Windows Server Backup: How to Install and Use It (Full Guide)

Q: How do I delete old backups in Windows Server Backup?

To delete the old backups, you need to type the command <strong>wbadmin delete systemstatebackup -keepVersions:x </strong>(x represents the number of backup copies) and hit Enter to continue.

Microsoft provides the plug-in feature – Windows Server Backup to back up Server. Then how to use the Windows Server Backup software? This post from MiniTool shows you the step-by-step guide and provides a Windows Server Backup alternative.

What Is Windows Server Backup?

Performing a Windows Server backup is an essential thing because it allows you to restore the Windows Server to an earlier date when system crashes with the system image backup, or you can use it to restore file after accidental or mistaken file deletion, ransomware or physical hardware failure.

To back up server, Microsoft provides the built-in feature – Windows Server Backup, which provides backup and restore options for Windows Server environment.

Users can use the Windows Server Backup service to back up full Server, the system state, the selected volumes, and the specified files and folders.

The Windows Server Backup is an installable feature. So, in this post, we will show you how to install and use this Windows Server Backup software.

How to Install Windows Server Backup?

Windows Server Backup is an installable feature. To use it, you need to install it first. Hence, we will show you how to install Windows Server Backup.

Open Server Manager.
In the pop-up window, choose Features.
Then click Add Features on the right-panel to continue.
Next, select the Windows Server Backup Features and click Next.
After that, click Install.

Then wait for the installation process to be finished. Once it finishes, exit the Server Manager window and we will show you how to back up Windows Server with Windows Server Backup software.

How to Perform Server Backup with Windows Server Backup?

Here, we will show you the step-by-step guide on using Windows Server Backup.

1. Open Run dialog.

2. Type wbadmin.msc in the box and click OK to continue.

3. In the pop-up window, choose Backup Once Wizard on the right panel to continue.

4. Then choose Backup options. Here, you need to choose Different Options and click Next.

5. Select Backup Configuration. The options include Full Server: back up all Server data, applications and system state and Custom: choose custom volumes, files for backup. It is recommended to choose Full Server backup. Then click Next.

Please note if you choose Custom, you can choose what type of Volume Shadow Copy Service backup you want to create.

6. Then choose a destination type to save the backups. You can save it to a local disk or a remote shared drive. Then click Next. If you choose a remote shared folder, you need to enter the shared folder address.

7. If you choose a local drive to save the backup, next, you need to specify which volume to choose. Then click Next.

8. After selecting the backup source and destination, you need to confirm the backup settings. Then click Backup to start Windows Server backup.

Once all steps are finished, Windows Server Backup software will start to back up the system and you may need to wait for a while for the process to be completed.

After the processes are finished, you have successfully backed up the Windows Server. If the computer comes across system crash, or data loss due to mistaken deletion or ransomware, you can use the Server backup image to restore your computer to a previous state and recover data.

If you want to provide better protection for the data or the computer, you can choose to create a schedule Server backup. To do that, Windows Server Backup is also competent.

Therefore, in the following section, we will show you how to create a schedule Server backup.

How to Perform Schedule Backup with Windows Server Backup?

Now, this part will show you the step-by-step guide on schedule server backup.

1. Open the Windows Server Backup.

2. Then choose Backup Schedule Wizard on the right panel to continue.

3. Then click Next.

4. Next, choose a schedule backup configuration. You can choose either Full Server or Custom. Then click Next.

5. Then choose how often and when you want to run backups. You can select a specific time of a day or choose more than once a day to run backups. Then click Next.

6. Next, you are required to choose a destination to save the backup and click Next.

7. After that, click Finish to continue.

8. Windows Server Backup has successfully created the backup schedule. It will begin to back up Server at the scheduled time. At last, click Close to exit the wizard.

When all steps are finished, you have successfully created the scheduled backup. And Windows Server Backup will begin to back up Server on the specific time.

How to Restore from Server Backups?

With the Windows Server backups, you can restore your computer to an earlier state after system crash, or restore files and folders if mistaken deletion or ransomware attacks. Yet, do you know how to perform restore from the Server backups?

So, in this part, we will show you how to restore computer with this Windows Server Backup service.

Now, here is the tutorial.

1. Open Windows Server Backup.

2. Then choose Recovery Wizard on the right panel to continue.

3. Then choose the backup that you want to use for the recovery. You can choose the Server or another backup location and click Next.

4. Select the backup date. You can choose it according to the backup created time and click Next.

5. Then choose what you want to restore. You can choose Files and Folders, restore an entire volume or restore system state.

6. Here we show how to restore files and folders as an example. Browse the tree in available items to find the files or folder you want to recover. You can choose one item or choose several items together, then click Next.

7. Select a restore destination. You can restore the items to the original location or restore it to another location.

8. Then click Recover to start the restoring process.

When this process is finished, you have successfully restored the files and folders. Windows Server Backup also allows you to restore the whole volume and restore the system state. So, if you have created Windows Server backups before and encountered data loss or system errors, you can choose to use the backups to restore important files and restore system state.

