Using the Windows Backup Utility

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Using the Windows Backup Utility

If you chose to install the Local Management Tools component during WEPOS Setup, the Windows Backup Utility is installed on your computer, and can be used to automate backup and restoring of crucial system files.

Creating a System Recovery Disk with the Backup Utility

In the event of some sort of system failure, you’ll need a recovery disk containing the crucial files needed to get your computer back up and running.

To create an Automated System Recovery disk using the Windows Backup Utility:

  1. Get a blank 1.44 MB floppy disk to save your system settings on.
  2. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.

The Backup Utility Wizard starts by default, unless it is disabled.

  1. Click the Advanced Mode button in the Backup Utility Wizard.
  2. On the Tools menu, click ASR Wizard.
  3. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.

Only those system files necessary for starting up your system will be backed up by this procedure.

Backing Up Files and Folders

The Backup utility lets you back up data to a file or to a tape. When you back up data to a file, you have to designate a file name and a location for the file to be saved. Backup files usually have the extension .bkf, but you can change it to any extension. A backup file can be saved to a hard disk, a floppy disk, or to any other removable or nonremovable media on which you can save a file.

When you back up data to a tape, you must have a tape device connected to your computer. Tapes are managed by the Removable Storage Service, another utility included with WEPOS. Although Backup works together with Removable Storage, you might have to use Removable Storage to perform certain maintenance tasks, such as preparing and ejecting tapes.

The following four steps describe a simple backup operation:

  1. Select files, folders, and drives for backup.

Backup provides you with a tree view of the drives, files, and folders that are on your computer, which you can use to select the files and folders that you want to back up. You can use this tree view the same way you use Windows Explorer to open drives and folders and select files.

  1. Select the storage media or file for the backup location.
    Backup provides two options for selecting storage media:
    • You can back up your data to a file on a storage device. A storage device can be a hard disk, a Zip disk, or any type of removable or nonremovable media to which you can save a file. This option is always available.
    • You can back up your data to a tape device. This option is available only if you have a tape device installed on your computer or connected to it. If you back up data to a tape device, the media will be managed by Removable Storage.
  2. Set backup options.
    Backup provides an Options dialog box, which you can use to customize your backup operations. Using the Options dialog box, you can:
    • Select the type of backup that you want to do.
    • Select whether you want a log file to record your backup actions. If you select this option, you can also select whether you want a complete log file or summary log file.
    • Select whether you want to back up data that is stored on a mounted drive.
    • Designate file types that you want to exclude from a backup operation.
    • Select whether you want to verify that the data was backed up correctly.
  3. Start the backup.

When you start a backup operation, Backup will prompt you for information about the backup job and give you the opportunity to set advanced backup options. After you have provided the information or changed your backup options, Backup will start backing up the files and folders you selected.

If you have scheduled the backup to run unattended, you will still be prompted for information about the backup job. However, after you have provided the information, Backup will not start backing up files; rather, it will add the scheduled backup to the Task Scheduler.

Notes:

You must be an administrator or a backup operator to back up all files and folders. If you are a member of the Users or Power Users group, you must be the owner of the files and folders you want to back up, or you must have one or more of the following permissions for the files and folders you want to back up: Read, Read and Execute, Modify, or Full Control.

The registry, directory service, and other key components are contained in the System State data. You must back up the System State data if you want to back up these components.

You can only back up the System State data on a local computer. You cannot back up the System State data on a remote computer.

You can schedule a backup so that it will run unattended at a specific time or frequency. You can schedule a backup after you click Start Backup.

If you have Windows Media Services running on your computer, and you want to back up the files associated with these services, see "Running Backup with Windows Media Services" in the Windows Media Services online documentation. You must follow the procedures outlined in the Windows Media Services online documentation before you can back up or restore files associated with Windows Media Services.

If you are using Removable Storage to manage media, or you are using Remote Storage to store data, you should regularly back up the files that are in the following folders:

Systemroot\System32\Ntmsdata

Systemroot\System32\Remotestorage

This will ensure that all of your Remote Storage and Removable Storage data can be restored.

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