I want to restore an Informix Database (IDS 7.31 on Windows NT) from the files.

I do not have a valid export or backup taken with an Informix Utility but I have the hard disks on which the database was stored.

Now I want to install the operating system on a new machine and also the Informix software.

How can I transfer the database files to the new computer so informix will open the database?

Hi,

1. On the new machine install the same version of 7.31. Make sure Informix is created ok. Make sure you install Informix on the local machine if you did that on the old machine too, make sure you install it in the same domain if you installed it on a domain on the old machine

2. Create a new instance with exactly the same characteristics as your old instance ( onconfig, servername etc). Make sure the NT-service etc is created. You can use the instance manager to do this. You can kick off your instance once to initialize it.

3. Create the same dbspaces on the same path as on your old machine.

4. Shut down the instance with the NT-service

5. Copy the files from your saved rescue disk over the files of your newly created instance with dbspaces.

6. Start your engine with the NT service.

7. Start working !!

Good luck

Koen

I have two more questions:
1. Do i have to name the new machine with the same hostname?
2. Do I have to create all the dbspaces on the new machine or only the root dbspace (I think that the configuration of the rest dbspaces is saved in the rootdbs. So If I create the same root dbspace and then replace it with the old one, the database will open the root dbspace and then open the other dbspaces) This is very usefull because the dbspaces are very large and takes a lot of time to create them

Thanks a lot

PS: I restore the files now (It will take a lot of time because the files are large)

In fact what you are doing is an external restore.

1. Hostname

I think the only places your hostname is used is in the "host information" tab in setnet32.
Search teh registry using regedit for your hostname
in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - Software - Informix.

Normally you will find the hostname in SQLHOSTS section.
So I think you can have another hostname.
If you don't want to run the risk, just give it the same name.

2. Only creating rootdbs

You are correct. All the dbspaces are in the reserved pages on the rootdbs.
So if you put the old rootdbs back in place again it will find the other dbspaces automatically. Make sure all privileges-security on the files is the same.

Good luck

Koen

Thanks a lot