This document provides information about system state backups in Windows Server, including what a system state backup includes, how to perform one using Windows Server Backup or WBAdmin, and how to restore a domain controller from a system state backup. It also discusses additional system state backup software options like MiniTool ShadowMaker.
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system state backup restore
1. Title: System State Backup & Restore by Windows Server Backup/WBAdmin
Keywords: systemstate backup,whatissystemstate backup, whatdoessystemstate backup
include, howtotake systemstate backup,systemstate backupsoftware,wbadminsystemstate
backup, howto restore domaincontrollerfromsystemstate backup, systemstate recovery
Description: What is the system state backup? What is included in system state backup? How to
perform system state backup and system state recovery?
URL: https://www.minitool.com/backup-tips/system-state-backup-restore.html
Summary: This article commented by MiniTool Software mainly introduces a kind of data backup in
Microsoft Windows Server system – system state backup. It contains its definition, contents, and
operations. If you want to learn how to perform a system backup and recovery, just read the below
words.
What Is System State Backup?
To learnwhat a systemstate backup is,firstof all,youneedto know whata systemstate is.A
systemstate contains some systemsettingsandparametersfilesthatare listedinthe nextpart.
Systemstate backupisa copyof system state datacreatedby certaintoolsand storedina safe
location.Once the original systemstate filesare damagedormissing, youcanrelyonthe backup
image to recoverthe previousworkingsystem.
To make systemstate backup,there are many available toolsincludingthe built-inWindowsServer
Backup andWbadmin,andthird-partyprogramslike MiniTool ShadowMaker.
https://www.minitool.com/backup-tips/point-in-time-recovery.html
What Does System State Backup Include?
What systemstate backupcontains?Systemstate datacontainsthe below files:
2. Boot fileslikethe systemfilesandall filesprotectedbyWFP(WindowsFile Protection).
Active Directory (AD) ona domaincontroller(DC) only.
Sysvol ona DC only.
Certificate Services onacertificationauthorityonly.
Clusterdatabase ona clusternode only.
The registry.
Performance counterconfigurationinformation.
ComponentServicesClassregistrationdatabase (COM+).
The systemstate data can be backedupin anyorder.Systemstate recoveryreplacesbootfilesfirst
and commitsthe systemhive of the registryasa final stepinthe process.
For the dependenciesamongthe systemstate components,youare notable to selectindividualfiles
to backupor restore.Thus, the systemstate backupand restore processcontainall systemstate
data. Yet,youcan restore systemstate datato an alternate locationinwhichonlythe systemboot
files,registryfiles,andSysvol directoryfilesare restored.
Althoughyoucannotalterthe systemstate backupsource,youcan back upall protectedsystem
fileswiththe systemstate databysettingadvancedbackupoptions. Tosetupadvancedbackup
options,justfollow the below steps.
1. In the Backup window,gotothe Backup tab and choose the filesandfoldersyou’dlike to
protect.
2. SelectStart Backup.
3. On the Backup Job Informationscreen,click Advanced.
4. Specifythe advancedbackupoptionsthatyoupreferandclick OK.
Back up data that is in Remote Storage: Backs up data that has beendesignatedforRemote
Storage.You can restore Remote Storage dataonlyto an NTFSvolume thatisusedwith
Windows2000.
Verifydata afterbackup: Verifiesthatthe backed-updataisexactlythe same asthe original
one.This mightincrease the whole processtime.
If possible,compressthe backup data to save space: Compressthe datayou are backingup
to store more data on a tape.If thisoptionisdisabled,itmeansyoudon’thave atape drive
on yourcomputeror your tape drivercan’tcompressdata.
Automaticallyback up system-protectedfileswiththe systemstate: Backs up all of the
systemfilesthatare inyour %SystemRoot% directoryinadditiontothe bootfilesthatare
includedwiththe systemstate data.Thiswill increase yourbackupsource size.
https://www.minitool.com/news/tape-backup.html
if you have twoor more domaincontrollersinyourorganizationandthe Active Directoryis
replicatedtoanyof these otherservers,youmayhave toauthoritatively recoveranyActive
Directorydata that youwantto restore.
How to Take System State Backup?
Before starting,make sure youare loggedinas an administrator ora backup operator.
1. Launch Backup.
2. Move to the Backup tab.
3. Tick the SystemState check box.It will backupthe systemstate data togetherwithany
otherdata you choose for the current backupoperation.
3. If you are backingupthe systemstate datato a tape and the backupsoftware indicatesthatthere is
no unusedmediaavailable,youmighthave touse Removable Storage toaddyourtape to the
Backup mediapool.
Note:
You can only back up the systemstatedata on a local computer.You can’tbackup the
systemstatedataon a remote computer.
You can also makeuseof theBackup Wizard to back up systemstatedata.
Backup System State by Windows Server Backup
To use the WindowsServerBackuputility,firstly,youneedtoinstall itonyourserverfor it isnot
installedbydefault.Toachieve that,justnavigate to ServerManager> Features> Add Features,
choose WindowsServerBackupFeatures andclick Next> Install.
Alt=install WindowsServerBackup
Then,youcan make use of WindowsServerBackup tobuilda systemstate foryour Windowsserver
operatingsystem.
1. Launch WindowsServerBackup.
2. Click Backup Once… inthe right Actionssection.
6. Alt=specifyWindowsServerbackupdestination
6. Then,itwill make a summaryof your backuptask. Justclick the Backup buttonto confirm
and start the process.
Wait until the procedure completes.
