Guide to Recover & Repair BKF File

BKF file corrupts due to virus attack, disk crash, CRC failure, Catalog File Missing, errors and unexpected shutdown. In this article we will discuss simple methods to recover and repair BKF file data.

Safe & Secure Solution to Repair BKF File without Data Loss

With the BKF Recovery Tool by SysTools, one can scan, repair and extract data from corrupted Windows backup file with .bkf file extension. The software has a wide range of features that makes it effortless for the users to repair corrupt .bkf/.zip file. Moreover, there is no file size restriction with this BKF repair tool while repairing the BKF/ZIP files.

What is BKF File

.bkf extension refers to a Windows Backup Utility archive file created by Microsoft Windows NTBackup Tool in Windows XP. BKF files are normally used to store, protect, and backup the data stored on computer system to Tape drive, Zip drive or other storage media devices. The BKF file format can store or contain any kind of files including folders, media, documents etc.

NTBackup Utility - Create/Read/Restore BKF Files

NTBackup : A Windows built-in backup application to create, read backups and restore backups created earlier.

• To Restore/Read/Create Backup Files :Supported Windows OS are Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
• To Restore and Read Backup Files : Needed Operating systems are Windows Vista/Windows Server 2008 and for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008.
• To Read Backup Files :OS used are Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2.

Windows Backup and Restore Utility – Create/Recover & Repair BKF File

It is the backup software from Microsoft Corporation introduced in Windows Vista OS and included in later versions of Windows operating system. It was removed from Windows 8.1 and again included in Windows 10. This Windows backup utility is used to create a backup file and restore BKF file created earlier in any version of the Windows operating system.

Note: The latest version of Windows OS like Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 started using VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) file format to backup data.

BKF File Structure Description :

The file format type of BKF file is Binary, so you will be able to open a BKF file in a Hex editor. The details of the backup are mainly divided into four parts:

• Type of the backup.
• Used Utility to Backup.
• Starting Date and Time of Backup.
• Ending Date and Time of Backup.

MIME Type of The BKF File : Application/octet-stream

Reason For a Corrupt BKF File

The universal truth about the computer file is that, no computer file is resistant to corruption. The only thing that keeps the files alive is taking a timely back and makes our system incorruptible. There can be a numerous reasons which lead to corruption of BKF file, but the prime ones are:

• Virus Intrusion: Virus can, and they always make unwanted changes to our files. In a way, if the virus makes some changes to a BKF file, then the possibilities are that your file is going to be corrupt and need to repair BKF file.
• Disk Crash: You may need to recover BKF file after a disk crash. Preventing disk crash is not entirely in our hands. The disk can crash at any time. If so, and if your BKF files are stored in the same part of the disk, then it may corrupt your BKF file.
• CRC Failure: Cyclic Redundancy Check happens due to the corruption of bits at the time when you download the file. The BKF file becomes inaccessible if CRC failure occurs.
• Unexpected Shutdown: If shutting down of the system has not been performed properly, and then this also causes corruption of certain files. The BKF file can also be corrupted in the same manner. If so, then you need to repair BKF file.
• Catalog File Missing: Catalog files contain some information during the recovery of files. If that information is missing from the file, then BKF file become corrupt.
• Interruption While Backup: While performing the backup, any unwanted interruption can make a BKF file corrupt. To restore the file again, you have to recover BKF file.
• Untrusted Application Usage: This is also important that the tool used for the backup process must come from a well known trusted publisher. Un-trusted application causes the recovery process faulty and that causes error while restore BKF file again.
• Resource Malfunction: Malfunction means any strange behavior that is unexpected from the system. That can happen to anything i.e. software as well as hardware. If that is the case then collision happens which results data corruptions and requires to repair BKF file.

Distinct Error Codes while working with corrupted BKF File

While working with a corrupt or damaged BKF file, user encounters various types of BKF errors. The most preferred error codes are:

• Error 23110 – Unknown Error with Archive 5580 Tape Drive: This is kind of a magnetic tape drive which is used to read and write data on it. If you are using NTBackup.exe, it will always ask for the latest firmware of that tape drive. So this error message occurs if the model of the tape drive starts with serial number AAA or BBB. Those two models are not supported by the Windows NT hardware.
• Failed to Open File: In this method, a complete message will appear as: Failed to open file, an inconsistency was encountered on the requested media, the backup file is unusable and cannot open .bkf file. This is the clear cut indication of the backup file is corrupted and the data cannot be restored.
• No Information Contained: There is no information contained in the file. Meaning that, NTBackup is unable to access the BKF file and restore/ repair BKF file is not possible.
• Error After Verifying The BKF File: This error means that there is a mismatch of data containing in the tape as compared to drive.
• Unrecognized Media: If the BKF file is already damaged, then this kind of error messages comes up.
• BKF File unrecognised Data Error : Error similar to this usually arises when the BKF file size goes beyond certain limits.
• 0x80070001 Invalid Function : When trying to backup a specific library, file, or folders or accepting default settings in Windows backup and restore, these type of error may arise.
• Backup Error 0x81000037: This error message means that Windows backup failed while trying to read from the shadow copy of a volume.

Manually Repair Damaged BKF FilE

• Taking backup on a daily basis so that corruption can be prevented using utilities NTBackup Windows backup, Symantec VERITAS backup exec.
• Run anti-virus scan to handle malicious activity and recover BKF file.
• In case hard disk storing BKF file is damaged then run inbuilt Windows system utility CHKDSK to repair BKF file and recover the data from bad sectors.

An Efficient Approach to Repair NTBackup BKF File

The above-stated manual solution has some restrictions which affect the BKF file recovery procedure. So, using the third-party application named "BKF Repair Tool", you can recover and repair corrupt ZIP/BKF file without losing a bit of information. The software can repair BKF and ZIP file within a few clicks. It consists of some amazing features that help to provide an expected outcome.

Download the Free Demo Version to Repair BKF File effortlessly. Also, one can check authenticity of the BKF Repair Tool.

Conclusion

When we talk about the manual to repair BKF file, it is better to prevent the corruption of the BKF file. The various reasons behind a corrupt BKF file that leads to repair are described above. If manual method to recover corrupt backup files fails. Then, you can try BKF repair tool in order to repair damaged BKF file. It is highly recommended to test your backup and keep a backup on a regular basis.