Too many people did not think backup their own data, and thought it was too late and the data has been lost. In fact, should not happen, but unfortunately, the fact is always the case. Windows Vista is designed to use various features to make backups easier, and thus protect data seamlessly. Familiar with System Restore has been redesigned to be more stable and reliable, and support for more systematic rehabilitation program. File Backup has been improved to make data protection easier, more thorough, but also added two new features that Windows ® Complete PC Backup and Restore and shadow copies.

All of these features are more or less dependent on the Volume Shadow Copy Service. This is a point in time to create copies of volumes (also known as “Shadow Copies”) and track the volume shadow copy the changes between the services.

These four functions can be in the new “Backup and Restore Center” (see Figure 1) found, these features allow you to backup and restore data, but each function there are marked differences. However, these features combine to provide a wide range of protection against the entire survival period in the computer there are various forms of data loss.

File Backup

Assumed that I bought a new laptop computer. In the various documents (such as photos, Microsoft ® Word document, etc.) to my system, install applications and download the latest Windows update, I have decided to file backup. Therefore, I will connect to an external hard drive laptop computer, and then go to “Backup and Restore center.” Before I click “backup file” button, there’s a set up wizard to guide me to complete. The wizard asked to specify the backup target (in this case as an external hard drive), to back up the file types (such as images), as well as to perform the backup time.

File backup class-based approach to specify the backup file. The source must be NTFS format, and the target hard disk can be NTFS format can also be a FAT format. To determine whether the file is associated with a particular category is based on the following three factors: MIME type, application and associated file extension.

If you want to backup does not apply to any other type of file, select “other files” category. Includes with Windows does not recognize the file extension. However, it does not support the executable files and system files. Such files are not backed up by this function, because they are rarely representative of user data. If you really want to use this mechanism to backup system files and executable files, you can be compressed. Zip file, and in the wizard, select “compressed files” category.

Since this is my first time in my new laptop computers to use the backup feature, it will immediately perform a full backup (that is, all the files on the selected category to perform a full backup). Since then, only the implementation of an incremental backup. The term “incremental” in the context of file backup is only the middle finger to track new or updated files. For example, if you have an old Word document, and then make some changes to their, file backup tool will retain the old documents and complete copy of the updated document. (Single full backup and subsequent incremental backups are created collectively referred to as continuous backup set.)

You should not have unrestricted access to perform incremental backups, but rather from time to time to perform a full backup. This is subject to various factors, such as a full backup from the last time, the number of backup files, backup CD or DVD, the number of targets and so on. This will ensure that a complete backup of the base is always available.

Backup data is stored as a. Zip files (one for each of these files up to 200MB). This can be more comprehensive access to data. For example, you can browse the backup media, restore the data to a computer is not running Windows Vista. Backup data is stored in a separate file and can be stored in multiple CD-ROM. If one can not use a CD-ROM or other media on the backup data is still accessible.

In the file backup, the Volume Shadow Copy Service is used to create open or application is using the same copy of the file. During the backup process, the backup application from these consistent read copies. For example, in the backup Microsoft Outlook ® has always been open. Pst file, this method is very convenient. Volume Shadow Copy Service to ensure that backup. Pst file in a consistent state in order to be able to restore their access.

File backup is not automatically deleted. However, the lack of space when you can manually delete the file backup. Recommendation: You should always delete the entire backup set, rather than delete individual incremental backups.

Incidentally, I should point out that you should avoid copying the backup files to another location. If you must do so, please remember that only when you move a single original backup media to another target media can do so. For example, you can back up data from a CD copied to a DVD, but you can not backup data from multiple CD copied to a DVD. When you move a backup, you must have your computer to copy the name of the backup folder and mediaid.bin documents, which were located in the root directory of the backup media. Please note that if you want to restore the files have been moved, you must back up the Control Panel, select “Advanced Restore” | “from the other computer to create a backup to restore the file” in order to obtain these documents, because the backup directory on the computer will not know this new The backup location.

