IBM Computer, Laptops and Servers

Backing Up and Restoring System Configuration Details

Backing Up and Restoring System Configuration Details

Virtual servers may have a different hardware configuration (the box that you're moving your data from), and with Acronis True Image Universal Restore, we actually have the ability, now, to take that image of a physical box, say you might have it on a Dell Server, and restore that image to an IBM Server, running VMWare, or Microsoft Virtual Server 2005.

Laptop Computers Sooner or later, every Windows user wishes for a time machine—a way to go back to a configuration where Windows worked properly. This fervent desire usually crops up after system crashes or major instabilities caused by installing a new software program, updating a device driver, or hacking the Registry. Windows Me can't take you back in time, but it can roll back your system configuration to a state where it worked properly, magically undoing the changes that caused the problem.

Using Acronis True Image, you can easily backup to FTP by selecting your FTP virtual server or other machine as a destination. You can define the FTP configuration and using the security details that you have ( password) your data can be backed up onto the FTP server. System backup and restore solution

Laptop Computer The force behind this welcome capability is a utility called System Restore. This feature, the centerpiece of Microsoft's PC Health program, does two things:

• It takes regular "snapshots" of your system configuration and stores them in compressed Cabinet files in the hidden Restore folder. This happens automatically, although you can also create system checkpoints (also known as restore points) manually.

• When (not if) you need to roll back your system configuration to an earlier state, you run the System Restore utility and choose the system checkpoint you want to restore.

Notebooks To open the System Restore utility, click the Start button, and then choose Programs, Accessories, System Tools. In addition to a brief informational message, the opening System Restore screen gives you two choices (see Figure 5.1). (After you restore a previous configuration, a third option, Undo My Last Restoration, appears.)

Lenovo Figure 5.1 Use the System Restore utility to take a snapshot of your current system configuration; you can restore this configuration later if problems arise.

Hard Drive If you're about to embark on a major system change, such as installing a new program or a piece of hardware, I recommend that you choose the Create a Restore Point option here and then click Next. Enter a descriptive name of up to 63 characters ("System settings before installing 30GB Maxtor hard drive," for instance), and click Next. System Restore automatically tacks on the current date and time and displays one final confirmation dialog box. If the description is accurate, click OK to create the restore point.

Gateway To restore a previous system checkpoint, start the System Restore utility and choose the Restore My Computer to an Earlier Time option. The calendar control lets you choose a restore point based on date and description (see Figure 5.2). Choose the configuration you want to restore and then follow the prompts.

Laptop Parts Here are some crucial facts to know about System Restore:

• Restoring a checkpoint does not remove data files you've created since the restore point. Creating a restore point does not back up your data files, either.

• You must reinstall any programs you installed after the system checkpoint you restored.

• Windows gives you the option to undo the most recent system restore.

• When you must restore a system configuration, choose a recent restore point if possible. The older the system checkpoint, the more likely you will have to reinstall a large number of device drivers and programs.

• Restoring a system checkpoint affects all users of the computer.

Software Figure 5.2 Use the calendar and description to choose a system checkpoint to restore. If a given date has more than one restore point, the most recent is at the top.

Hard Drives What's in a restore file? Plenty. In fact, a typical restore point gobbles up several megabytes' worth of files, and backup copies of system files take up more space. Windows requires 200MB of storage for System Restore files, but will use much more space if it's available. You can rein in its appetite by taking two steps:

• First, clean up temporary files periodically using the Disk Cleanup Manager (Programs, Accessories, System Tools). Check the Temporary PCHealth Files box at the bottom of the General tab to empty unnecessary files.

• Next, take control of how much space Windows sets aside for System Restore. Open Control Panel's System option, click the Performance tab, and click the File System button. On the Hard Disk tab, adjust the System Restore disk space use slider to an appropriate amount (see Figure 5.3). For most users, 200MB is plenty; if Windows runs out of room, it throws out the oldest System Restore files to make room for the new.

  Electronics Figure 5.3 Use this option to reduce System Restore's appetite for free disk space.