System state restoration from a Windows Imaging backup

Please note: the instructions outlined here are available in the Windows Server Backup help file.
Using Windows Server backup on Windows Server 2008 you can restore your system state using the command line. A system state backup includes a backup of the Registry; COM+ Class Registration database; Boot files, including the system files; Certificate Services database; Active Directory service; SYSVOL directory; Cluster service information; IIS Metadirectory; and System files that are under Windows File Protection.

Before attempting to complete a system state restore from a drive image backup created with BackupAssist, make sure of the following:

• Make sure the drive image backup you are restoring from includes a backup of the Windows system partition (ie. the drive where Windows was installed).
• To recover the system state you must be a member of the Backup Operators or Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.
• Incorrectly restoring a machine's System State can make the computer unusable.
• We recommend that the System State be restored when recovering the entire computer as part of a disaster recovery.
• The System state data can only be restored on a local computer: you cannot restore the system state data remotely.
  

To restore the system state on Windows Server 2008:

1. To open a command prompt with elevated privileges, click Start, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

2. To obtain the Version identifier text for the backup containing the system state:

   1. In the command prompt, type:
      wbadmin get versions -backupTarget: <BackupDriveLetter>:
      
      For example:
      C:\Users\Administrator>wbadmin get versions -backupTarget:d:
      
      This should produce a result similar to the following:
      wbadmin 1.0 - Backup command-line tool
      (C) Copyright 2004 Microsoft Corp.
      Backup time: 25/08/2008 4:45 PM
      Backup target: 1394/USB Disk labeled Daily 1(D:)
      Version identifier: 08/25/2008-06:45
      Can Recover: Volume(s), File(s), Application(s), Bare Metal Recovery, System State
   2. Make a record of the Version identifier
3. Now type:
   wbadmin start systemstaterecovery -<Version Identifier>:
   
   For example:
   C:\Users\Administrator>wbadmin start systemstaterecovery -version:08/25/2008-06:45
   
4. Input Y to the prompt Do you want to start the system state recovery operation?
5. The system state restore will now take place.