Complete PC Backup

Completely set up and configured my new laptop, I would like to conduct a full backup, in order to protect all content, including the operating system, I installed the application, configuration settings and updates. I use the Complete PC Backup feature to back up, this feature appears in the hard disk failure or other disaster can also be used to restore my computer. I do not need to reinstall all applications and re-make all configuration settings. When first run, this feature of the volume I have chosen all the blocks (does not include any information that is not stored in blocks) to perform a full backup. Subsequent backups are carried out at the block-level differential backup (discussed in detail on this later).

The implementation of the backup, the “Backup and Restore Center” Control Panel will be updated (see Figure 2). Now, it provides the implementation of the backup time and backup storage locations and other information.

Similarly, the implementation of a backup, but the Complete PC Backup completely different from the file backup. Complete PC Backup to a virtual hard disk (. Vhd) format, the entire computer to create block-level image backup. In the first full backup process, the engine will scan the source disk will be copied to the block that contains the data stored on the target disk. Vhd file. While the backup data is not compressed, but take up less space.

The next implementation of the Complete PC backup, only new and changed data is written. Vhd file, while the same one in the old data will be moved to the shadow copy storage area. Volume Shadow Copy Service is used to calculate the difference between a snapshot and to deal with the old data out to the target disk volume shadow copy the region process (see Figure 3). This method makes backup faster (because the only backup changed blocks) and efficient (because the data is stored in compressed form). Please note that the backup application can be used to determine the target disk the maximum shadow copy storage space. On a regular basis or automatically using the Complete PC backup system, the sub-step operation, see the sidebar “plan Complete PC Backup.”

Restore the data, the block will be restored to their respective original location. If the backup and restore from the earlier, the engine from the shadow copy and restore the region to read the corresponding block.

Please note, Complete PC Backup can only backup NTFS formatted disks. If the goal is to backup the hard disk, you also need to be NTFS format.

System Restore

By default, System Restore is enabled. I by selecting the “Backup and Restore Center” at the top left shows the “Use System Restore Repair Windows” to access the System Restore Wizard (also in the “Start” menu “All Programs” section of the “attachment \ System Tools” folder on their mission). If I select “choose another restore point” and click “Next”, I can see that when I set up my laptop computer, install the application and implementation of a backup at all times when the restore point has been created.

By default, the restore point is only to open the boot volume, even if the hard disk on the system have multiple volumes. Restore Point is the application and the driver installation process automatically created, and every day in the selected volume to create (if the day has not create a restore point). Restore points can also be in the “System” Control Panel applet, select “System Protection” option to manually create. In the File Backup and Complete PC backup was created during the shadow copy can also be used as a restore point.

In Windows XP, System Restore using the file system filter file tracking system changes. In Windows Vista, System Restore using the Volume Shadow Copy Service to track the selected volume block-level changes. This allows the system to restore a more stable and reliable, and it supports a wider range of rehabilitation programs.

Further, even if normal Windows installation offline, a new System Restore can still run. This is to use the Windows Recovery Environment to achieve, even if Windows can not start also allows you to repair the system.

Shadow Copies

Shadow Copy is almost not visible. It is enabled by default and does not require the user to enter any content. If a user needs to restore a file, this time, she may be first noted this feature. This process is essentially open by the Volume Shadow Copy Service to create a copy of the file point in time process.

Volume Shadow Copy space management

Activities for the Complete PC backup and backup volumes exist on the disk allocated to the shadow copy storage space. You can from the elevated command prompt run the following command to check has been used, and has been allocated and the largest shadow copy storage space values:

VSSAdmin list ShadowStorage

Has been used in the value of shadow copy storage space that Shadow Copies of the current amount of space occupied; have been assigned the value of shadow copy storage space reserved for shadow copies is expressed as the amount of space (and therefore can not be used for other purposes); the largest volume shadow copy storage space shadow copies to ensure value is less than the value of the size limit.

Shadow copy space allocation is automatic, which means that can not be set by the user. Whenever previously allocated space is used up, he will allocate a fixed increment of new space. This is the displayed value has been to use the space is always less than the allocated space for you to see the value of reason.

