Creating a Backup Image File

The Recovery Environment Backup Wizard creates a backup of an entire system or of a specific volume on that system. Unlike the installed version of ShadowProtect, the Recovery Environment creates only cold backups (a backup taken when the system is booted from the Recovery Environment). For further details on creating backups, refer to the ShadowProtect User Guide.

To create a backup image file, follow these steps:

1. Open the Backup Wizard:
• In the Wizards tab, click Backup Wizard.
• In the Tasks menu, click Backup Volume.
2. In the Volumes to Back Up page, select the volume(s) to backup. Click Next.
3. Note: To backup the entire system, select all volumes. However, it is not necessary to backup the Recovery or Hidden Volumes (if they exist).
3. In the Backup Type page, select the type of backup to perform:
• Perform a Full Backup: Creates a full backup image file for the selected volume(s).
• Perform a Differential Backup: Creates a backup of all volume changes since the last full backup.
4. Note: Recovery Environment needs access to the last full backup to perform the differential.
4. Click Next.
5. In the Backup Name and Destination page, specify where to store the backup image file:
1. On a local or network directory or on an optical storage medium (CD/DVD/Blu-ray).
2. Browse to, or enter, the path to the location. (See Image File Destinations for details.)

Warning: This destination path cannot be longer than 186 characters or contain any special characters including:

` ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) | \/ ? > < , { } [ ]

3. (Optional) Right-click a file name, then click Rename to change the name of the backup image file. This renaming is useful to distinguish this particular backup from others that may have been taken of the volume(s) using ShadowProtect.
6. Click Next.
7. In the Options page, select compression type, password, or file splitting as needed. Enter a text message in the Backup Comment field to describe this backup if desired.
8. Note: Click Advanced to display the Advanced Options settings. Keep the default settings unless specifically required to.
8. Click Next to continue. The Wizard displays a summary of the options for this backup.
9. Note: The Execute Now option is not needed to run the backup immediately. All backups run from the Recovery Environment occur immediately.
9. Click Finish to create the backup image file.
10. You can monitor the progress of the backup in the Task Manager tab by clicking Details.

This section contains the following topics: