HOWTO: Bare-Metal Restores from Windows Server 2008 Backup

Using the Windows Recovery Environment on Windows Server 2008 you can perform a bare-metal restore to recover your server operating system or the entire server itself. An operating system restore will only recover critical drive volumes that contain system components. If you would like to restore all volumes, you will need to conduct a full server recovery.

Before attempting to complete an operating system or full server restoration from a drive image backup created with BackupAssist, make sure of the following:

• You have a Windows Server 2008 setup/installation disc.
• If you are recovering to a new hard disk, make sure the disk is at least as big as the disk that contained the volumes that were backed up, regardless of the size of those volumes. For example, if there was only one volume that was 100 GB on a 1 TB disk during backup, you should use a disk that is at least 1 TB when restoring.
• If you are recovering just the operating system, make sure that you have a backup available that contains at least the critical volumes of the server. If you are recovering the full server, make sure that you have a backup available that contains all volumes of the server.

Performing a bare metal recovery – step by step

Boot the Windows Server 2008 from the installation media and select the appropriate settings for: Language to install Time and currency format Keyboard or input format. When you’ve selected your settings, click on the Next button. In the next window, select the Repair your Computer option from the lower left corner of the console. From the System Recovery Options window, you can choose to load any drivers required by your hard disk at this stage.  After loading any necessary drivers, such as RAID drivers, click on the Next button. Note that if you are performing a bare-metal restore to a brand new hard-disk, you will not see any Operating Systems listed as shown on the right.  If you are restoring a backup to a machine that already has Windows 2008, then it will be listed under Operating Systems.  Under the System Recovery Options window, select theWindows Complete PC Restoreoption. This will invoke theWindows Recovery Environment. Windows will then scan your machine for available backups. Please ensure that the media with your backup is connected to the machine. If Windows Complete PC Restore is unable to find the backup, please try un-connecting and re-connecting the backup device. Once your backup disk has been detected, you may choose to restore the latest backup or another backup. Windows 2008 will automatically choose your latest backup by default. Select the backup you want to restore from and click on the Nextbutton. In the Choose how to restore your backupwindow, you have the following options: Install any drivers for the disk you are restoring to by clicking on the Install Drivers button. Exclude disks that you don’t want formatted by clicking on the Exclude disks button. Choose to restart the computer after the restore process and to automatically check and update error information by clicking on the Advanced button. Once you have added the extra options, click on the Next button. Select the location of your backup and click on the Next button. Confirm your settings and click on the Finish button. Windows Recovery Environment will ask you whether you want to let Windows Complete PC Restore format the disks and restore the backups you have chosen. Click on the OK button. Your bare-metal restore of Windows Server 2008 should begin. Once done, your system should reboot and Windows will load. Congratulations – the procedure is complete!