Recovering backups made with NTBACKUP to Window Server 2008
QUESTION:
I have a backup that I created in Windows Server 2003 using Ntbackup.exe. How can I restore that backup to a Windows Server 2008 computer when Ntbackup.exe is no longer supported in Windows Server 2008?
ANSWER:
The Ntbackup.exe tool in previous versions of Windows has been replaced with the new Windows Server Backup tool in Windows Server 2008. If you’ve been using Ntbackup.exe and now plan to use the new Windows Server Backup that comes with Server 2008, there are several things that you need to keep in mind.
First, let me address your question. Windows Server 2008 does not support recovering from backups that were created with the old Ntbackup.exe. However, Microsoft is offering a new version of Ntbackup.exe for people who want to recover data from the old backups that were created using Ntbackup.exe. Keep in mind that this "special" version of Ntbackup.exe is only for recovering backups that you created with previous versions of Windows; you can’t use them to create new backups in Windows Server 2008.
You can check out this link for more information on this special version of Ntbackup.exe called "Windows NT Backup - Restore Utility".
Here are some additional tips that you may find helpful when working with the Server 2008 Windows Server Backup utility.
- The backups require NTFS-formatted volumes.
- You can back up to hard disks (both internal and external) but the disks must be locally attached.
- You can back up to DVDs and remote-shared folders in Windows Server 2008.
- If you plan to use scheduled backups, then you’ll need a separate, dedicated disk.
- If you back up to an external disk, the disk will be dedicated to backups and you won’t be
- able to see it in Windows Explorer. The idea is that you can remove the external disk for off-site storage.
- Backing up to tape isn’t supported in Windows Server 2008 but there is support for tape storage drivers.
- You can’t back up volumes larger than 2,043GB with the Windows Server Backup tool.
CHANGING THE BROWSER TITLE FOR A TOP-LEVEL SHAREPOINT SITE
QUESTION:
How do I change the title that’s displayed in the browser for a top-level SharePoint site so it doesn’t say "Home"?
ANSWER:
A lot of people like to change the too-generic "Home" that’s the default browser title for the top-level SharePoint site in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007. It’s easy to see why. Let’s say your top-level SharePoint site is called "Intranet." When users add the site to their browser as a Favorite or drag it to the Links toolbar, it would be added as "Home" instead of something more specific, like "MCTS Intranet."
Changing Title, description, and Icon under Site Actions, Site Settings, Modify All Settings only changes the title on the Web page, not in the browser. To change the title from the default "Home" to something else - for instance, “MCTS Intranet" — follow these steps:
- Open the top-level site.
- On the homepage, click Site Actions, Edit Page.
- Click on the Page drop-down button and select Page Settings.
- In the Page Title and Description section, click in the Title box and change the title to the one you want. For this example, I’ve changed it to "MCTS Intranet."
- Click OK.
- Publish the page or exit out of the editing mode (depending on which template you’re using; for this example, I used a MOSS template called "Collaboration," which is available on the Publishing tab when you create a site collection).
Notice that the new page title for the top-level site is now "MCTS Intranet" in the browser. Also, when you add the Web page to the Links toolbar, it now says "MCTS Intranet" instead of just "Home."
Beta in May: Windows 7, Configuring Exam
Microsoft Learning to put Exam 70-680 through the proverbial wringer from May 5-18.
As Windows 7 gets nearer and nearer to a rumored release date this year, the Microsoft Learning Group will be close behind with an exam for the OS. Before that happens, the exam still must be put to the usual beta test cycle. The Born to Learn blog announced a few days ago that the Windows 7 beta test will take place from May 5 to 18, with registration opening up for the exam on April 27.
Microsoft Learning expects Exam 70-680 TS: Windows 7, Configuring (dubbed 71-680 while in beta and for registration purposes) to be a popular one, even though some surveys are indicating the OS won’t be on many corporate upgrade schedules in the coming year.
Microsoft also has two other Windows 7 exams in development: 70-685, MCITP: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician, and 70-686, MCITP: Windows 7, Desktop Administrator. Guides for the Windows 7 exams have yet to be posted to the Microsoft Learning site as of this writing.
To find out more about related courseware for this exam, see our earlier news on the Windows 7 exams here.
As usual, this exam beta will be free; the code can be found here. Candidates who pass the beta will earn the MCTS: Windows 7, Configuring certification.
New Microsoft MCPD exams
In case you missed it, last month Microsoft released four MCPD upgrade exams for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 .NET Framework. And as the names imply, all are aimed at developers already certified as MCPD Developers in the earlier .NET Framework:
- Transition Your MCPD Windows Developer Skills to MCPD Windows Developer 3.5 (70-566)
- Transition Your MCPD Web Developer Skills to MCPD ASP .NET Developer 3.5 (70-567)
- Transition Your MCPD Enterprise Application Developer Sills to MCPD Application Developer 3.5, Part 1 (70-568)
- Transition Your MCPD Enterprise Application Developer Sills to MCPD Application Developer 3.5, Part 2 (70-569)
The exams are available through Prometric.
