Refer to a feature on the Windows platform that used to be called Windows Backup and Restore Center that was introduced on Windows through Windows Vista.
Backup and Restore allow Windows users to create backups and restore the backups anytime.
Backup and Restore was introduced to replace NTBackup which was removed in Windows 8.1 but reintroduced in Windows 10.
Windows backup serves two functionalities
File Backup
System Image
File Backup
Store and archiving of file and folders in ZIP files.
Windows File Backup and Restore supports two file backup types
- Full Backup – All files are stored during backup process
- Incremental Backup – Subsequent backup only stores files that have changed since the last backup.
System Image
This is a disk image of backup drive that is saved block by block in a VHD file format and is more efficient for subsequent backup
Backup and Restore supports two different types of backup: file backup and system image.
How Windows does Backup and Restore
Windows backup process utilizes Volume Shadow Copy Service to ensure the consistency of backup by ensuring that files are not changed during the backup process.
In latest Windows versions Volume Shadow Copy Service ensure system level consistency and application level consistency. Application level consistency require an application to be registered a VSS Writers.
Take note
Windows Backup and Restore is most popular backup and restore application but also the Wbadmin command-line utility may provide access to the same service.
Restore of backup is a click away on the Windows Backup and Restore or Wbadmin command-line utility.
If it’s a VHD file, a VHD file can be mounted as an attached disk on Windows Computer or Server.