For the active volume, the maximum allowable space for shadow copies in the first shadow copy is created (usually the first time in the System Restore is enabled, as well as during the installation process create a restore point) determined. This value is set to the smaller one the following values: free space volume of 30% or 15% of the total size. The maximum value is static. When the available space to increase or decrease when it does not change the size of the volume it does not change after adjustment.

However, you can actually enhance the command prompt from the use of VSSAdmin tool to manually adjust the size of this storage area. For example, in the C: \ on the maximum memory size to 15GB of command should be:
VSSAdmin Resize ShadowStorage / For = C: / On = C: / MaxSize = 15GB

This tool from the Windows Server ®, in the system-specific volume shadow copy can be on another volume maintenance. In Windows Vista, a volume shadow copy in the same volume. Create a shadow copy of volume and maintain shadow copies of volume must be the same.

On the other hand, for the Complete PC backup backup target disk has a fixed maximum size of the shadow copy storage for the disk space of 30%. This value is controlled by the Complete PC Backup and can not be manually changed. The volume shadow copy storage space for storing the incremental Complete PC backup.

Assuming shadow copy storage area there is enough space for a volume took a moment you can save up to 64 shadow copies. Once the maximum space constraints, the older shadow copy will be removed in order for the new free space for shadow copies. Therefore, when the activities to achieve volume shadow storage limit on the system to restore the old restore points will be deleted, and in the backup disk to reach the limit, Complete PC Backup will be deleted. In addition, storage and editing of other data on the backup disk may interfere with the normal aging process of the old back up, resulting in faster to delete old backups.

Restore files using the Volume Shadow Copy

Now, assuming I have a laptop computer for some time, and I have been using it to create some of the presentation. I have completed the presentation, and submit them to my clients. A month later, I would like to carry out new projects, so I deleted the files. Later, my manager asked me for an old presentation. At this point, the volume shadow copy will really come in handy.

There are two ways to find a copy of deleted files. The first, if I know the file has been stored, then I simply right-click once to delete the file that contains the folder, and then select “Restore previous versions.” Next, I chose to delete the file that contains the required version of the date (see Figure 4), click “Open” and then copy the file to the activities of the target volume on the location. This copy operation as fast as a regular file copy.

What if I have forgotten the file storage location, then I can open the file tree closest to the parent folder of the previous version, and in which to search. For example, if I have forgotten a specific folder, but I do know that it is located in a subfolder of Documents folder, then I can through the Windows Explorer window in the upper right corner of the search box, type a file name (in whole or in part) to Search for previous version of the document, as shown in Figure 5. Please note that the shadow copies of this search function on the root folder does not work. As the shadow copy is not indexed, therefore, than in an active volume on the search, the search time will be longer.

Backup and restore files from the file

Shadow Copy is not always available, because often they are to manage the available space will be deleted. If I need a file using this method is not available, then I can use my program file backup. I just from the “Backup and Restore Center” Select “Restore file” and select the presentation that contains the deleted backup date. When I click the “Add Files” button, it displays an Open File dialog box, allow me to browse the backup. I choose I want to find the file, it makes me option is to restore the file to its original location or another location.

It is worth noting that the “Restore Files” option only shows the last backup set that contains the backup. To see the older backup of the backup set, select the “Advanced Restore” and then select “file on this computer from the old backup” option. If you use this option can not find an old backup set (which is a rare), select “Advanced Restore” and then select “create a backup from another computer to restore the file” option. This may occur because when the computer becomes too large when the backup directory will be deleted.

Complete PC backup and restore files

The sake of completeness, I should mention that the Complete PC Backup can be used to restore a single file. Despite the Complete PC Backup aimed at volume-level restore, but it. Vhd format to store data, which means that you can use offline tools to access and restore the VHD load a single file. (Of this writing, VHD loading tool only as a Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 part of the offer, Microsoft VirtualServer 2005 R2 SP1 from microsoft.com / technet / prodtechnol / eval / virtualserver to download.) To load back up, open higher permission command prompt and navigate to the Microsoft Virtual Server \ Vhdmount. Command as follows:

vhdmount / m [path of the. vhd file] [drive letter to assign to the virtual hard drive]

