Windows NT Backup - Restore in Win 7?
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Friday, June 05, 2009 9:05 PMNtBackupRestore_x86.msi or NtBackupRestore_Win64.msi will not install in Windows 7 with a message that this requires Removable Storage Management. Since RSM is not included in Windows 7 how does one access old Backups from Windows XP?
Will the NtBackupRestore program be updated to be compatible with Windows 7?
Answers
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Sunday, June 28, 2009 5:44 PM
Rick Dee,
The answer posted by Lawrence Garvin above is almost certainly the best means of doing this.
-Alex
So the object is not to make it easy for the customer?
What is the customer supposed to do if there is not an XP machine around?
It can't be that difficult for Microsoft to publish a reader for NT Backups.- Proposed As Answer by carl38245522 Wednesday, January 19, 2011 1:29 AM
- Marked As Answer by Rick Dee Monday, October 24, 2011 2:23 PM
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Thursday, January 28, 2010 11:10 AM
Guess what everyone! Look what I found:
Description of the Windows NT Backup Restore Utility for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2
@ http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=974674
and I thought they said it couldn't be done!!!- Marked As Answer by Rick Dee Thursday, January 28, 2010 11:10 AM
All Replies
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Thursday, June 18, 2009 8:15 PMHello Rick,
Have you tried this version of NT backup for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008?
-Scott -
Friday, June 19, 2009 1:11 AMAnswerer
NtBackupRestore_x86.msi or NtBackupRestore_Win64.msi will not install in Windows 7 with a message that this requires Removable Storage Management. Since RSM is not included in Windows 7 how does one access old Backups from Windows XP?
Perhaps the ideal methodology here would be:
Will the NtBackupRestore program be updated to be compatible with Windows 7?
1. Restore to Windows XP.
2. Write to a portable technology (DVD, External USB, USB Thumb) or copy across the network.
3. Backup from Win7 for future restoration to Win7.
The thought of restoring a backup from a previous version of an OS, made from the tools contained within that previous version of the OS, opens a significant opportunity for incompatibilities and issues performing a successful restore. If I had to do a backup/restore across versions of an OS, I'd first choose a tool that I could maintain stability with across both versions of the OS.
As you've noticed, the NTBackup utility has been significantly rearchitected from Windows XP to Vista/Win7. It was also significantly rearchitected for WinXP, and for Win2000 before that, all somewhat tied to the coming and going of Removable Storage Management.
To your specific question -- it's highly unlikely that a utility for an OS two revs back is going to be updated (or even can be updated) to support compatibility with the current release of the OS.
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCITP:EA, MCDBA
Principal/CTO, Onsite Technology Solutions, Houston, Texas
Microsoft MVP - Software Distribution (2005-2009) -
Saturday, June 27, 2009 4:35 PMThe object is to retrieve data that was archived using NTBackup. That's all I want.
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Saturday, June 27, 2009 7:48 PMRick Dee,
The answer posted by Lawrence Garvin above is almost certainly the best means of doing this.
-Alex -
Sunday, June 28, 2009 5:44 PM
Rick Dee,
The answer posted by Lawrence Garvin above is almost certainly the best means of doing this.
-Alex
So the object is not to make it easy for the customer?
What is the customer supposed to do if there is not an XP machine around?
It can't be that difficult for Microsoft to publish a reader for NT Backups.- Proposed As Answer by carl38245522 Wednesday, January 19, 2011 1:29 AM
- Marked As Answer by Rick Dee Monday, October 24, 2011 2:23 PM
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Monday, June 29, 2009 5:06 AMRick Dee,
The issue is that NT Backups cannot simply be restored in a format that is compatible with Windows 7. In order to migrate data from an older version of Windows to Windows 7, you should run the backup software from the Windows 7 DVD, which would then generate a file which can be restored under the new OS.
-Alex -
Monday, June 29, 2009 1:46 PM
Rick Dee,
The issue is that NT Backups cannot simply be restored in a format that is compatible with Windows 7. In order to migrate data from an older version of Windows to Windows 7, you should run the backup software from the Windows 7 DVD, which would then generate a file which can be restored under the new OS.
-Alex
So any data backed up in the past is just lost? I have routinely archived data using NTBackup and then deleted what was on the hard drive. I'm talking about financial data like bank statements, credit card statements, etc.; and other data like Income Tax returns. You're telling me Microsoft wants people to upgrade to Windows 7 but doesn't care that you will lose all access to archived material done with NTBackup? There's something grossly distorted with this picture! -
Friday, August 07, 2009 2:26 PMI think the answer provided by SaMcp1123 is a good one for people who only want to restore files backed up by XP.
