Is it possible to restore a system state backup to an alternate file path on
a different computer, WITHOUT changing the system state of the computer you
are restoring from?

I have a computer that crashed, and I want to use the system state backup
files to help attempt a recovery on that computer. Ideally I would like to
restore the system state on a file system then copy files over.

--
Will

Hello Will,

I wouldn't do it this way, but in your backup program you can also redirect
it to anther location/folder.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
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Yes you can redirect a restore, but a system state restore is a special kind
of backup. Since the normal target of a restore of "System State" means
alteration of the currently running registry, it is not clear at all what is
the semantics of the "Restore files to" Alternate location option.

How would you do the recovery? For the machine in question, it does not
boot at all, and the entire system32 subtree appears to be missing.

--
Will

"Meinolf Weber" <meiweb(nospam)@gmx.de> wrote in message
news:ff16fb66a24ad8caa7751a3bb9b0@msnews.microsoft .com...

Hello Will,

Better start with the problem and not try to find a solution for a way, nobody
can really follow because no information about the problem is posted. So
please describe what you have done or what is happened, what error message
is displayed etc. Did you try to boot with F8 and choose last know good
configuration or safe mode booting?

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
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"Meinolf Weber" <meiweb(nospam)@gmx.de> wrote in message
news:ff16fb66a24bb8caa77ba9fb9830@msnews.microsoft .com...
I had a very stable Windows XP Media Center 32-bit install that I run at
home on weekends only. I performed an O&O Defrag 32-bit COMPLETE/NAME
defrag, which appeared to run well, and I shut down the computer. Four
days later I turned on the computer and it complained it was missing a
system32 file. I booted ERD Commander CD from Sysinternals, and to my
horror, the following folders are GONE (not empty, but just NOT THERE):

c:\windows\Config
c:\windows\Fonts
c:\windows\inf
c:\windows\java
c:\windows\msagent
c:\windows\repair
c:\windows\system
c:\windows\system32

Since the entire system32 and all registries are not on the system,
obviously no amount of tricks with boot options is going to recover
anything.

I have a system state backup and I was trying to ask a pointed question
about how to get files off of it.

--
Will

Hello Will,

This is a server operating system newsgroup, better post to:
microsoft.public.windowsxp
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics
microsoft.public.windowsxp.setup_deployment
microsoft.public.windows.mediacenter

If there are so may folders missing, i think also a system state backup will
not be enough. I would save all data to an external drive and start from
scratch.

Windows XP
The System State data includes only the registry, COM+ Class Registration
database, files under Windows File Protection, and boot files.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
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On Jun 28, 2:23 pm, Meinolf Weber <meiweb(nospam)@gmx.de> wrote:

You would need to wonder why these files would suddenly disappear like
that.

Are you sure of the drive's integrity? Check the manufacturer for a
utility to test it. No sense restoring to a faulty drive.

"SF" <solutionforge@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:a06c61f3-1ef6-470f-adb7-13982f6e164f@r37g2000prm.googlegroups.com...
The folders that are missing are so targeted that I tend to suspect a
trojan/virus, but who knows.

The drive is hardware RAID, and there is no SMART error on any physical
volume, and the CHKDSK on the logical volume passes with no errors.

I would expect a drive failure to manifest itself as corrupt files/folders,
not as simply missing folders.

--
Will


"SF" <solutionforge@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:a06c61f3-1ef6-470f-adb7-13982f6e164f@r37g2000prm.googlegroups.com...

"Meinolf Weber" <meiweb(nospam)@gmx.de> wrote in message
news:ff16fb66a24bf8caa784c97d4dd0@msnews.microsoft .com...
Meinolf I already asked my question in the Windows XP group and it was not
answered.

I'm asking in this group a question about the Backup program that comes with
Windows 2003 Server. Does that Backup program have the ability to restore
the system state to an alternate file system location *without* changing the
system state of the computer doing the restore. That was the original
question, and that is still the question, still not really answered.

--
Will

Hello Will,

Limitations of system state backup.

System state data restores can be redirected to alternate locations in which
only the registry files, Sysvol directory files, and system boot files are
restored (the remote redirection is not complete restore).

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
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"Meinolf Weber" <meiweb(nospam)@gmx.de> wrote in message
news:ff16fb66a24d28caa79086183a80@msnews.microsoft .com...
Perfect, thanks!

--
Will