Shadow Copy on UBackup
December, 2006
We are experimenting with the Shadow Copy Service on the UBackup server. With this service users can see and retrieve old versions of files and files that have been erased from the UDrive and, subsequently, from UBackup. This extends the utility of the UBackup server, which until now had only a duplicate of everyone's UDrive files made each day. A "plug-in" for Windows Explorer is needed, and that is available only for Windows 2000 and XP. Macintosh and Linux users will have to log onto one of our Windows XP lab computers to restore an old file.
The number of days kept depends on disk space availability and how many files are changed by people each day. We're currently holding about a month's worth. The system doesn't actually copy all files each day; it makes pointers to each file, and then when files are changed (via our nightly mirroring job) the old data is stored and pointers are updated.
Limitations
If the missing file wasn't on the UDrive long enough to get copied to UBackup (the copying starts each day at 4:00am), then you won't find it.
How To Find and Restore Old Files
"Intuitive, once you know how."
Quick Instructions
- Navigate to your backup folder on UBackup using Windows Explorer; you may start at your root or a subfolder like My Documents.
- Click on "View previous version" under "File and Folder Tasks" on the left side of the window (if not there, uncheck what is selected under View/Explorer bar).
- Pick the day you want to look at. You'll see the snap shots are being made at 2:00pm each day.
- Another Windows Explorer window will open with all the files that were in that folder at that time. Find the file you want, right-click it, pick copy, navigate back to your UDrive (not UBackup) folder and paste the file somewhere.
- Be sure you don't overwrite a current file. If you want to compare two versions you might want to created a new folder in your UDrive space and copy the old file to there, then look at it.
- You can also open the old file with an application (e.g., if it is a Word document, double click it to launch Word), but you cannot save files back to that location (or any place on UBackup, which is read-only).
From Private Computers
Windows XP users with private computers need to download and install the Shadow Copy Client; Vista (which versions?) has it already. You may have to use \\ubackup.win.psu.edu\users rather than \\ubackup\users shown below.
Detailed Vista Instructions
Add a Network Location for \\ubackup.win.psu.edu\users\x\y\xyz123 via the Computer panel. Right-click the icon and select "Restore previous versions".
Detailed XP Instructions
Here it is assumed you are using one of CLC's XP computers. Replace the userid "cjs997" with your userid and adjust the path to your folder on UBackup with the first two letters of your userid. There is more than one way to do this; here is just a suggestion.
| 1. Launch Windows Explorer by double-clicking the My Computer icon on the desktop. |
 |
| 2. Enter the path to your folder on the backup file
server, \\ubackup\users\x\y\xyz123, where xyz123 is YOUR userid, in the
address bar at the top of the Windows Explorer window. Press enter to go there. |
 |
| 3. Click on View previous version
under File and Folder Tasks. (You can also right-click any folder you see, select Properties, then click the Previous Versions tab. If you know what file the folder was in, going to that folder first may be easier.) |
 |
| 4. Click on the day you want to look at and click
View, or double click the day, and a new Windows
Explorer window will open showing you the files that were in that folder
at that date and time. (You can also click the Copy button to start a copy of he whole folder, but you cannot use the Restore button to restore all files because the UBackup server is read-only.) |
 |
| 5. Find the file(s) you are missing or you wish to look
at. Now you can copy it/them or open it/them to look at. Either right-click the file or select the file with one click and pick one of the File and Folder Tasks. You can also drag the old file to My Documents, but be careful you don't replace a current version with the old version unless you are sure that is what you want to do. |
 |
| 6. If you have selected one or more files for copy, you
now have to navigate back to your UDrive folder to paste them there.
You can either switch back to the original Windows Explorer window you
used to get to UBackup, or you can view a folder tree in the current
window by picking Explorer Bar from the View
menu, then Folders. |
(Exercise left to the reader.) |
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This page was last modified: 2/26/2007 5:34:00 PM.