Recover Volumes
Applies To: Windows Server 2008
You can use the Recovery Wizard in Windows Server Backup to restore a volume. When you restore a full volume, all contents of the volume are restored—you cannot selectively restore individual files or folders. If you want to recover just certain files or folders and not a full volume, see Recover Files and Folders.
Before you begin, you should:
Make sure that the computer that you are recovering volumes to is running Windows Server 2008.
Make sure the external disk or shared folder that is hosting the backup is online and available to the server. Or, if you are using a backup on DVDs or removable media, make sure that the DVD drive or device is attached to your local server and online, and that all DVDs that contain the backup are labeled and available.
Determine which volumes that you want to recover.
Note
You can also use the Wbadmin start recovery command to perform this task. For examples and syntax for this command, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=93338.
To recover volumes
From the Start menu, click Administrative Tools, and then click Windows Server Backup.
In the Actions pane of the snap-in default page, under Windows Server Backup, click Recover. This opens the Recovery Wizard.
On the Getting started page, specify whether you will recover volumes from backups stored on this computer or another computer, and then click Next.
If you are recovering volumes from backups stored on another computer, do the following, and then click Next:
On the Specify location type page, specify whether the backup that you want to restore from is on a local drive or a remote shared folder.
If you are recovering from a local drive, on the Select backup location page, select the location of the backup from the drop-down list. If you are recovering from a remote shared folder, on the Specify remote folder page, type the path to the folder that contains the backup. In the folder, the backup should be stored at \\<RemoteSharedFolder>\WindowsImageBackup\<ComputerName>\<YourBackup>.
If you are recovering from this computer, on the Select backup location page, select the location of the backup from the drop-down list. If you are recovering from DVD or removable media, you are prompted to insert the device or first DVD in the series, then click Next.
Then, for a recovery either from the local computer or another computer, on the Select backup date page, select the date from the calendar and the time from the drop-down list of backup you want to restore from.
On the Select recovery type page, click Volumes, and then click Next.
On the Select volumes page, select the check boxes associated with the volumes in the Source Volume column that you want to recover. Then, from the associated drop-down list in the Destination Volume column, select the location that you want to recover the volume to. Click Next.
Important
You will receive a message that any data on the destination volume will be lost when you perform the recovery. Make sure that the destination volume is empty or does not contain information that you will need later.
On the Confirmation page, review the details, and then click Recover to restore the specified volumes.
On the Recovery progress page, you can view the status of the recovery operation and whether or not it was successfully completed.
Additional considerations
- To recover volumes from a backup using Windows Server Backup, you must be a member of the Backup Operators or Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure.