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Restore system state to an alternate location

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Perform this procedure to create media for installing a domain controller from restored backup media or to allow an authoritative restore of SYSVOL. After the domain controller installation is complete, delete the files in the alternate location.

You can restore the system state backup to an alternate location on the domain controller from which the backup was made, a location on another computer, or a location on the computer that you want to install as a domain controller.

Administrative credentials

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Backup Operators group, as follows:

  • Restore system state on a member or workgroup server: Backup Operators group on the local computer

  • Restore system state on a domain controller: Backup Operators group in the domain

To restore system state to an alternate location

  1. Log on to the server that has the alternate location to which you are restoring system state backup files.

  2. Click Start, click Run, type ntbackup, and then click OK.

  3. On the Welcome to the Backup or Restore Wizard page, click Next.

  4. Click Restore Files and settings, and then click Next.

  5. On the What to Restore page, click Browse, and then, in the Open Backup File dialog box, click Browse again.

  6. Navigate to the .bkf file that you want to restore to an alternate location. The .bkf file can be located in a folder on the current computer, in a shared folder on the backup computer or other network computer, or on an external drive that contains removable media.

  7. In the Select file for catalog dialog box, click the .bkf file that you want to restore, and then click Open.

  8. In the Open Backup File dialog box, click OK.

  9. In Items to restore, double-click File, and then double-click the .bkf file that you want to restore.

  10. Below the .bkf file that you want to restore, select the System State check box, and then click Next. (You do not need to restore the system disk to an alternate location.)

  11. On the Completing the Backup or Restore Wizard page, click Advanced.

  12. In the Restore Files to drop-down list, click Alternate Location.

  13. In Alternate Location, type the path (or browse) to the local folder to which you are restoring the backup, and then click Next. We recommend restoring to a folder named NTDSRESTORE, if space permits, on the volume that will host the Ntds.dit file when Dcpromo is run. Otherwise, restore to a folder named \NTDSRESTORE on another volume that has sufficient free space.

  14. On the How to Restore page, accept the default selection Leave existing files (Recommended), and then click Next.

  15. On the Advanced Restore Options page, accept the default selections Restore security settings and Preserve existing volume mount points, and then click Next.

  16. On the Completing the Backup or Restore Wizard page, click Finish.