Pathname rules for Windows disk image (raw) backups

On Windows clients, you can back up a logical disk drive as a disk image. That is, NetBackup backs up the entire logical drive on a bit-by-bit basis rather than by directories and files. Use the Full backup backup type to perform a disk image backup.

Figure: Disk image backups

To specify a disk image backup, add the logical name for the drive to the policy backup selection list. Disk images can be included in the same backup selection list with other backups. In the following sample backup selection list, the first entry (\\.\c:) creates a disk image backup of a logical drive C.

\\.\c:

d:\workfiles\

e:\Special\status

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE:\

To restore the backup, the user clicks Select for restore > Restore from Normal backup.

When the backups are listed, the disk image appears as a file with the same name that was specified in the backup selection list. For the previous example, the file name would show as follows:

\\.\c:

When you enter the destination to restore the file, use the following format:

\\.\drive:

Where drive is the location where the partition is to be restored.

Consider the following when working with disk image backups:

Windows Open File Backup methods	NetBackup first attempts to use Windows Open File Backup methods. If that fails, NetBackup locks the logical drive, which ensures that no changes occur during the backup. If there are open files on the logical drive, a disk image backup is not performed.
Open files	Before a disk image is backed up or restored, all applications that have a file opened on the partition should be shut down. If the applications are not shut down, the operation fails. Examples of such applications are Windows Explorer or Norton AntiVirus.
Copy-On-Write snapshots	Ensure that no active COW (Copy-On-Write) snapshots are in progress. If there is an active COW snapshot, the snapshot process itself has a handle open to the volume.
Raw partitions	NetBackup does not support raw partition backups on unformatted partitions.
Paging file	If the volume is configured to contain a paging file (pagefile.sys), a raw partition backup of that volume may fail. In order for a raw partition backup of that volume to succeed, the volume may need to be reconfigured so as not to contain a paging file. The raw partition backup of the volume may work without reconfiguration if a snapshot can successfully be taken of that volume.

Pathname rules for Windows disk image (raw) backups

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