For the first time you execute this command, the system may be due to the required driver is not signed can not be loaded. This will generate an error message, display Unable to load device drivers. To resolve this problem, please use the above command loaded. Vhd file, go to “Device Manager”, right-click displays of new equipment, and then select “Properties.” Next, go to the “Driver” tab, select “Update Driver”, click “Browse your computer to find the driver software”, then select “device drivers from the computer list, select.” The correct driver file will be located in Microsoft VirtualServer \ Vhdmount \ vhdstor.inf. After the installation, there will be a new drive, and you will be able to browse the latest Complete PC backup and copy the necessary files to another location.

Complete PC Restore

Now, assume a sunny afternoon, I decided to sit beside the pool with my laptop computer. I slipped on the wet tiles, and my laptop fell to a basin of water. The computer can not be repaired, I have no choice but to buy a new one. Since I used the Complete PC Backup tool, so I can restore my system to a new portable computer, do not have to spend a lot of time to manually re-install each application and re-configure them your personal settings. Implementation of the Complete PC Restore is very simple. Startup and I use the Windows Vista boot into the Windows installation disk to restore the environment. At this point, I will be prompted to connect the device containing the system image. I chose the correct image, and then start the restore process.

After the completion of restoration, I learned from my latest backup of the executable file to restore the file. This is because I have more frequent implementation of file backup, so included in my file backup of the data update. Due to a computer file backup to restore before the selected one time, so the directory does not contain a record of this backup. Therefore, I choose the “Advanced Restore” | “from the other computer to create a backup to restore the file” | “to restore this backup all the contents.” I also started a new full backup to protect the latest stored data.

Windows recovery environment is often installed by the OEM as a hidden partition on your hard disk. This can be used Complete PC backup image to restore to the same hardware. However, if you need to create the image to restore from one computer to another, you need to from the external media (such as the Windows installation disk) running Windows Recovery Environment.

There are some notable things. Complete PC Restore to restore to only use a backup with the same hardware when the hardware works. (Of course, there is no failure in the hardware, under the premise.)

As the entire computer, including Complete PC Backup image, restore to different hardware will be subject to certain limitations. First of all, to restore the complete backup image that contains the drivers for your computer. In a few cases, drivers are required to start on the new computer may not exist. When in a type of disk controllers (IDE, SATA and SCSI) to create the image backup and restore to another type of disk controller may happen. Even in this case, the successful completion of restoration is still very possible, because included in the common image backup Windows drivers might be compatible.

Second, only when the new computer has at least the same number of hard disk and each disk is replaced at least as large as the original hard drive only when you can perform a restore. If you intend to use Complete PC Backup to migrate to new hardware, please keep in mind these restrictions.

Because of all the volumes in the block-level backup and restore and, therefore, the need for a Complete PC Restore to restore the volume or skip a full volume. Therefore, you may want to back up to create multiple volumes (for example, the system files and data files separately). Then restored, you can choose to restore only the system volume (perceived to be necessary), or all volumes.

These functions will be applied in practice

With Windows XP than, Windows Vista through the introduction of new technologies and improving existing backup option to protect data and systems has made significant improvement. Four main backup functionality (file backup and restore, Windows CompletePC backup and restore, System Restore and Shadow Copies) to provide different functions but complement each other to achieve a wide range of data protection. Learn how these features work together to ensure that your system is configured to use these four methods, and apply appropriate protection under the circumstances and remedial measures are very important.

In general, when data loss is always first try to restore the shadow copy, as this method may have the latest copy of the data. For the system instability and repair, please use the System Restore. Complete PC Restore should be used as a complete system recovery is usually a last resort, and should be used with caution. Nevertheless, Complete PC repair may be a real emergency methods. The most important thing is not to take action when it is too late: the immediate backup bar!

Related posts:

1. How to Backup Windows Server 2003
2. Best Backup Software for Windows Vista
3. Best Windows XP Backup Utility
4. Windows backup Operational Guidelines
5. Windows XP restore point loss solution

Technical Guidelines for Windows Vista Backup is written by CVBackup, no copy is allowed.

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