MCTS 70-680: Windows 7 Backup and Restore
This video looks at backing up your Windows 7 system using the Backup and Restore utility shipped with Windows. This utility allows you to restore your data files and also allows you to restore the complete computer if the hard disk were to crash or the computer were lost or stolen.
Backup and restore demo 10:10
Bare Metal Recovery
This term is used to describe when you perform a restore of Windows 7 onto another computer that has different hardware than the computer that the backup was performed on. This is usually required when the original hardware fails or is lost/stolen. When this occurs, hardware may be purchased that is different from the original hardware.
System Image
In order to perform a bare metal recovery, you need a system image. A system image is a copy of all the files and folders on the hard disk and other information on the hard disk like the boot sector and partition information. This file is stored in a VHD file. When using Backup and Restore, you can only restore all the files at once. You can’t restore individual files. For this reason, a system image may be performed as often as a regular file and folder backup.
File and folder backup
This backup method will back up your documents and data files. By default, the program and system files will not be backed up. This backup type may have problems backing up files that are in use. This backup also does not back up information like the boot sector so it cannot be used to restore the complete system.
Destination media
Windows Backup and Restore supports a number of different media types. Different media types support different functionality. Any size media can be used as long as it is big enough to hold the backup. The larger the media, the more backups that can be stored on the media. Incremental backup support for system images is only supported when the media uses NTFS. Incremental support is when multiple backups are stored in the same file. Files that are the same in different backups are stored only once in the backup file to save space. Listed below are the backup media that Backup and Restore supports.
Second internal hard disk
A second internal hard disk will generally be the fastest media for backups. The disadvantage of these media is that they generally are not that easy to remove. If you use a connection like an eSATA connection, the hard disk can be used outside the computer and is easier to remove if required. If you do not remove the media from the computer, this does not protect you should the computer become lost or stolen.
External hard disks
External hard disks are hard disks that are connected to the computer by a direct connection like USB or FireWire, making them easy to connect and remove. Depending on the speed of the connection, their performance may be a lot slower than an internal hard disk. Connections like USB3 and FireWire support very fast data transfer rates and thus performance may not be a problem when using these connections.
Optic media
This media is cheap and durable. Since optical media does not support NTFS you cannot get features like incremental backup support for system images. Optic media supports scheduled backup for regular backups but not for system images.
Flash Media
Since flash media is small and usually formatted with FAT, this media is generally only used for regular backups.
Network
If you use Windows 7 Professional or above, you can store the backup on a file share. Some NTFS features are not available over the network and thus no incremental support is supported for system images.
Features not supported
Can’t back up to the same partition as Windows
Can’t back up a recovery partition
Can’t back up a BitLocker partition
Tape drives are not supported
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