Recover the Operating System or the Full Server

You can recover your server operating system or full server by using the Windows SBS 2008 Installation disc and a backup that you created earlier by using Windows Small Business Server Backup. This method of data recovery is also known as a “bare metal” restore.

1. Unplug the external storage device from the server.

2. Insert Windows SBS 2008 Installation DVD 1.

3. Restart the server and boot to the DVD drive.

4. On the Install Now page of the Windows Server 2008 Installation Wizard, click Repair your computer. The System Recovery Options dialog box appears.

5. Select Microsoft Windows Server 2008, and then click Next.

6. On the Choose a recovery tool page, click Windows Complete PC Restore. A warning appears to inform you that a valid backup location could not be found.

7. Connect the external storage device that contains your server backup, and then click Retry.

8. Follow the instructions in the Windows Complete PC Restore Wizard:

   1. On the first page of the Windows Complete PC Restore Wizard, choose whether you want to restore the server from the latest available backup or from a different backup.
      
      

      Note
      Windows Recovery Environment does not adjust time stamps for daylight time. As a result, the time of the backup that is displayed in the Windows Complete PC Restore Wizard may be off by an hour.

   2. On the Choose how to restore backup page of the wizard, you can:
      
      
      • Choose to format and repartition disks
        
        
      • Choose to only restore system disks
        
        
      • Install drivers if necessary
        
        
      • Specify advanced options
        
        

After the computer restores from the backup, it restarts.

Important
After you restore the server, you must reactivate it within three days.