---
name: Backup-restore-bmr-system-volume-image
title: Restoring Bare Metal systems with IBM Cloud Backup for Classic
description: Restore Windows bare metal servers from IBM Cloud Backup for Classic BMR backups using the BMR Rescue Kernel system for disaster recovery without a bootable OS.
last-updated: 2026-06-08
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/Backup?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Restoring Bare Metal systems with IBM Cloud Backup for Classic
{: #restoreBMR}

Restore Windows bare metal servers from IBM Cloud Backup for Classic BMR backups using the BMR Rescue Kernel system for disaster recovery without a bootable OS.
{: shortdesc}

BMR is available only for Windows Bare Metal Servers. BMR is not available for virtual servers.
{: attention}

## Initiating the BMR Rescue Kernel system
{: #initiateBMR}

You can initiate Bare Metal Restore in the IBM Cloud® console.
1. Log in to the [IBM Cloud UI](https://cloud.ibm.com/login){: external}. From the menu ![menu icon](../icons/icon_hamburger.svg "menu"), select **Infrastructure**  ![VPC icon](../icons/vpc.svg) > **Classic Infrastructure**.
2. Click **Storage** > **Cloud Backup** to display the servers with backup service.
3. Click the instance name to display the details of the Backup instance.
4. In the Installed plug-ins section, click **Initiate Bare Metal Restore**.
5. You're prompted to confirm the action. To proceed, click *Initiate Bare Metal Restore**. The transaction takes a few minutes to complete. Afterward you can access the server by following the steps that are detailed in the next section. You're going to be emailed when the system completes the boot process.

## Restoring from the BMR Rescue Kernel
{: #restorefromBMR}

1. When the BMR Rescue Kernel transaction loads, you can choose to access it in two different ways. Both of these ways work well.
   - A VNC client and the private or public IP address of your server and the password that is listed in the IBM Cloud console.
   - The KVM console of your IPMI card.

2. Upon logging in to the BMR Rescue Kernel for the first time, you're greeted with the language selection screen. Select the time zone and keyboard language of your choice and click **Next**.

   ![Figure 1 - BMR time zone and keyboard language selections are displayed.](/images/bmr1.svg){: caption="BMR time zone and keyboard language selections are displayed." caption-side="bottom"}

3. The license agreement for the software is displayed. If you accept the terms, select the checkbox, and click **Next** to continue. The main IBM Cloud Backup for Classic system restore menu is presented.

4. Select **Restore My System**.

    ![Figure 2 - The BMR main menu shows four options that are available to select.](/images/bmr2.svg){: caption="The System Restore main menu shows four options that are available to select." caption-side="bottom"}

5. The system restore wizard appears. Select **Next** to continue.

    ![Figure 3 - BMR wizard provides an overview of the four steps if the BMR restoration process.](/images/bmr3.svg){: caption="BMR Wizard provides an overview of the four steps if the BMR restoration process." caption-side="bottom"}

6. Select a backup type to restore from. Select **EVault software** then click **Next** to continue.

7. On the **backup location** screen, select the vault, and enter in the vault address, account number, the username, and password. Then, click **Next** to continue.

    ![Figure 4 - Choose a backup location.](/images/bmr4.svg){: caption="Choose a backup location." caption-side="bottom"}

    For more information about viewing the username or changing the backup password, see [Managing the username and password for the Cloud Backup service](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/Backup?topic=Backup-changePassword&format=markdown).
    {: tip}

8. The next screen displays your system in the list. Make sure it is highlighted and click **Next**.

    ![Figure 5 - Choose your system](/images/bmr5.svg){: caption="Choose your system." caption-side="bottom"}

9. On the **backup job selection** screen, select the Job that you want to restore from and click **Next**.

    ![Figure 6 - Choose your Restore point](/images/bmr6.svg){: caption="Choose your Restore point." caption-side="bottom"}

10. From the **Select Restore Point** menu, select the restore point that you want and click **Next**.

    ![Figure 7 - Choose Restore Point](/images/bmr8.svg){: caption="Choose Restore Point." caption-side="bottom"}

11. Select the source and destination volumes. To restore the source to the destination, drag the source volume onto the destination volume.

    ![Figure 8 - Select Source and Destination Volumes](/images/bmr9.svg){: caption="Select Source and Destination Volumes." caption-side="bottom"}

12. In the format or merge data confirmation box, you can select from two options. Select **Format** for a clean restore that formats the disk. If you want to merge the data on the destination volume, select **Merge**.

    ![Figure 9 - Choose Merge](/images/bmr10.svg){: caption="Choose Merge." caption-side="bottom"}

13. On the main source and destination volume screen, click **Next**.
14. On the restore plan summary screen, check the box to accept the plan and click **Next**.

    ![Figure 10 - Start the restore](/images/bmr11.svg){: caption="Start the restore." caption-side="bottom"}

15. The restore progress screen appears and it shows you the progress of the restoration as it happens.

    ![Figure 11 - Restore Progress](/images/bmr12.svg){: caption="Restore in Progress." caption-side="bottom"}

16. When complete, you receive a notification window that states that the restoration was completed successfully. Click **OK**.
17. On the restore progress screen, click **Next**.
18. On the final screen, check the box for restart system and select **Finish** and the server loads your restored volume image.
    The restoration is now complete.

    The first time the server restarts you might see the unexpected shutdown message. It's normal with this backup type and goes away after the first boot.
    {: tip}