Diskshadow

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Diskshadow.exe is a command-line tool that exposes the functionality provided by the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). Diskshadow is included in Windows Server® 2008 as the first in-box VSS requester for hardware shadow copy scenarios.

By default, Diskshadow uses an interactive command interpreter similar to that of DiskRAID or DiskPart. DiskShadow also includes a script mode for automating tasks.

What does Diskshadow do?

Diskshadow enables you to create and manage hardware and software shadow copies, including transportable shadow copies.

You can use Diskshadow to:

  • Create hardware or software shadow copies that are subsequently exposed as read-only volumes.

  • Create hardware transportable shadow copies that can be imported on a different computer and used for backups or data mining.

  • Create a fast-recovery scenario where a shadow copy created earlier can be imported to replace a volume that may have become corrupted.

  • Convert a shadow copy into a read-write volume.

Who will be interested in this feature?

Diskshadow can be used by IT professionals who want to use shadow copies for tasks including backups, quick recovery, or data mining. Software developers can use Diskshadow for testing their VSS writers and providers.

What new functionality does this feature provide?

Diskshadow provides the first in-box VSS requester that can create hardware shadow copies.

Is this feature available in all editions of Windows Server 2008?

Diskshadow is available in all editions of Windows Server 2008.

Additional references

For the command-line syntax for Diskshadow, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=94325.