Learn more about restore options

Applies To: Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials

Server recovery gives you the option to restore your server from a previous backup or to reset the server to the factory default settings.

Restore your server from a backup

When you choose to recover your server by restoring from a previous backup, you choose the specific backup you want restored. You must have a valid backup file on an external hard drive that is directly connected to the server.

  1. If you have a single hard drive and the hard drive is not replaced, the drive partition information is left intact when you restore the server. The system volume (C: drive) is restored, and the data on the remaining volume is preserved.

  2. If you have a single hard drive and the drive is replaced, the system volume (C: drive) is restored, and then you must manually restore folders to the data volume. Any non-default shared folders need to be created because they are not created when the server storage is recreated.

  3. If you have multiple hard drives, and drive 0 (contains the system volume) is not replaced, the drive partition information is left intact when you restore the server. The system volume (C: drive) is restored, and the data on all remaining volumes is preserved.

  4. If you have multiple hard drives, and drive 0 (contains the system volume) is replaced, the system volume (C: drive) is restored, and then you must manually restore any shared folders that were stored on drive 0. You must add drive 0 back to the server storage before you can restore any shared folders. Any non-default folders need to be created because they are not created when the server storage is recreated.

Reset your server to the factory default settings

When you choose to recover your server by resetting it to factory default settings, all existing settings and installed applications on your server are deleted. You will be given the option to keep your data or to delete it. Once you reset your server to default factory settings, you must configure your server again.

When you finish setting up your server, it is recommended that you back up your server and maintain a regular backup schedule to avoid losing server settings and data.