Copying drivers from a backup to a USB flash drive

Published: August 12, 2009

Applies To: Windows SBS 2008

Every time Windows Home Server backs up a client computer, it saves the drivers for the client computer in the backup. If you use the Home Computer Restore CD, you may be prompted for drivers that are not available on the CD. If this happens, you can open a backup for that client computer and then copy the drivers to a USB flash drive.

To copy drivers from a backup to a USB flash drive

  1. On a client computer, open the Windows Home Server console.

  2. Click Computers & Backup, and then click the computer that you need drivers for.

  3. Click View Backups.

  4. Click the most recent backup, and then click Open.

  5. Click a volume to open (any volume works), and then click Open. A window opens showing the files and folders in the backup.

  6. Plug in your USB flash drive.

  7. Copy the Windows Home Server Drivers for Restore folder from the open window to your USB flash drive.

  8. Remove the flash drive, and then insert it into the client computer that you are restoring.

You can use the USB flash drive to install the drivers for your client computer when you restore it. The Home Computer Restore CD looks for additional drivers on the USB flash drive while the client computer is starting. The drivers you most likely need to restore a client computer are the network driver and the storage device driver.

Note

If you are restoring a 64-bit computer, the drivers that are stored in the backup are also 64-bit. These do not function with the 32-bit Home Computer Restore CD. Therefore, you need to obtain 32-bit versions of the network driver and storage device driver.