We encourage you to
read this section, along with the questions and answers that follow so you are
familiar with the issues encountered when you need to perform a recovery that
necessitates the restoration of your Windows Operating System (OS) and your
data. This type of recovery happens when you replace a hard drive or replace
your entire computer.
Disaster Recovery
means starting from scratch – you have a blank or new hard drive with perhaps no operating
system on it. In order to recover
your data from Backup for Workgroups Backup Server, you must install a temporary copy of Windows on
this new hard drive. We call this a
temporary operating system, because when you perform a complete Disaster Recovery,
the temporary copy of Windows is replaced by the copy of Windows that you were
using at the time of your last backup.
It is important to
note that you cannot just use “any version” of Windows as your temporary
copy. You must use the same version
of Windows and the same service pack level that you were using at the time of
your last backup. You do not need to apply
any automatic updates, you just need to install the same version of Windows with
the same service pack level. Once you
have the temporary copy of Windows installed on the new hard drive, you can follow the appropriate recovery steps included on your personalized
Disaster Recovery Report.
Q: When
I install the temporary copy of Windows for the disaster recovery process, do I
need to also re-install any Service Packs or Microsoft Patches?
A:
Yes you need to re-install the same Service Pack that you were last
using. But, you do not need to re-apply
the Microsoft Patches (Automatic Updates).
Q:
Does the restore process need working space during the restoration
process?
A:
Yes. Since you need to
install a temporary copy of Windows, this temporary copy will take up space
during the restoration process. You
need to allow for the size of the temporary copy of Windows in addition to your
original files. Typically, this
temporary copy of Windows uses between 1 to 2 GB of disk space, depending
upon the version of Windows that you use as the temporary copy.
Q:
What
are the steps involved with restoration when I have upgraded my Windows
Operating System along the way? For
example, I need to replace my hard drive, which was originally formatted with
Windows XP and subsequently upgraded to Windows
7. Do I need to install Windows XP on my new hard drive and then install the
Windows 7 upgrade before restoring my computer?
A: No, you do not need to re-install Windows XP first. You need to only install Windows 7 and the same service pack that you were running at the time of your last backup.
Q: I cannot remember what service pack I was using at the time of my last backup. Is there any way to figure this out?
A:
Yes. Go to the Backup Server, highlight the name of your client account and
press the Client Summary button. It will show you the version of Windows,
including any service pack information, that you were running at the time of
your last backup. This information is also available on your Disaster
Recovery Report, which you can print from the Backup Server, too.
Q: What
happens when I purchase a new computer that comes with a newer version of
Windows preinstalled? For example, I
was backing up my Windows XP computer. Now I would like to transfer all my data to my new computer that is running
Windows 7.
A:
When you find yourself in this situation, you have to make a choice on which
restoration method you would like to use; the reformatting method or the
selective file restore method. You can either reformat your new hard drive and avoid re-installing all
your old applications or you can choose to not reformat your new hard drive and
selectively restore files using the Backup Client, then manually re-install all
your old applications. It is up to
you as to which route you would like to take.
Here's a brief summary of the steps involved with both restoration methods:
Reformatting
Method. Reformat
the hard drive in your new computer
and install a temporary copy of Windows that matches the same version and
service pack you were using at the time of your last backup. You can print
a Disaster Recovery Report and follow the steps provided to reformat the hard
drive and to install your temporary copy of Windows. Follow along with the Disaster Recovery Report instructions to install
your Backup Client and complete the data recovery process. Once
you have recovered your files, you may choose to upgrade just the Operating
System to Windows XP with the software that came with your new computer. When you choose to recover your data in this manner, you will not need to
reinstall each application because the Backup Client will do this for you.
– OR –
Selective File Restore Method. If you do not want to reformat the hard drive in your new computer, you can selectively restore your data files and manually reload your applications. In this case, you will not be following the steps on a Disaster Recovery Report. You will need to install the Backup Client on your new computer. And your new computer will need to have access to the Backup Server computer in order to restore your data. Run the Backup Client and on the Restore panel, press the SELECTED FILES button. DO NOT PRESS THE DISASTER RECOVERY BUTTON! Use the Select Files dialog to select any files you would like to restore. You will then need to reinstall any applications that you were using on your old computer by using the installation CDs provided by each application manufacturer.