However I have questions about those who say ntbackup won't run on Windows 7. Has anyone tried it? I did, and it worked for me. Maybe those who couldn't get it to work are people who do what they are told? :) Fortunately I'm not one of those. When ntbackup pops up a window that tells you to quit, start the removable server, and restart, just click OK and keep on going. Of course if your backup is on removable storage, that wouldn't work. But I presume you could move it to your hard drive.
It seems to me, ntbackup is superior to Windows 7 backup because ntbackup lets you backup what you want, not what Windows 7 backup wants.
Using ntbackup is the only way I've found that can clone a partition where Win7 resides. It seems Microsoft has thrown a monkeywrench into the machinery by using hard links, and only ntbackup can handle them. I've only tried this while running XP, but I'm guessing it would work while running WIn7. Of course it won't work if you are running an OS installed on the partition you are backing up. -
Sunday, August 09, 2009 12:31 PM
I think the answer provided by SaMcp1123 is a good one for people who only want to restore files backed up by XP.
However I have questions about those who say ntbackup won't run on Windows 7. Has anyone tried it? I did, and it worked for me. Maybe those who couldn't get it to work are people who do what they are told? :) Fortunately I'm not one of those. When ntbackup pops up a window that tells you to quit, start the removable server, and restart, just click OK and keep on going. Of course if your backup is on removable storage, that wouldn't work. But I presume you could move it to your hard drive.
It seems to me, ntbackup is superior to Windows 7 backup because ntbackup lets you backup what you want, not what Windows 7 backup wants.
Using ntbackup is the only way I've found that can clone a partition where Win7 resides. It seems Microsoft has thrown a monkeywrench into the machinery by using hard links, and only ntbackup can handle them. I've only tried this while running XP, but I'm guessing it would work while running WIn7. Of course it won't work if you are running an OS installed on the partition you are backing up.
Each and every time I try to install it a pop-up tells me: "To run Windows NT Backup Restore Utility, you need to turn on or install Removable Storage Management. For instructions about tutning on or installing this feature, go to Microsoft NT Backup Restore Utility webpage. Do you want to go to that webpage?" and terminates no matter whether I select "Yes" or "No" and those are the only options.
There is no option to turn on Removable Storage Management in any version of Windows 7, so, how did you get it to run if no one else in the world can? -
Sunday, August 09, 2009 1:11 PMI'm not sure what you mean by installing ntbackup. I simply made a folder and copied the three required files to it. Then I click on ntbackup.exe. When I do that, a window pops up with the title "Removable Storage Not Running".
The popup text says:
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The Backup Utility cannot connect to the Removable Storage service. This servise is required for use of tape drives and other backup devices. Please exit and start the Removable Storage service using the System Services function of the Management Console. Also there is a box to check for "Do not show this message again". There is also an OK button.
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When I click OK, the thing runs just fine.
By the way, here are the files I put in the folder by copying from my XP system32 folder:
ntbackup.exe
ntmsapi.dll
vssapi.dll
Putting these files in the Win7 system32 folder probably won't work. Win7 has it's own vssapi.dll which is different from the one XP uses. By putting these files in their own folder, ntbackup will use vssapi.dll from that folder.
P.S. This is the cheapest forum software I've ever encountered. Apparently there are no attachments, no embedded images, and no preview.- Edited by FastSteve Sunday, August 09, 2009 1:16 PM Formatting was lost
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Sunday, August 09, 2009 1:43 PMI should add one more thing. To clone a partition that has hard links, the OS doing the restore must use the same drive letter for the partition where it is restored, that the OS doing the backup used for the original partition. You will probably have to use Disk Management to change the drive letter. This requirement should be temporary. After the restoration, I presume you can give it any drive letter you want.
This means you can't clone a Win7 partition while you are running the Win7 that is installed on that partition. Actually I would never try to clone or otherwise copy a partition while running the OS on that partition anyway.
At least that's the way I think it works. I found when the drive letters were different, the hard links weren't restored.
P.S. Why do I loose the paragraph formatting when I post? I have to edit it after posting or otherwise everything is run together. Don't you just love forums with no preview? :)- Edited by FastSteve Sunday, August 09, 2009 1:46 PM restore formatting
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Friday, September 11, 2009 2:24 PMNTBackup runs just fine on windows 7 64 bit. I imagine it would run on 32 bit - haven't tried it.
