Wbadmin

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista

Enables you to back up and restore your operating system, volumes, files, folders, and applications from a command prompt.

To configure a regularly scheduled backup, you must be a member of the Administrators group. To perform all other tasks with this command, you must be a member of the Backup Operators or the Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate permissions.

You must run wbadmin from an elevated command prompt. (To open an elevated command prompt, click Start, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.)

Subcommands

Subcommand Description

Wbadmin enable backup

Configures and enables a regularly scheduled backup.

This subcommand applies only to versions of Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Wbadmin disable backup

Disables your daily backups.

This subcommand applies only to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Wbadmin start backup

Runs a one-time backup. If used with no parameters, uses the settings from the daily backup schedule.

Wbadmin stop job

Stops the currently running backup or recovery operation.

Wbadmin get versions

Lists details of backups recoverable from the local computer or, if another location is specified, from another computer.

Wbadmin get items

Lists the items included in a backup.

Wbadmin start recovery

Runs a recovery of the volumes, applications, files, or folders specified.

This subcommand applies only to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Wbadmin get status

Shows the status of the currently running backup or recovery operation.

Wbadmin get disks

Lists disks that are currently online.

This subcommand applies only to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Wbadmin start systemstaterecovery

Runs a system state recovery.

This subcommand applies only to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Wbadmin start systemstatebackup

Runs a system state backup.

This subcommand applies only to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Wbadmin delete systemstatebackup

Deletes one or more system state backups.

This subcommand applies only to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Wbadmin start sysrecovery

Runs a recovery of the full system (at least all the volumes that contain the operating system's state). This subcommand applies only to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, and it is only available if you are using the Windows Recovery Environment.

Wbadmin restore catalog

Recovers a backup catalog from a specified storage location in the case where the backup catalog on the local computer has been corrupted.

This subcommand applies only to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Wbadmin delete catalog

Deletes the backup catalog on the local computer. Use this subcommand only if the backup catalog on this computer is corrupted and you have no backups stored at another location that you can use to restore the catalog.

This subcommand applies only to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Remarks

The wbadmin command replaces the ntbackup command that was released with previous versions of Windows. You cannot recover backups that you created with ntbackup by using wbadmin. However, a version of ntbackup is available as a download for Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows 7 users who want to recover backups that they created using ntbackup. This downloadable version of ntbackup enables you to perform recoveries only of legacy backups, and it cannot be used on computers running Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows 7 to create new backups. To download this version of ntbackup, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=82917. And for more information about using this download, see article 974674 in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=194761).

Additional references