# “Windows Server System State” Backup

eazyBackup integrates with Windows Server System State to support backing up System State `.vhd` files using the wbadmin technology. This feature is only available on certain versions of Windows Server with the "Server Backup Role" feature enabled.

A Windows Server System State backup may include Active Directory, boot files, the COM+ registration, the system Registry hive, and/or other system files.

A local path must be used for spooling temporary data. Spooled temporary data will be removed once the backup job completes. The selected path

<figure><img src="/files/gVny7QKRMgBO4o7OOY8w" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* must be a bare root drive, and
* must support VSS, and
* must have at minimum 10GB free space, and
* on Server 2008 and Server 2008 R2, must not reside on a "critical" volume
  * You can work around this issue by applying the registry change in [Microsoft KB944530](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/944530).
* must appear to Windows as fixed, not removable - regardless of whether it is physically an internal or external drive
  * You can work around this issue for a removable drive by sharing a folder on the drive, and setting its UNC path as the spool directory

For more information about Windows Server System State backups, please see:

* Backing Up System State Data <https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc938537.aspx>
* Wbadmin <https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc742124(v=ws.11).aspx>

### Restoring

Once you restore the `.vhd` file with eazyBackup, you can use the wbadmin start `systemstaterecovery` command to apply a System State `.vhd` backup to an installed copy of Windows Server.

### Alternative ways of backing up System State

Note that because wbadmin is used, spool space is required. As an alternative, you can back up System State by using the "Application-Aware Writer" Protected Item type. This produces a similar result, but

* no spool space is required; and
* the files are not collected in a `.vhd file` - This may produce better deduplication at the expense of missing bootloader files

***

[eazyBackup](https://eazybackup.com)


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.eazybackup.com/documentation/windows-server-system-state-backup.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.