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If you experience a hard disk or data corruption problem and lose your
Microsoft Windows NT system volume, you can restore Windows NT and preserve your
data if you made backup copies of the Windows NT system volume.
Note You must have overridden the default settings of the Windows NT Backup program (Ntbackup) to select backing up the Registry files when the original backup tape was created.
To restore Windows NT, use the following procedure:
Note You must ensure that the current version of Windows NT is running the same version of the
Service Pack as the version on the tape backup before you restore the registry and restart. If
the two versions are different, your system may not run properly.
- Start NTBackup and open the Tapes window.
- Catalog the appropriate tape and ensure the following directory:
%SystemRoot%\system32\config
Contains the following Registry files: System, Software, Sam, Security
If not, then the registry was not backed up onto this tape. Search
previous backup tapes for one that does contain the registry files, and then
select the directory to be restored.
- Select Restore.
- In the Restore Information dialog box, provide all the necessary
information, click to select the Restore Local Registry check box, and click OK.
- After restoring, quit NTBackup and restart the computer.
- Start NTBackup and open the Tapes window.
- Catalog the appropriate tape and select all the directories needed to
restore Windows NT.
- Select Restore.
- In the Restore Information dialog box, provide all the necessary
information, do not click to select the Restore Local Registry check box, and
click OK.
- After restoring, quit Backup and restart the computer.
The volume should be back to its original state.
Alternately you can install NT into a \Junk directory. Then perform a
complete Restore from your last backup tape into its original directory
structure IE: C:\Winnt and all subdirectories. After the restore, modify
the Boot.ini file in the root of C: to include an entry for the restored
NT installation and restart the computer into the restored installation.
Note If you use a backup tape by Arcada (Conner), you can use Ntbackup.exe
using this backup tape. Choose %Systemroot%\System32\Config and all
Registry files. Your program groups and accounts should be restored. The
Arcada backup does not enable you to explicitly specify the Registry files
for backup or restore.
The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.