Windows activation status might be incorrect after a full system restore

Content

During backup of the operating system boot drive (usually C:), the profile files for two internal Windows accounts, "Network Service" and "Local Service", are excluded from backup by TSM. These files are:

• C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\NTUSER.DAT
• C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\NTUSER.DAT

If a full system restore is performed, these files cannot be restored because they are not backed up. New versions of these files will automatically be created by Windows after the restored system is started. However they might lack the necessary permissions for license activation status or Windows Update to work properly.

Further details for this problem can be found in APAR IC89666.


Releases affected:
The following TSM Backup-Archive Client versions are affected by this problem:

• 5.5.0.0 - 5.5.x.x
• 6.1.0.0 - 6.1.x.x
• 6.2.0.0 - 6.2.4.x
• 6.3.0.0 - 6.3.1.0
• 6.4.0.0 - 6.4.0.2

Conditions for the problem to occur:
The problem can occur when the following steps are performed:

1. An affected TSM Backup-Archive Client versions is used to back up the boot drive for any of these operating systems:
• Microsoft Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008
• Microsoft Windows 7
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
• Microsoft Windows 8
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012
2. A full restore of the system is performed.

Note: It is not possible to predict in advance if the problem will actually occur on a given restored system.


How can you tell if you are affected?
Any Windows system that is backed up with one of the affected TSM Backup-Archive Client versions is potentially affected. Under most circumstances this has not been known to impact full system restores. However, if a restored system is affected, possible symptoms include:

• The Microsoft Windows activation status, as shown in the Computer "Properties" dialog, may be incorrect or "unknown".
• The Windows Update utility might not work correctly.

Workaround:
If your system exhibits these symptoms following a full system restore, examine the permissions for the following registry keys:

• HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-19
• HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20

Make sure that each of these keys is configured with these users and allowed permissions:

Group or user name	Permissions
RESTRICTED	Read
SYSTEM	Full Control, Read
LOCAL SERVICE	Full Control, Read
Administrators	Full Control, Read

Fix:
The TSM Backup-Archive Client has been fixed so that the two NTUSER.DAT files can be backed up during backup of the Windows boot drive (usually C:). Perform the following steps to ensure that the files are included in future backups:

1. Install one of the fixing TSM Backup-Archive Client levels (shown in the table below)
2. Ensure that the TSM Backup-Archive Client is configured to use the TSM Open File Support (OFS) feature. OFS is enabled by using this option in the client options file (dsm.opt): snapshotproviderfs vss
3. Ensure that you do not exclude from backup any files named NTUSER.DAT or USRCLASS.DAT
4. Back up the system. A full backup is not required. The next scheduled incremental backup operation should back up the necessary files.
5. After the backup completes, check the dsmsched.log file to ensure that NTUSER.DAT files are backed up. As an alternative, you can use the TSM Backup-Archive Client to query the backups, and verify that backups of these files were created.

TSM Backup-Archive Client affected releases	First level with fix
5.5.0.0 - 5.5.x.x	Install one of the 6.2, 6.3, or 6.4 fix levels
6.1.0.0 - 6.1.x.x	Install one of the 6.2, 6.3, or 6.4 fix levels
6.2.0.0 - 6.2.4.x	6.2.5.0
6.3.0.0 - 6.3.1.0	6.3.1.1
6.4.0.0 - 6.4.0.2	6.4.0.4

Notes:

• A fix is not planned for the version 5.5 and 6.1 Backup-Archive Clients. If you are currently using the version 5.5 or 6.1 client, you must upgrade to one of the version 6.2, 6.3, or .6.4 fixing levels.
• Make sure you install a fixing level that is supported with the version of your TSM Server (see client and server version compatibility table).