Backing Up the Registry


Whenever you're planning backup and recovery strategies, it's extremely important that you include the Registry. It's also important to back up the Registry before you begin any modifications so that if you accidentally delete a value or key, you can quickly recover.

Routinely backing up the Registry is crucial to the system's well-being. If it becomes corrupted either directly or indirectly, it can cripple the entire system. Backups give you a near fail-safe way to minimize downtime and keep the system operating as efficiently as possible.

Using Backup Utility

Windows Server 2003 comes with reliable backup utility called Backup Utility (ntbackup.exe), shown in Figure 20.10. To access it, choose Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools. Backup Utility is very similar to the one provided with Windows 2000, with one exception: You use the Automated System Recovery (ASR) feature rather than create an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD). The reason for this change is simply because the information needed to repair a system can't squeeze onto a floppy disk.

Figure 20.10. Windows Server 2003's Backup Utility.


Backing up the Registry with Backup Utility couldn't be any easier. All you need to do is select the System State Data option. This will back up the Registry along with AD, the SYSVOL directory, system files, boot files, COM+ class registration, and cluster-related information. As you back up the system state data, the Registry files are also automatically saved in the %SYSTEMROOT%\Repair\Regback directory.

Using Automated System Recovery

Automated System Recovery replaces the ERD functionality in Windows Server 2003. The principles are similar to the former recovery mechanism (that is, ERD), but the implementation is quite different. To begin using the ASR, start Backup Utility and choose the ASR option on Backup Utility's opening screen, like the one shown in Figure 20.11. Microsoft recommends using ASR as a last resort only. You should always try recovering the system with the Last Known Good or Safe Mode Boot options.

Figure 20.11. The ASR option.


By choosing the ASR option, you initiate the ASR Wizard, which automatically backs up the system state, services, and disk configuration information. It uses a floppy disk to contain information about the ASR and the ways to restore the information but then uses other media to actually back up the data. This doesn't mean that it backs up data files that you've created; this just means that it backs up the system state data and the other information mentioned earlier.

You should restore a system using ASR only after you've exhausted all other recovery procedures. It's not that the process is difficult, but it can take a considerable amount of time. You start the ASR recovery by booting off the Windows Server 2003 CD and then pressing F2 during the text portion of setup. Then you place the ASR floppy into the floppy drive when prompted. Then you'll need to follow other instructions on the screen for your specific system.

Backing Up Individual Keys

The Windows Server 2003 Registry Editor allows you to save individual keys by exporting the keys to a registration (.reg) file. This file can later be used to import Registry information into the Registry.

Note

It's recommended that you save a Registry key before attempting to modify that key. If a mistake was made, the registration file could quickly and easily repair the key.


To save a key or subkey using the Registry Editor, right-click the key or subkey that you want to save and select Export. Then specify the filename (with a .reg extension) and the location. Finally, click Save to save the Registry key.

Speeding Up Individual Key Backups

The Registry Editor has a little-known command-line option to quickly and easily export data from the Registry. By running regedit /e <c:\outputfilename.reg> within the command prompt, you can export the entire Registry.

Restoring Individual Registry Keys

You can restore a previously saved Registry key in two ways: double-clicking or importing a registration file. The first choice is fairly obvious; all you need to do is locate the .reg file and then double-click it to be able to populate the information into the Registry.

To restore a previously saved key by importing the key, perform the following steps:

1.

Open the Registry Editor by typing regedit at either the command prompt or the Run line.

2.

Select Import from the File menu.

3.

Specify the location and filename of the registration file and click Open.




Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed(c) R2 Edition
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed (R2 Edition)
ISBN: 0672328984
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 499

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