Recovering a System II: Backup and Recovery

From Proprofs

Contents 1 Backup and Recovery in Windows XP 2 The Backup Utility 3 Restore Utility 4 Automated System Recovery 5 Moving Forward 6 Quick Review 7 Answers

[edit section] Backup and Recovery in Windows XP

Because system backup is such a major part of any administrator’s routine tasks, and because system recovery is such an important part of any technician’s repertoire, it is important that you know how backup and recovery work in Windows XP. In this lesson, you will learn about the Backup and Restore tools in Windows XP. You will also learn about Automated System Recovery and the Ntbackup.exe utility.

[edit section] The Backup Utility

Backup is a robust Windows XP tool that allows you to back up files, folders, system state data, and system files without much technical knowledge to a single restore file that can later be used to restore a computer. Advantages of backup include the ability to restore and the ability to secure a backup file. Backup files can be placed on removable media (not directly on CD-RW!) or over a network, making restoration an easy task.

To access the Backup utility, go to Start -> All Programs -> System Tools -> Backup. The Backup or Restore wizard will begin and eventually prompt you as to whether you would like to backup, restore, or perform ASR tasks. For now, we want to backup, so choose Backup.

At first, Backup will want to know exactly what you wish to back up. The options it gives by default include: My Documents and Settings, Everyone’s Documents and Settings, All Information, or Custom. For the purposes of the exam, choose Custom and continue.

You will next be prompted to choose the files and folders you wish to back up. You can choose to backup entire hard disk drives or single files or folders. If you go to “My Computer,” you can also save the System State Data, which covers all of the registry files, boot files, and COM+ associations that the system utilizes. Check everything you wish to back up (including system state if necessary), and then continue on.

You will be prompted for where you wish to save your backup to. Windows will allow you to save a backup to a hard disk drive or to removable media. You can also save the backup to a network. You will also be asked for the name of the backup. After doing so, press next.

Windows says you are done, but not so fast, partner! There is an option to configure “Advanced” settings, so click the button to do so. You need to configure the type of backup used. This is a heavily-tested and somewhat confusing area of the Windows XP exam, so it is important to understand the various options available to you for backup types. To understand how these types work, you must first understand that the archive attribute is the one-bit attribute that marks if a file has been modified or not. A set archive attribute indicates that the files was created or modified, whereas a cleared attribute indicates no change in the file. The backup types include:

• Normal or Full backup:All of the files and folders selected are backed up to a file without respect to the archive attribute; the archive attribute is cleared
• Copy only: All of the files and folders selected are backed up to a file, without respect to the archive attribute, but the archive attribute is not cleared
• Incremental: Here is where things begin to get tricky. An incremental backup copies only the files and folders that have been modified or created since the last normal or incremental backup and clears the archive attribute.
• Differential: All of the files and folders that have been changed since the last normal or incremental backup are backed up, but the archive attribute remains set (is not cleared)
• Daily: All of the files and folders that were created or modified the day of the backup and does not clear the archive bit

Are you confused about the difference between an incremental and differential backup? Here is an easy way to remember the difference between the two.

If you perform a full (normal) backup on Monday and perform incremental backups on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, to restore the backup on Friday you will need the normal backup on Monday plus the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday files.

In contrast, if you perform a full backup on Monday and perform differential backups on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, all you need to restore your system on Friday is the Monday and the Thursday file as the Thursday file contains all of the changes made since Monday.

Thus, differential backups (as a general rule) require more space than incremental backup files; however, the sum of incremental backups is the same, in effect, as a differential backup.

Next, you can choose to modify data verification and overwriting options, which are not covered on the exam. Finally, you will need to choose whether to run the backup “now or later.” Choosing now runs the backup at that moment, while choosing later allows you to schedule a backup. The task scheduler is self-explanatory. You will be prompted for your username/password once and possibly twice. This is necessary to run the backup. You should enter an administrator user’s account. Press Finish to complete the wizard.