Note:If you wantto learn moredetails aboutWindowsServerBackup orwantto know how to carry
outsystemstate restorewithin theWindowsServer Backup app,pleasevisit: Windows Server
Backup:Howto Installand Use It (FullGuide)
WBAdmin System State Backup
The following information appliesto WindowsServer2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, and Windows8.
It may also apply to WindowsServer2016, 2019, 2022, and Windows8.1/10/11.
Note:WindowsServerBackup doesn’tbackup or restoreregistry userhives (HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
as partof systemstatebackup or systemstaterestore.
Next,we will talkabouthowtocreate a systemstate backupof the local computerand save iton a
specifiedlocationwith WBAdmin. Toconducta systemstate backupwiththissubcommand,
similarly,youhave tobe a memberof the BackupOperatorsgroup or the Administratorsgroup;or,
youmust have delegatedthe appropriate authorities.
Besides,youshould launchwbadmin fromanelevatedcommandprompt.Todothat, justright-click
on CommandPrompt(CMD or PowerShell)andselectRunas administrator.
7. #Syntax
wbadmin startsystemstatebackup
-backupTarget:<VolumeName>
[-quiet]
#Parameters
-Backup Target
Specifythe locationwhere youwantto save the backupfile.The locationrequiresadrive letterora
GUID-basedvolume of the format: ?Volume{GUID}.
A systemstate backupto a sharednetworkfolderisn’tsupportedonWindowsServer2008. If you
are runningWindowsServer2008 R2 or later,youcan take advantage of the command -
backuptarget:servernamesharedFolderto store backupimage files.
-quiet
To run the subcommandwithnopromptsto the user.
#Example
To create a systemstate backupandstore iton partitiondwithWBAdmin,justinputthiscommand:
wbadmin startsystemstatebackup -backupTarget:d:
Note:To learn howto performsystemstaterecovery using wbadmin,pleasereferto: A Complete
Review on WBAdmin and Its Commands(with Examples).
How to Restore Domain Controller from System State Backup?
If an Active DirectorydomaincontrollerrunningWindows2012 can’t bootintonormal mode or
DirectoryServicesRepairMode (DSRM),itistime to restore the DC froma systemstate backup.
The followingcontenttakesrestoringaWindowsServer2012 domaincontrollerforexampleto
show youhow to restore systemstate backupdomaincontroller. Itassumesthatthe backupwas
createdusingthe built-inWindowsServerBackuputility.The processforrestoringaDC relying on
othersystemstate backupsoftware maydifferfromthe below guide.
1. Boot upthe serverwithasystemmediaandpressany keywhenprompted.
2. Selectyourlanguage,time andcurrencyformat,aswell askeyboardor inputmethodto
continue.
3. Choose Repairyour computer.
9. 6. Reviewthe systemstate recoverysummaryandclick Finish.
7. It will warnyouaboutdata replacement atthe destination.JustclickYestoconfirmandit
will startrecoveringthe systemstate.
Alt=restoringyourcomputerfromthe systemimage
Wait patientlyuntilitfinishes.Then,the serverwill restart.
Tip: If the only availablebackup only includesthe systemstatefiles and no otheritems, you can also
solvethe problemby directly installing the system,adding theWindowsServerBackup feature,and
restoring the systemstate.
System State Backup Software
BesidesWindowsServerBackupandWBAdmin,we alsomentionedanothersystemstate backup
program calledMiniTool ShadowMaker,whichisaprofessionalandreliable databackuptool.Itcan
back up yourcomplete systemincludingsystemstate toalocal or remote location.Besides,
MiniTool ShadowMakersupportsnotonlyWindowsServersystemsbutalsoWindowsPCOSes
includingWindows11/10/8.1/7 andWindowsServer 2019/2016/2012 (R2)/2008 (R2).
SM-Trial
Let’ssee howto make a systemstate backupwithMiniTool ShadowMaker.
1. Download,install,and launchMiniTool ShadowMakeronyourcomputer.
2. If it asks forpurchase,click KeepTrial to go on.
3. In itsmaininterface,move toits Backup tab.
4. In itsBackup tab,it will automaticallyselectsystem-relatedfilesas the backupresource.So,
justkeepthe defaultselection.
5. Clickon the Destinationmodule and selectaplace to save the backupimage.
6. Finally,click Backup Now to start the process.
10. Alt=systemstate backupinMiniTool ShadowMaker
You can alsoset upa backup schedule andscheme,aswell asspecifysome options foryoursystem
state backup.In additiontosystembackup,MiniTool ShadowMakercanalsoback up files/folders,
partitions/volumes,andeventhe entire harddisk.Moreover,itcanclone the whole systemdiskto
anotherhard drive while ensuringthe new diskisbootable.
System State Backup and Restore FAQ
If you choose a one-time backup,what kind of backup can you create?
If you selectBackupOnce in the WindowsServerBackupprogram, youare able to create a full
serverbackupor a customizedbackup(includingsystemstate backup).
What is the limitationof backing up systemstate using WindowsServerBackup?
WindowsServerBackuponlyallowsyoutobackup to a locallyattacheddisk,eitherinternal or
external,ora remote sharedfolder.Itcan’tbackup to DVD,optical disc,or otherremovable storage
media.
What command can you type to performa systemstate backup?
UsingWBAdminutility,youcantype wbadminstartsystemstatebackup -
backupTarget:<volumename>to conducta systemstate backup.
Systemstate backup vs full backup, what’s the difference?
11. A systemstate backuponlyincludesthe itemsneededtorestore yourdomaincontroller while afull
serverbackupcontainsall serverdataincludingOS(includingsystemstate) andapps.The latteralso
includes bare mental backup.
How can an administrator initiate a systemstate recovery usingthe command line?
Type wbadminstart systemstaterecovery ina commandprompt.