Windows Server 2008, Vista/7 System State

Brad Alexander
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  1. Product Version:

Servosity Professional: Pre-5.5.7.2
OS: Windows Vista/ 7 / 2008

  1. Description:
  2. NOTE: This only requires a pre-command in versions BEFORE  5.5.7.2. The system state backup has been integrated directly into later versions of the ServosityPro software.

How do I backup System State of a Windows Vista/ 7 / 2008 server?

Notes:
You must be running Windows Vista/7 Ultimate, Business, or Enterprise

  1. Steps:

To backup the System State on a Windows Vista/ 7 / 2008 server, the following steps are required:

                      i.        Using the WBAdmin.exe tool to spool the System State data on the client Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 server (Pre-backup comman d)

                     ii.        Backup the System State data from the client Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 server onto Servosity Online Data Center


Notes:
Please note that the following procedure is for Servosity Professional  version pre-5.5.7.2 only.

For Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 server with Servosity Professional version 5.5.7.2 or above, you can simply use the System State backup module found in the Servosity Professional application for backup of System State (you will still need to have the Windows Server Backup Components installed on the corresponding server).


Assumptions:
The following assumptions are made:

                    iii.        The Windows Server Backup Components has been installed on the corresponding server

If the Windows Server Backup Components has not been installed on the corresponding Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 server, please refer to the following URL for instructions: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc770266.aspx

                    iv.        Windows is installed on C:\, the System State backup data will be spooled to the F:\ drive



Instructions:
Unlike System State backup in previous version of Windows (e.g. 2000, XP, 2003, which can be performed with the Servosity Professional built-in System State backup module), System State backup in Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 is performed through a command line backup utility called WBAdmin.exe.

To perform a System State backup on a Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 server, please refer to the following instructions:

  1. Open a command prompt

  2. Enter the following command, the initial System State backup of the Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 server will be performed afterward:

           Example:
           >wbadmin start SystemStateBackup -backuptarget:F: -quiet

    Alternatively, you can also use the following command to direct the logs into a text file (e.g. backupLogs.txt) instead the backup report:

           Example:
           >wbadmin start SystemStateBackup -backuptarget:F: -quiet >> C:\backupLogs.txt

    Notes:
    In the example above, the System State backup data will be spooled to the F:\ directory.

    The backup destination (e.g. -backuptarget) of the System State backup data must be a non-critical drive. Furthermore, the location specified as the backup destination must be set to the root of the drive. You cannot specify the backup destination as F:\temp, it has to be F:\.

  3. Open the Servosity Professional console, create a file backup set for the System State backup under the Servosity Professional console

  4. Select the WindowsImageBackup folder (e.g. F:\WindowsImageBackup) generated by WBAdmin as backup source

  5. Accept the default encryption settings by pressing the [OK] button if no change is necessary
  6. Press the [Add] button under the Pre-Backup section on the right panel, specify the working directory to C:\ and enter the pre-command similar to the example as shown below:

           Example:
           >wbadmin start SystemStateBackup -backuptarget:F: -quiet

    Example in Servosity Professional:
    systemState.jpg

    Alternatively, you can also use the following command to direct the logs into a text file (e.g. backupLogs.txt) instead the backup report:

           Example:
           >wbadmin start SystemStateBackup -backuptarget:F: -quiet >> C:\backupLogs.txt


  7. Press the [OK] button to save this setting



  1. Press the [OK] button to save this setting

The System State backup of the Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 server can now be backed up by pressing the [Backup] button on the Servosity Professional console. Please consider the following before performing the initial System State backup for your Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 server:

  • The System State backup performed above is not the same as the MS Windows System backup module of Servosity Professional.
  • The System State backup of a Windows Vista / 7 / 2008 server is considerably larger than the same backup on a Windows 2003 server, the average size is around 11GB.
  • WBAdmin creates the dump files and folders with distinct names during each backup. For every backup job, the file/folder names of the dump are different and also the file/folder names have to be preserved as created by WBAdmin for the backup data to be restorable. Thus, please be reminded that no In-file Delta can be applied onto the System State data.

    Example:
     wbadmin.jpg
  • For more information on WBAdmin, please refer to the following URL: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc742035.aspx
  1. Workaround:

N/A

  1. Also See:

You can actually enable System State backup to critical volumes. However, such modification is not recommended:

"Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk."

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/944530/en-us

  1. Other Info:

N/A