system state

I have used a windows 2003 server for many years.  I used ntbackup to backup the system state.  How do I backup the system state on a windows 2008 R2 server?
mkramer777Asked:
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Scott CSenior EngineerCommented:
Here is how to do it from the command line.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/Cc753201.aspx

To create a system state backup by using Wbadmin start systemstatebackup

1.To open a command prompt with elevated privileges, click Start , right-click Command Prompt , and then click Run as administrator .

2.At the prompt, type:

wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backupTarget:<VolumeName> [-quiet]

This also works for Server 2012.

In addition, any decent up to date 3rd party backup software should give you the option as well.
mkramer777Author Commented:
If I wanted this backup to copy to the backup target of x:\DC01 how the above line be typed out?
Will SzymkowskiSenior Solution ArchitectCommented:
If you are not comfortable with Powershell, you can also do this from the GUI as well. The link below outlines how to do Perform a System State Backup and Recovery.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee849849%28v=ws.10%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396#BKMK_System_State

Will.

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Scott CSenior EngineerCommented:
wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backupTarget:x:\DC01  -quiet

I believe this will do it for you.
mkramer777Author Commented:
Thanks Will.  That worked.  Here is another question.  If I take the bare metal backup and I have a total server failure will I be able to restore from this full backup?
Scott CSenior EngineerCommented:
Yes, that is exactly what a bare metal backup is for...total disaster.
mkramer777Author Commented:
Have you ever gone through one before?  If so, how did it go?
mkramer777Author Commented:
Forgot to ask.  If I schedule a system state backup for every day at 3am will it overwrite the previous backup or will it keep adding backups?  I want it to delete the previous backup and only keep 1.
Scott CSenior EngineerCommented:
I did and it was years ago.  We were using BackupExec and I had bootable media that could access the tape drive and it worked just fine.

One word of advice I would give, don't wait to try this when you HAVE to, try it when you WANT to.

Way back then we didn't have virtual machines and it was  a non-profit so there was no lab.

Take your backup and do a restore on a test system to make sure you have everything you need if/when you have to implement this.

The process will go much smoother and your users will be down much less time.
Scott CSenior EngineerCommented:
Give me a few minutes.  I'm spinning up a lab and will test it out.
Scott CSenior EngineerCommented:
The backup program creates a folder that has a date time stamp on it, so I don't think it will overwrite.
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Windows Server 2008

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