Windows Server 2016 Recovery Disk

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Neomi Bensch

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Aug 3, 2024, 5:44:24 PM8/3/24

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This server recovery option requires that the process is run from a client computer on the same network. Because factory reset requires that a hardware-specific image be shipped with the server, the partner must author the server recovery DVD.

This is the classic model where the server is administered at the server console. The server installation media is used to run a recovery. This requires that the server ships with the ability to view video output in addition to including a DVD reader. The customer boots from that server installation media, and then chooses the appropriate recovery method. You do not need to create a server recovery DVD for servers that are locally administered.

This recovery returns the server to the original state that existed when the server was shipped from the factory. Following a factory reset, you are asked to perform the initial configuration of the server just as you were the first time you turned it on, and all settings and customizations are lost. This is also referred to as Day 0.? Because factory reset requires that a hardware-specific image be shipped with the server, the partner must author the server recovery DVD.

This recovery assumes that you configured a server backup and that the server backup completed successfully at least one time prior to the server failure. Bare-metal restore (BMR) supports recovery of the system and boot drives only from a previous server backup.

Following a BMR, the server is returned to the state that existed at the time of the backup that is used for the restore. This is typically the most recent backup, but in some cases, it may be an earlier backup. Data recovery is done after the system is restored by using the Restore Files and Folders Wizard. BMR is the preferred server recovery method because all settings and configuration are returned, whereas a factory reset returns the server to a Day 0 state.

This section describes the required customizations that the partner must perform and the final media that must be shipped with each server. Before delving into the details, let us look at the customer experience.

The ADK includes a copy of Windows PE that is customized. When this image is booted, it automatically launches the beacon that is used by the client recovery application to connect to a server in recovery mode.

Windows PE needs to be further customized by adding any hardware-specific drivers, such as network or disk controller drivers. After booting from WinPE, the hard disks on the system need to be recognizable and the network must be working.

The system .wim file will be split to meet the FAT32 requirement of no file larger than 4 GB. During the process, the required capacity of the target that is used to capture the .wim files needs to be larger than 8 GB to accommodate the splitting process.

The server recovery application must be customized with an image of the device and text that describes how to start the specific device into recovery mode. Because this page of the Restore Files and Folders Wizard is hardware specific, the steps to start the server into recovery mode will vary.

This file contains the text that the customer sees on the wizard page. The text should explain how to boot the server into recovery mode. The control is scrollable, which places a practical limit on the amount of text that can be added.

The following file is used to replace the sample picture in the wizard, and it is primarily about branding. It must be a .png file. The file size must be 256 pixels x 256 pixels, or it will be cropped when it is displayed in the wizard.

Copy both of the culture folders from Language Packs\\Server Recovery to the root of the server recovery DVD. For example: Both the ES and ES-ES folders would be copied to the root of the DVD to support Spanish.

If a backup is available, your best choice for restoring your server is to use the manufacturer's installation media to restore from an external backup. The restoration will recover server settings and folders from the backup that you choose. You only need to configure settings and restore data created after the backup.

When you choose to recover your server by restoring from a previous backup, you must choose the specific backup that you want restored, and you must have a valid backup file on an external hard drive that is directly connected to the server:

If you have a very recent successful backup of the server, and you know that the backup contains all of your critical data, your choice is fairly straightforward. You will only need to recreate data that was created after your last good backup and reconfigure settings changes made after the backup.

If you are restoring your server because of a virus, select a backup that you know occurred prior to receiving the virus. You might need to go back several days to select a backup that is clean.

If you are restoring your server because of bad configuration settings, select a backup that you know occurred prior to the configuration setting change that is causing the issue on the server.

If the server has a single hard drive and the drive is not replaced, the drive partition information is left intact when you restore the server. The system volume is restored, and the data on the remaining volume is preserved.

If the server has a single hard drive and the drive is replaced, the system volume is restored, and then you must manually restore folders to the data volume. Any non-default shared folders need to be created because they are not created when the server storage is recreated.

If the server has multiple hard drives, and drive 0 (contains the system volume) is not replaced, the drive partition information is left intact when you restore the server. The system volume is restored, and the data on all remaining volumes is preserved.

If the server has multiple hard drives, and drive 0 (contains the system volume) is replaced, the system volume is restored, and then you must manually restore any shared folders that were previously stored on drive 0.

If you do not have a backup that you can restore from, or for some other reason you want or need to perform a full system restore without restoring the previous server configuration, you can perform a restore that resets the server to factory default settings by using installation or recovery media from the server hardware manufacturer.

When you restore your server by resetting it to factory default settings, all existing settings and installed applications on your server are deleted, and you must configure your server again. After a factory reset, your server restarts.

If you plan to decommission or repurpose the server, choose to delete all of your data. In addition to the server configuration, other settings, and the data on the system volume, all other data is deleted, and all hard drives on the server are reformatted.

If Storage Spaces is configured on the server, before you perform a factory reset, you should use the Advanced section of the Manage Storage Spaces console to manually remove all storage spaces.

Reconfigure the server. On the server, use the Configure Server Wizard to reenter configuration settings. To configure a remotely managed Windows Server Essentials server from a client computer, open a web browser, and then type in the address bar.

Reconnect client computers to the server. If a computer was previously connected to the server, you must uninstall the Windows Server Essentials Connector software from the computer before you connect the computer to the server again. For more information, see Uninstall the Connector software and Connect computers to the server.

The first step in server restoration is to restore or repair the server system drive. After you restore the system drive, you will do whatever is needed to restore the data drives on the server and restore any sharing that was lost in the restore.

Restore or reset your server from a client computer using the recovery DVD. If you need to restore a remotely administered server that is running Windows Server Essentials, you must perform the restore from a client computer by using the restoration DVD from the server manufacturer.

The following procedure describes how to restore your server system drive from a backup by using the Windows Server Essentials installation media. (To find out how to use the installation media to restore to factory default settings, see the documentation from the server manufacturer.)

If the server uses Storage Spaces, and you are restoring the data to a new server, you should recover the system drive first, and then log on to the Windows Server Essentials Dashboard, configure Storage Spaces in a similar way as on the old server, and then recover the data volumes.

On the Select a system image backup page, you can choose to use the latest backup or you can select an earlier backup. The system will be restored to the state that it was in at the time of the backup that you choose for restoring or repairing your server. Data that was added or changes to settings that were made after the backup was saved must be recreated.

If you have a very recent successful backup of the server, and you know that the backup contains all of your critical data, your choice is fairly straightforward. You will only need to recreate data that was created after your last good backup and reconfigure settings changes made after the backup.

In Windows Server Essentials, you can start the server from a bootable USB flash drive that you create, and then you recover the server from a client computer by using the recovery DVD that you received from the server manufacturer. The client computer must be on the same network as the server. This method is not available in Windows Server Essentials.

The following procedure provides general steps for performing a server restore. The steps are equally applicable for restoring from a back or restoring to factory default settings. For more specific instructions, see the documentation from your server manufacturer.