Restoring Windows Backup Sets

A Windows backup set contains a server's unique operating system data and configuration information. You typically restore this data using the "rebuild a server" recovery method. When you restore a Windows backup set to a server, you restore critical operating system files and registry information from the original server. When you restore the original server's registry, you also restore the original computer name and return the server to its original domain with a computer account that matches the System ID in Active Directory® directory service. For Exchange Setup to complete successfully when run in Disaster Recovery mode, Setup relies on some of the unique configuration information included in the Windows backup set (such as the registry, the Internet Information Services (IIS) metabase, and so on).

For detailed instructions, see How to Restore a Windows Backup Set.

For information about how to create a Windows backup set, see Creating Windows Backup Sets.

Because of the dependencies among System State components, you cannot use Backup to back up or restore individual components comprising System State data, and when you restore System State data, any existing files in the destination will always be overwritten. However, you can recover the following data individually after you restore the System State data from a Windows or full computer backup to another location:

• Windows Server 2003 registry files.

• Windows Server 2003 boot files.

• SYSVOL directory files.

• Cluster database information files.

  Note

  You cannot restore the Active Directory services database, the Certificate Services database, and the COM+ Class registration database to another location.