[edit section] Restore Utility

Of course, you will need something to do with the backup file(s) you will create through the Backup utility. The Restore utility allows you to use backup files to restore a system’s files, and sometimes its state. To access the Restore utility, go to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools and choose Backup (do not bother with System Restore, as we have covered elsewhere – it is a different thing altogether).

Once in the Backup and Restore wizard, choose to restore and continue. You will first be asked which restore file(s) will be in use. Find the restore location and select it. Note that the rules regarding incremental/differential backups should be followed when selecting which files are necessary for restoration. Next, choose where you want to load the restored files. Note that system state data must be restored to its proper location and therefore you cannot choose where you want to restore it. Your options for restore data locations are:

• Original Location: Stores the files to the location they came from
• Alternate Location: Stores the files in an alternate folder, retaining directory structure
• Single Folder: stores the files in an alternate folder, not retaining directory structure (all files will be in one folder)

Note that there are Advanced Restore Options, which include:

• Restore Security: If this option is checked, NTFS permissions will be retained if the drive that you are restoring to is an NTFS drive
• Restore Junction Points: Necessary if you are restoring an entire mounted drive

Finally, choose to Restore Now and watch Windows work its wonders. After the restoration is complete, you will see the results and any issues that occurred.

[edit section] Automated System Recovery

So far, we have examined three different ways that you may restore or recover a system. First, we looked at System Restore, which uses Restore Points to revert a system to its state at a previous point in time without losing any data. Second, we have just looked at Restore, which uses a Backup file(s) to restore the system a previous state and add/modify to current data the previous data as specified in the Backup file. Third, we have learned a bit about the Recovery Console and how it is used to fix disk/partition errors.

There is a fourth way, another tool that administrators can use to recover a system. It is called Automated System Recovery (ASR) and is managed via the Backup utility. ASR requires the use of an emergency repair disk and a media for backup. To create both, use the ASR wizard in the Backup utility. There you will be prompted to insert a floppy disk which will contain system state data and essential system files. You will also create a backup file that you can add to another disk drive or media that is accessible during ASR.

ASR recoveries can be performed during the low-level (text stage) of Windows installation. Press F2 at the beginning and begin to run ASR by inserting the associated floppy disk. You will then be prompted to insert the media with the backup files as well as the Windows XP CD-ROM.

[edit section] Moving Forward

The past two lessons have been quite involved and cover a great deal of information, but it is very important that you cover both of these thoroughly before moving on. The exam covers these topics in great detail and you are expected to be able to use the information presented above to come up with solutions to problems presented. In our next lesson, we will explore Profiles and Local Settings in Windows XP, another hard-hitting exam topic. Let’s do some review!

[edit section] Quick Review

1. If you wish to perform backups such that data is fully backed up each and every Sunday and is daily backed up such that all changes since Sunday are saved, which of the following backup setups should you use?

a. Full backup on Sunday, incremental backup all other days

b. Full backup on Sunday, normal backup all other days

c. Full backup on Sunday, differential backup all other days

d. Full backup on Sunday, daily backup all other days

e. Full backup on Sunday, copy backup all other days

2. Which of the following types of recovery uses an emergency floppy disk as well as media with backup files?

a. System Restore

b. Last Known Good Configuration Mode

c. Debugging Mode

d. Automated System Recovery

e. System Recovery Console

3. Which of the following would not necessarily be saved to a Backup file when System State Data is saved?

a. Registry entries

b. COM+ associations

c. System boot files

d. Username and password entries

e. Administrator documents and settings

[edit section] Answers

1. Differential backups allow for the difference between each backup and the last normal/incremental backup to be saved every time a backup is performed. The answer is C.

2. Automated System Recovery requires the use of an emergency repair disk as well as the backup files that were created with the ASR wizard. The answer is D.

3. Only essential system information (just the OS) is saved via the System State Data. Administrator documents and settings are perhaps essential to the administrator, but certainly not required for the PC to run. The answer is E.