All the above are the guidelines of Windows Server Backup. If you do not know how to use Windows Server Backup or how to back up Windows Server, you can refer to the above part.

Meanwhile, besides Windows Server Backup, there are a lot of Windows Server Backup software alternatives. So, in this post, we will introduce a third-party Windows Server Backup alternative. It is MiniTool ShadowMaker. This free Windows Server Backup service also allows you to back up Windows Server.

Windows Server Backup Alternative – MiniTool ShadowMaker

As to back up Windows Server, the free Windows Server Backup alternative – MiniTool ShadowMaker is competent. It is a piece of user-friendly and professional backup software, providing the all-in-one backup and recovery solution.

MiniTool ShadowMaker provides data protection services and disaster recovery solutions for PCs, Servers, and Workstations. It is designed to back up the operating system, disks, partitions, files and folders.

Besides the Backup feature, it is a clone tool, allowing you to clone OS to SSD without data loss and is a piece of file sync software.

Now, we will show you how to use the Windows Server Backup alternative – MiniTool ShadowMaker to back up Windows Server.

1. MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial is also able to back up Windows Server. So, download it from the following button.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

2. Install and launch it.

3. Then click Keep Trial.

4. Then click Connect in This Computer to continue.

5. After entering its main interface, go to the Backup MiniTool ShadowMaker chooses the operating system as backup source by default. If you want to change it, click Source module to continue.

6. Then click Destination to choose a target disk to save the backup image.

7. Then click Back up Now to start Windows Server backup process.

After that, you have performed Windows Server backup. If you want to restore the system image, you can go to the Restore page and follow the on-screen wizard to continue.

In addition, MiniTool ShadowMaker also enables you to create an automatic backup and it offers three different backup schemes.

As for how to back up Windows Server, this post shows two powerful programs and shows the step-by-step guide.Click to Tweet

Windows Server Backup vs MiniTool ShadowMaker

In the above part, we have shown two pieces of Windows Server backup software. There is no doubt that there are some differences between them. So, in the following section, we will show some of the differences.

Similarities:

Windows Server Backup and MiniTool ShadowMaker are able to backup Server, restore backup images, and create a scheduled backup.
Both of them can save image files to shared folders.

Differences:

MiniTool ShadowMaker enables you to back up images to USB flash drive. Windows Server Backup can’t do that.
Windows Server Backup only can create full backup, while MiniTool ShadowMaker provides three backup schemes, including full backup, incremental backup and differential backup.
Windows Server Backup can’t encrypt backup images, yet MiniTool ShadowMaker does that.
MiniTool ShadowMaker provides more features, such as Sync, Media Builder, Disk Clone, Universal Restore, Backup Compression, etc.

So, MiniTool ShadowMaker would provide you with more powerful features. Download it and have a try.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Bottom Line

To sum up, this post has shown the full guidelines of Windows Server Backup and also shown another Windows Server backup software – MiniTool ShadowMaker.

If you have any problem with Windows Server Backup and MiniTool ShadowMaker, you can leave a message in the comment zone or feel free to contact us via the email [email protected] and we will reply to you as soon as possible.

Windows Server Backup FAQ

How do I run a Windows Server backup?

To run a Windows Server backup, you can use the Windows built-in tool – Windows Server Backup or third-party software – MiniTool ShadowMaker.

Install Windows Server Backup.
Launch it.
Click Backup Once Wizard.
Then choose Full Server.
Select a destination to save the backups. You can also save it to the shared folder.
Then click Backup to continue.

How do I delete old backups in Windows Server Backup?

To delete the old backups, you need to type the command wbadmin delete systemstatebackup -keepVersions:x (x represents the number of backup copies) and hit Enter to continue.

How do I run a Windows server backup from the command line?

To run a Windows Server backup from command line, you need to run Command Prompt as administrator and type the following commands.

wbadmin enable backup
[-addtarget:<BackupTargetDisk>]
[-removetarget:<BackupTargetDisk>]
[-schedule:<TimeToRunBackup>]
[-include:<VolumesToInclude>]
[-allCritical]
[-quiet]

How do I delete old backup files?

Open Windows Settings.
Choose Update & Security.
On the Backup page, click Go to Backup and Restore(Windows 7).
Click on Manage Space in the Backup section.
In the pop-up window, choose View Backups.
Then select the backup to delete it.

About The Author

Tina

Position: Columnist

Tina is a technology enthusiast and joined MiniTool in 2018. As an editor of MiniTool, she is keeping on sharing computer tips and providing reliable solutions, especially specializing in Windows and files backup and restore. Besides, she is expanding her knowledge and skills in data recovery, disk space optimizations, etc. On her spare time, Tina likes to watch movies, go shopping or chat with friends and enjoy her life.