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Why doesn't WHS backup SYS? RRS feed

  • Question

  • It backs up all the other computers on the network, but not itself.

    Couldn't it backup the system volume to a different hard drive, and then if the system drive failed and you had folder duplication for everything, you would just pull the dead drive out, put in a WHS CD, and tell it to restore from the backup SYS image?

    Saturday, January 31, 2009 9:52 PM

Answers

  • The system drive contains more than just the system partition. It also contains the primary DATA partition, which is the start of the storage pool. On that partition WHS stores all the "tombstones", pointers to actual file locations on other drives. The tombstones have to be in sync with the files on the other drives for Drive Extender to work.

    So you can see that backing up just the system partition wouldn't do the job, because it wouldn't get the tombstones on the primary data partition; and a backup of the primary DATA partition would be out of date as soon as you add, delete, change, or move a file in your shares.

    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Sunday, February 1, 2009 5:46 AM
    Moderator

All replies

  • Hi,
    this is not the first time this wish has been mentioned, and I am sure, Microsoft is well aware about this request.
    Such suggestions should be created and voted on Microsoft Connect (possible after registration only)
    Best greetings from Germany
    Olaf
    Saturday, January 31, 2009 11:01 PM
    Moderator
  • The system drive contains more than just the system partition. It also contains the primary DATA partition, which is the start of the storage pool. On that partition WHS stores all the "tombstones", pointers to actual file locations on other drives. The tombstones have to be in sync with the files on the other drives for Drive Extender to work.

    So you can see that backing up just the system partition wouldn't do the job, because it wouldn't get the tombstones on the primary data partition; and a backup of the primary DATA partition would be out of date as soon as you add, delete, change, or move a file in your shares.

    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Sunday, February 1, 2009 5:46 AM
    Moderator