Schedule a backup

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To schedule a backup

  1. Open Backup.

    The Backup or Restore Wizard starts by default, unless it is disabled. You can use this wizard or go to the next step to work in Advanced Mode.

  2. Click the Advanced Mode link on the Backup or Restore Wizard.

  3. Click the Backup tab, and then on the Job menu, click New.

  4. Select the files and folders you want to back up by clicking the box to the left of a file or folder.

  5. Select File or a tape device in Backup destination.

  6. In Backup media or file name, type a path and file name for the backup file, or select a tape.

  7. Select any backup options you want, such as the backup type and the log file type, by clicking the Tools menu, and then clicking Options. When you have finished selecting backup options, click OK.

  8. On the Job menu select Save Selections to save your selections as a backup job file (.bks).

  9. Click Start Backup and make any changes you want to the Backup Job Information dialog box.

  10. If you want to set advanced backup options such as data verification or hardware compression, click Advanced. When you have finished selecting advanced backup options, click OK.

  11. Click Schedule in the Backup Job Information dialog box.

  12. In the Set Account Information dialog box, enter the user name and password that you want the scheduled backup to run under.

  13. In the Scheduled Job Options dialog box, in Job name, type a name for the scheduled backup job, and then click Properties on the Schedule data tab to set the date, time, and frequency parameters for the scheduled backup. When you have finished, click OK, and then click OK again.

Caution

  • You can use Backup to back up and restore data on FAT16, FAT32, or NTFS volumes. However, if you have backed up data from an NTFS volume, it is recommended that you restore the data to an NTFS volume of the same version to prevent losing data. Some file systems might not support all of the features of other file systems.

Notes

  • You can use Backup to back up and restore data on FAT16, FAT32, or NTFS volumes. However, if you have backed up data from an NTFS volume, it is recommended that you restore the data to an NTFS volume of the same version to prevent losing data. Some file systems might not support all of the features of other file systems.

  • To start Backup, click Start, point to All programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.

  • If you are scheduling a tape backup, you may have to use Removable Storage to make sure that your tape is available in the Backup media pool. For more information on Removable Storage, see Related Topics.

  • You must have the Task Scheduler service running before you can schedule a backup. To do this, open the command prompt window and type net start schedule. You can also use Services in the Computer Management administrative tool to start, stop, and view the status of services.

  • System State data contains most elements of a system's configuration, but it might not include all of the information that you require to recover your system from a failure. Therefore, it is recommended that you back up all boot and system volumes, including the System State, when you back up your system.

  • If you want to back up your System State data, you must select System State in Click to select the check box for any drive, folder, or file that you want to back up.

  • You can only back up the System State data on a local computer. You cannot back up the System State data on a remote computer.

  • You can change the settings of a scheduled backup job after you schedule it by clicking the Schedule Jobs tab and then clicking the backup icon that is displayed on the calendar.

  • In the Scheduled Job Options dialog box, you can delete a scheduled backup from the Task Scheduler by clicking Delete.

  • Backup operators and administrators can back up and restore encrypted files and folders without decrypting the files or folders.

  • If you have Windows Media Services running on your computer, and you want to back up the files associated with these services, see "Running Backup with Windows Media Services" in the Windows Media Services online documentation. You must follow the procedures outlined in the Windows Media Services online documentation before you can back up or restore files associated with Windows Media Services.

Information about functional differences

  • Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.

See Also

Concepts

Permissions and user rights required to back up and restore
Identify members of a local group
Schedule Tasks