How to Fix DSM Backup Incompatibility Errors for Synology Users

Synology

After a ransomware attack, getting a Synology NAS back up and running should be easy, especially with Active Backup for Business (ABB) and Hyper Backup. But a lot of users run into a frustrating problem: DSM won’t restore system backups because the recovery environment doesn’t match the original DSM version that was used to make the backup. This compatibility check stops the whole restore process, even if it looks like the right packages and versions are already installed.

A recent real-world case where a DS1618+ backed up to a DS1821+ shows how confusing this can be and how helpful it is to have expert help from Epis Technology in the business world.

The Main Problem: Different Versions of DSM

In this case, ransomware wiped the DS1618+. The DS1821+ had the backup, which was made with Active Backup for Business. The user did everything that was officially required to recover:

Put DSM on the NAS that has been wiped
Install Hyper Backup
Start Restore > Whole System
Choose the offsite backup that is saved on the DS1821+
Go to Restore Summary

Everything went well until the last step. DSM showed:

“The DSM version on the DiskStation doesn’t work with the backup.” Please upgrade this DiskStation to version 7.2-64570 or later.

The problem was not fixed by upgrading DSM.
Hyper Backup then asked for even worse things:

“Update Active Backup for Business on the source of the restoration to version 12321 or higher.”

But ABB was already a newer version than what was needed.

The system couldn’t restore because of this loop: DSM mismatch → ABB mismatch → restart, even though all versions were technically correct.

It happens because DSM has strict rules about snapshot version metadata. For DSM system recovery to work, there must be a perfect match between:

The version of DSM used for backups
ABB package version used for backup
Version of DSM build that was installed during recovery

Even small differences between sub-builds (like 86003 and 86009) can cause a fail-state.

Why This Happens

When it comes to restoring files, Synology does it differently than when it comes to restoring the whole system. To restore a system, you need:

Same major version of DSM
The same DSM build number
Feature-level compatibility that worked during backup

If the restoration environment doesn’t match the exact version metadata stored in the ABB system backup, DSM won’t let you recover to avoid problems with:

modules for the kernel
versions of drivers
characteristics of the file system
Patches for DSM security
Changes to the structure of snapshots

How Epis Technology Fixes Problems with DSM Compatibility

Epis Technology is an expert in Synology disaster recovery and sees this kind of thing happen a lot. Their engineers use a methodical approach to safely and quickly fix DSM/ABB mismatches.

1. Finding the exact DSM snapshot version that was used during the backup

Epis Technology gets the DSM version from the ABB backup metadata. This makes sure that the recovery target installs the exact DSM build that is needed.

2. Giving the Right DSM .pat File for Recovery Without an Internet Connection

Synology’s website only has the most recent version; it doesn’t have older ones. For recovery purposes, Epis Technology keeps a collection of older DSM builds that work with newer ones.

3. Making sure that the ABB Source and Recovery versions are the same

The “version outdated” error usually means that there is a problem with:

Version of the ABB engine
Backup schema at the DSM level
engine for retention policy

Epis technicians make sure that all ABB parts match the backup’s internal metadata.

4. Checking the integrity of the system partition before restoring

A forced reset or ransomware wipe can hurt:

/etc.defaults
metadata for the bootloader
tables of system partitions

Epis Technology runs pre-restore diagnostics to make sure that the restore doesn’t fail in the middle of the process.

5. Optional: Testing the Recovery in a Sandboxed VM

Epis Technology makes a virtualized version of the recovery environment for mission-critical organizations to make sure that the restore will work before it goes live.

How to Avoid DSM Restore Errors in the Future

Epis Technology suggests the following safety measures:

1. Always make a separate backup of the DSM configuration.

Hyper Backup, ABB, and Configuration Backup together make sure there are multiple ways to restore.

2. Turn on versioning for system backups

Lets you go back to the exact DSM version snapshot that was made during the backup.

3. Don’t update DSM right before a big backup.

Build differences can make it impossible to restore system-level compatibility.

4. Use the Managed Backup Validation from Epis Technology

They do monthly restore tests to make sure that backups are not only “successful,” but also usable.

5. Make sure that both backup NAS units have the same DSM version.

Stops ABB metadata from not matching between the source and the destination.

Why Companies Trust Epis Technology

It’s hard to get back on track after a ransomware attack or system corruption, especially when Synology’s restore process gives you vague error messages. Epis Technology offers:

Expertise that has been certified by Synology
Less downtime and faster recovery
Access to older DSM versions
Planning for disaster recovery from start to finish
Validation of backups before they happen

Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies.

They fill in the gaps between Synology’s powerful tools and real-world IT settings that need perfect recovery.