Getting a cryptic error during NT Backup that is like this: The 'ESE API' returned 'Unable to perform the operation. Either you can not connect to the specified server or the service you are trying to connect to is not running. ' from a call to 'HrESEBackupRestoreNodes()' additional data If you are backing up a machine that has had Exchange on it in the past and the store is still there but not mounted, it is just a warning of that fact. (it could also be because the 2000 server has the Exchange System Manager installed sans Exchange).