Computer Backups Windows 8

[livio]

Arrrgh How brain dead is windows 8 out of the box? Can't backup my drives to a Network Storage Device (NAS) has to be local drive and I just can't see the sense in that. If my hard drive fails the internal drive is not going to help If I can save that externally I might have some chance of restoring.

Thankfully there is a solution of sorts so I thought I would share what I found.

Scenario 1 - NAS is visible, set to public share can be mounted and mapped as a user. Set up windows backup to save to the network drive it fails.

Scenario 2 - Backup to a local drive, then copy to the Network drive - fails.

As it turns out UAC (User Access Controls) is what is getting in the way.

The solution is to :-

1. Run gpedit.msc, navigate and browse to Computer Configuration--Windows Settings--Security Settings--Local Policies--Security Options
2. Set policy User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode – Disabled
After reboot all is fine.

The other thing to look for is a registry setting

To resolve this issue, set the value of the restrictanonymous registry entry to 0. To do this, follow these steps:


Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate and then double-click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa


On the right side, double-click restrictanonymous.
Make sure that the value in the Value data box is set to 0, and then click OK.
Close Registry Editor.
Restart the computer.


If you're anything like me you give the backup a big miss or do it occasionally. I'm here to say this is not a good habit to be in, hard drives and SSD (solid state drives) fail :( and when they do you understand the value of backing up your data. Photos images video documents email's potentially all gone.

I now have 2 NAS devices one RAID-5 the other RAID-6 with a hot spare. The computer now backups nightly by itself and one NAS replicated to the other
is this overkill I don't think so I just don't ever want to loose data. Some of the video clips I have of my children growing up are priceless.

Kind Regards
Livio

[geoffsta]

@ livio.. What software do you use to backup? I don't have a NAS, but run 2 external hard drives which I backup to monthly. (3Tb + 1Tb) It would be nice to be able to backup nightly.

[Warbler]

The problem could be your version of Windows 8, Livio. Windows 7 require Ultimate to back-up to a NAS. Pro wouldn't let you do that. I think you might need Windows 8 Ultimate (?) just as I need Windows 7 Ultimate to back-up to a NAS. This might help too:

http://www.howtogeek.com/123713/how-windows-8s-backup-system-differs-from-windows-7s/

[livio]

Hi Geoffsta, I have used so much backup software over the years Symantec Net Backup, Acronis True Image, Backup Exec and the software supplied by the NAS
In most cases I have found that using Windows Backup is still the most reliable and easiest to use. If I have a failure I change the drive load up windows and restore. I don't have to find out where the other software is I have everything I need. In Windows you set up a backup schedule and you can select either the files and directories or a complete backup. Now I have my NAS I like to have my computer automatically copy all of my photos to the NAS from the computer nightly. I have also made disk iso's of my software and store that on the NAS in the event I need to re-install it is a very simple task without having to find the CD's / DVD's. The external drives work well for backups as they are seen as an extension to the local machine.

Kind Regards
Livio

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks Warbler, I hear you I had Win7 Ultimate and I guess I was so used to that being able to backup to my NAS effortlessly. Now I have upgraded to Windows 8 and UAC has to get in the way. Thankfully you can turn it off. I think that Microsoft think they are just being helpful in treating everyone like noobs and deciding what you can do and what is then hidden. In windows 8 if you want to backup your entire system disk you have to use the Windows 7 backup imagine that?

Kind Regards
Livio

[CapnBloodbeard]

How feasible is it to just plug the network drive in and use it via USB/esata?

[livio]

Hehe, CapnBloodbeard, strange you should mention that, the thought has definitely crossed my mind for more than one reason speed being the main one. I have been using the NAS to do the backups for the rest of the family and it is providing at this stage cifs, afp, nfs protocols backing up a combination of mackbook laptops, imac desktops, generic windows 7 computers and laptops and, a windows 2008 server a solaris server a few linux servers and a windows 8 desktop. All have been working great it is only the windows 8 which gave me a problem. Switching off the UAC has done the trick for now. I am investigating a little further the idea of USB attaching the NAS as well as network so nobody then misses out. If only windows had a dd command like unix life would be so easy

Kind Regards
Livio

[ROA44]

I set up a win 7 64 comp. for my main photo processing comp. as my XP version was only 32 bit I think 7 may be Ultimate so this is handy to know. I have a win 8 laptop but hate it although am using it at the moment & will be interested to hear feed back on 8.1 or what ever they decide to call it when it is released.

[livio]

As I understand thins 8.1 has done some good things, they have put back the now infamous start button, they have improved the searching capability and made it a little more intuitive. The big thing for me is the ability to use the new modern UI across two monitors before you could only use one. It also gives you the ability to re-size windows so now you can operate on a number of windows instead of the full size last launched window. For desktop users I think that windows 8.1 will be a welcome improvement. The only catch is not having the ability to point to my sky drive at the moment. If this does not get in by the go live date for windows 8.1 i'm confident it ill be included as a patch. I love the hypervisor which comes with windows 8 it allows me to run a number of different operating systems all from the same hardware it really nice.

Kind Regards
Livio