Create Backups of the System State Using a Command Line

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

In Windows Server 2008 R2, you can use the Backup Schedule Wizard, the Backup Once Wizard, the Wbadmin start systemstatebackup command, the Wbadmin enable backup command, or the Windows PowerShell cmdlets for Windows Server Backup to create a backup of the system state for a server. A backup of the system state can be saved to a locally attached disk (either internal or external) or a remote shared folder. It cannot be saved to a DVD, optical media, or other removable storage media. In addition, when you create a system state backup, you can also add other files, folders, and volumes for recovery.

This topic covers using Wbadmin start systemstatebackup to create a one-time backup or the system state and Wbadmin enable backup to create a scheduled backup of the system state. For information about other methods, see the following:

To create a system state backup by using Wbadmin start systemstatebackup

  1. To open a command prompt with elevated privileges, click Start , right-click Command Prompt , and then click Run as administrator .

  2. At the prompt, type:

    wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backupTarget:<VolumeName> [-quiet]

    For example, to create a system state backup with no prompts to the user and save it to volume F, type:

    wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backupTarget:F: -quiet

    To view the complete syntax for this command, at a command prompt, type:

    Wbadmin start systemstatebackup /?

To create a scheduled system state backup by using Wbadmin enable backup

  1. To open a command prompt with elevated privileges, click Start , right-click Command Prompt , and then click Run as administrator .

  2. At the prompt, type:

    wbadmin enable backup [-addtarget:<BackupTarget>] [-removetarget:<BackupTarget>] [-schedule:<TimeToRunBackup>] [-include:<ItemsToInclude> [-nonRecurseInclude:<ItemsToInclude>] [-exclude:<ItemsToExclude>] [-nonRecurseExclude:<ItemsToExclude>] [-allCritical] [-systemState] [-vssFull | -vssCopy] [-user:<UserName>] [-password:<Password>] [-quiet]

    For example, to create a system state backup, daily at 9 A.M., with no prompts to the user, and save it to volume F, type:

    wbadmin enable backup -addtarget:F: -schedule:09:00 -systemState -quiet

    To view the complete syntax for this command, at a command prompt, type:

    Wbadmin enable backup /?

Additional considerations

  • To create a system state backup using features of Windows Server Backup, you must be a member of the Backup Operators or Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

  • If you want to create a system state backup but also add other items to the backup, you can use the Wbadmin start backup command with the -systemState , -include , and -nonRecurseInclude parameters. To view the complete syntax for this command, at a command prompt, type:

    Wbadmin start backup /?

Additional references