Copy 3 files from an xp installation into a folder on the Windows 7 machine:
ntbackup.exe
ntmsapi.dll
vssapi.dll
These files are located in c:\windows\system32
Run ntbackup.exe from the folder you created on the windows 7 machine.
Click on do not show this message again when warned that removable storage service is not running.
Click on OK
NTBackup starts up and runs just like on XP.
- Proposed As Answer by ChromaChem Friday, September 11, 2009 2:27 PM
- Unproposed As Answer by Rick Dee Monday, October 24, 2011 2:24 PM
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Monday, September 14, 2009 6:35 PMThanks, Chroma. I wonder why Microsoft couldn't figure out how to do this instead of just replying "It can't be done!"? Especially since Microsoft wrote and published both NTBackup and Windows 7!
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Sunday, November 01, 2009 11:42 AMhow do you "run ntbackup.exe" from the folder that was created? Are you using the cmd function?
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Sunday, November 01, 2009 1:54 PMYou don't need to do that. You can navigate to it with Windows Explorer, and click on it.
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Monday, November 09, 2009 8:24 PMIf you don't have a spare machine and didn't dual boot, loading up XP Mode, you can copy the 3 files out off the Virtual XP box to the C: and run it from there... finally got my restore going using that.
John -
Friday, November 27, 2009 3:11 PM
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Saturday, November 28, 2009 8:04 PMHi - Glad I found this post.
I seriously detest the new "backup for idiots" in Windows 7 that gives zero control to end user of what gets backed up.
I was able to get ntbackup to run with your instructions, and it was able to restore an old backup - BUT, I don't seem to be able to use it to do a NEW backup running in Win7....
Get a critical error & aborts when trying to start VSS....
Am I missing something, or is XP's ntbackup just not able to make new backups while running in Windows 7.
And, if I run the backup program under XP (my machine is triple boot - XP Pro, Vista, and Win 7 Home Premium) - it seems I'm unable to do a complete backup of the Win 7 partition with ntbackup because of file permissions..... If I can't make new system backup (able to restore Win 7/system restore) with ntbackup under Win 7, can I do it from XP? And what do I need to do to allow ntbackup under XP to get access to all the Win 7 data?
Thanks! -
Sunday, November 29, 2009 1:19 PMA partition with Win7 installed is difficult to backup. ntbackup can't do it, for reasons you discovered. Acronis True Image can do it. You can download a free version from Western Digital's support site.
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Friday, January 08, 2010 4:25 PMWatch out for Acronis. Just a little glitch, it would not support w7-64 bit when I purchased the full version 2 weeks ago.
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Friday, January 08, 2010 9:54 PMThe free Acronis I got from Western Digital's site a couple of months ago works perfectly witn Win7 64 bit. I don't backup the partition I'm running on, and don't know if it will do that. I have multiple Win7 and XP installations on my computers so when I want to backup an O.S. installation, I boot up and run the O.S. on another partition.
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Sunday, January 24, 2010 8:49 PMHola a todos.
Alguien sabe si el sistema de backup del windows 7 admite unidades de cintas.
Tengo una HP DDS 4 por puerto usb.
Particular -
Thursday, January 28, 2010 11:10 AM
Guess what everyone! Look what I found:
Description of the Windows NT Backup Restore Utility for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2
@ http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=974674
and I thought they said it couldn't be done!!!- Marked As Answer by Rick Dee Thursday, January 28, 2010 11:10 AM
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Thursday, February 11, 2010 4:51 PMDoes it not work with Win7 RC? All I get is "The update is not applicable to your computer" from Microsoft Standalone updater.
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Friday, October 08, 2010 7:16 PM
Hi Rick,
Your link [http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=974674] was just what I was looking for.
I have a 9 year old XP Gateway, an external USP HD and am using ntbackup.exe from the WinXP 2000 CD.
I plan to use a network and migration tools when I get a Win7 (Win8?) box.
But as you note, what if you have a backup file and no XP computer? Like, what if my XP computer was dead? A Backup.bkf is not an ideal migration resource, but I'm sure I'll be happy to have it if disaster strikes.
Props, Buddy!
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Monday, October 24, 2011 11:34 AMI just tried it on my Windows 7 (32bit) system and it worked great. I chose the first option given (x86).
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