<StructLayout(LayoutKind.Explicit, Size:=8)> _
Public Structure LARGE_INTEGER
<FieldOffset(0)> Dim QuadPart As Long
<FieldOffset(0)> Dim LowPart As UInteger
<FieldOffset(4)> Dim HighPart As Integer
End Structure
'<StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, Size:=20)> _
<StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, Pack:=4)> _
Public Structure WIN32_STREAM_ID
Dim dwStreamId As Integer
Dim dwStreamAttributes As Integer
Dim Size As LARGE_INTEGER
Dim dwStreamNameSize As Integer
'Dim cStreamName As IntPtr
End Structure

The See Also section should reference the following source for 2010. The documentation includes PDF information that was not previously available about these backup functions. Thank you.

[MS-BKUP]: Microsoft NT Backup File Structure
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd305136(PROT.13).aspx

BackupRead() Cannot Read a File with a 0-Byte Alternate Data Stream
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812802

PRB: The Sparse Flag May Not Be Preserved By Using BackupRead() or BackupWrite()
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/271398

BUG: The BackupWrite() Function Does Not Restore Security Descriptor Control Bits

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/259393?p=1

Calling BackupWrite with BACKUP_SPARSE_BLOCK is not recreating the sparse file.
DeviceIOControl is also used for setting sparse attribute. Any extra things needs to be done ?

When I use BackupRead() and WriteFile() to backup a file, then use ReadFile() and BackupWrite() to restore it, the file's attributes can't be restored it.

I don't know if i should set the file's attributes explicitly using SetFileAttributes()?

Thanks

I'm using BackupRead/BackupWrite and I notice that the destination file does not have matching file create/modified time stampes as the original.

Hi Roland,

Unfortunately, the reference page for WIN32_STREAM_ID is incomplete. I'll see what I can do to fix that.

In the meantime, the BACKUP_OBJECT_ID stream contains object identifier information for a file. This information is used by the Distributed Link Tracking service: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa363997.aspx

Note that not all files have object identifiers. Here's how that information is formatted: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa364393.aspx

Here are pointers for the other stream types:

BACKUP_ALTERNATE_DATA and BACKUP_DATA: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa364406.aspx

BACKUP_EA_DATA: This one does not appear to be documented. However, it is related to the FILE_EA_INFORMATION structure that appears in ntifs.h (in the Windows Driver Kit). Here is the definition for that structure:

typedef struct _FILE_EA_INFORMATION {
    ULONG EaSize;
} FILE_EA_INFORMATION, *PFILE_EA_INFORMATION;

EaSize is the combined length, in bytes, of the extended attributes (EA) for the file.

BACKUP_LINK: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms791522.aspx

BACKUP_PROPERTY_DATA: This one is also not documented, but I believe it is not used anywhere, and I could not find any related structures.

BACKUP_REPARSE_DATA: Can be either of these 2 structures, depending on whether the reparse point is MS or from a 3rd party: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365500.aspx or http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms791514.aspx

BACKUP_SECURITY_DATA: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa379573.aspx

BACKUP_SPARSE_BLOCK: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa364057.aspx

Here's an overview that explains a little bit about what some of the above data types are used for:

http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/8cc5891d-bf8e-4164-862d-dac5418c59481033.mspx

I hope this helps. If you have more questions, let me know.

Best regards,

--Diane

Microsoft Windows SDK Feedback Team