Back up System State data

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To back up System State data

Open Backup.

The Backup or Restore Wizard starts by default, unless it is disabled. You can use this wizard or go to the next step to work in Advanced Mode.
Click the Advanced Mode link on the Backup or Restore Wizard.
Click the Backup tab, then click the box next to System State and any other items you would like to backup. It is recommended that you backup all boot and system volumes along with the System State.

Notes

You can use Backup to back up and restore data on FAT16, FAT32, or NTFS volumes. However, if you have backed up data from an NTFS volume, it is recommended that you restore the data to an NTFS volume of the same version to prevent losing data. Some file systems might not support all of the features of other file systems.
To start Backup, click Start, point to All programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.
If the Backup or Restore Wizard does not start by default, you can still use it to back up the System State data by clicking Wizard Mode on the Welcome tab.
System State data contains most elements of a system's configuration, but it might not include all of the information that you require to recover your system from a failure. Therefore, it is recommended that you back up all boot and system volumes, including the System State, when you back up your system.
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.

Value	Description
systemstate	Specifies that you want to back up the System State data. When you select this option, the backup type will be forced to copy.

For information on additional backup options, see the Ntbackup.

For example, to create a backup job named "Backup Job 1" that backs up the System State data to the file C:\backup.bkf, type:

ntbackup backup systemstate /J "Backup Job 1" /F "C:\backup.bkf"

All other options will default to those specified in the Backup program.

Notes

You can use Backup to back up and restore data on FAT16, FAT32, or NTFS volumes. However, if you have backed up data from an NTFS volume, it is recommended that you restore the data to an NTFS volume of the same version to prevent losing data. Some file systems might not support all of the features of other file systems.
To open a command prompt, click Start, point to All programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command prompt.
System State data contains most elements of a system's configuration, but it might not include all of the information that you require to recover your system from a failure. Therefore, it is recommended that you back up all boot and system volumes, including the System State, when you back up your system.
To view the complete syntax for this command, at a command prompt, type:

ntbackup /?
If you do not specify the other Backup options, ntbackup will use the default values of the Backup program for backup type, verification setting, logging level, hardware compression, and any other settings.
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.

Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.