the /interfaces with no entry in the log so you are banging your head on the keyboard why this likely option did not work.

[msatter]

@Paternot

The backup can only be restored on the same unit (not same model, it must be the same unit), with the same ROS version used to do the backup.

I have just restored the backup from a 750Gr3 to and 750Gr2 and that went without any problem.

Update:
Contacted support and entering the password of the router should be sufficient to able to restore the backup file and that is the case. Why it did not work on my Gr3 tonight I don’t understand and I was shouting at my computer that I had used all possible passwords I could have used including the correct password…

[Paternot]

@msatter

@Paternot

The backup can only be restored on the same unit (not same model, it must be the same unit), with the same ROS version used to do the backup.

I have just restored the backup from a 750Gr3 to and 750Gr2 and that went without any problem.

Update:
Contacted support and entering the password of the router should be sufficient to able to restore the backup file and that is the case. Why it did not work on my Gr3 tonight I don’t understand and I was shouting at my computer that I had used all possible passwords I could have used including the correct password…

I’m glad it worked. Official word about backup is (was?) to not restore with another model/version/unit.

[Ukaesty]

@msatter

Thanks, it was the same unit and it did not work.

I had also a export but that always gets stuck on a the error that an interface already exists…this error is there since almost a year not being solved. And being an import/script it won’t tell where it failed so you are doomed to import line for line to see where it goes wrong.

You are not the only one , this issues is a common , unless you know how to connect your interface

[neutronlaser]

Thanks for screwing up my day with this backup no restore BS