Running XP? You can’t upgrade to Windows 7
Microsoft has confirmed it isn’t providing an upgrade path for Windows XP to Windows 7.
The not unexpected confirmation came in a new post on the Engineering Windows 7 blog outlining the latest developments with the new OS as it moves swiftly towards release.
In the post - signed ‘Windows 7 Team’ - the subject of XP upgrading is broached, but it admits that, actually, an upgrade option has never been part of the plan.
"We realized at the start of this project that the ‘upgrade’ from XP would not be an experience we think would yield the best results. There are simply too many changes in how PCs have been configured (applets, hardware support, driver model, etc) that having all of that support carry forth to Windows 7 would not be nearly as high quality as a clean install. This is something many of you know and already practice."
To be fair to Microsoft, an upgrade isn’t the best way to install a new OS - especially one so different from XP as Windows 7. After all, we’re talking eight years since XP first hit the streets. Added to which, many users will simply look to get Windows 7 when they buy a new machine anyway.
However, Microsoft, does say that the installation process does "provide support for moving files and settings and will prompt at setup time, but applications will need to be reinstalled." Fair enough. "We know that for a set of customers this trade off seems less than perfect, but we think the upfront time is well worth it."
If you’re one of those "set of customers", we’d love to hear what you think in the comments below - or email us.
Windows 7 Exams Development Under Way
With Windows 7 scheduled to be released later this year, Microsoft Learning is closing in on exam development. On the Born to Learn blog, the group announced some preliminary information on three new MCST-level exams for the upcoming OS.
The news at this point is sparse; what’s known so far is that the group already has three exams in development:
- 70-680, TS: Windows 7, Configuring
- 70-685, MCITP: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician
- 70-686, MCITP: Windows 7, Desktop Administrator
With exam development just getting underway, exam objective guides haven’t been posted yet. Microsoft Learning through the blog post has put out a call for subject matter experts to help with development on 70-686, Desktop Administrator.
Currently, it’s unknown when beta exams will be made available.
In the meantime, Microsoft Learning has released two new courses for Windows 7 early adopters: Clinic 6289A: First Look: Windows 7 Beta for IT Professionals and Hands-On Lab 6290A: First Look: Windows 7 Beta for IT Professionals Hands-on Lab. Both courses are instructor-led, with limited availability.
Windows Server 2008 R2: Not your father’s R2 upgrade
If you’ve been around the IT block for more than a few years, then you probably remember Microsoft’s last R2 upgrade. Windows Server 2003 R2 started out with a lot of promise but ended up adding relatively little in the way of compelling new features to the standard Windows Server 2003 platform. Long-desired updates, like Project Bear Paw for Terminal Services, didn’t make the final cut into Windows Server 2003 R2, and a lot of the "new features" were of little interest to most IT shops. As a result, many organizations ultimately passed on the last R2 upgrade, choosing to wait for Microsoft’s next whole-number release.
Windows Server 2008 R2: Not your father’s R2 upgrade
Microsoft gives a “Carrier Assist”
In conjunction with the Second Shot program which allows test takers to retake an exam for free if they fail — and which has come and gone a few times — Microsoft is now offering a Career Assist package.
This package is essentially a collection of online study materials that can be accessed online for 90 days for an additional $35 fee.
It’s available only in conjunction with Second Shot (which is currently scheduled to end on June 30).
Incidentally, if game shows are more your speed, you can go carrier assist and play Microsoft’s "Are Your Certifiable?" game. This requires Silverlight to be installed, though, but you might find it worthwhile; despite the format, some of the questions are pretty good.
Testing Begins for Vista SP2 Release Candidate
Microsoft has advanced to the next testing phase for its Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 operating systems by issuing Release Candidate "Escrow"-build versions of Service Pack 2. Various news accounts, published this week, suggest that the build is being made available for testing.
The releases apparently are only available to private testers via Windows Update. The Escrow build, reported as "6002.16659.090114-1728," represents a final bug-fixing stage. It signals that no new features are being planned for the forthcoming RC version, a near-final release.
Microsoft is telling its testers to download the RC Escrow releases on Jan. 30, according to veteran reporter Mary-Jo Foley, citing a Microsoft e-mail sent to testers.
At present, the general public can only access SP2 Beta versions of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, which were released in December.
Microsoft now tends to release its service packs for Windows and Windows Server at the same time. The two operating systems share a similar code base, representing a departure from Microsoft’s Windows XP days when the code was forked.
It’s not clear exactly when the final SP2 versions for Vista and Windows Server 2008 will be released, as Microsoft doesn’t provide that information on its Windows Service Pack Road Map.
The TechARP Website, claiming to know Microsoft’s schedule, leaked a final release date of Feb. 16 for SP2 RC. That same source claimed that SP2 will be released to manufacturing starting in the second quarter of 2009.
If the RC release works like the SP2 Beta, users will need to have Service Pack 1 installed beforehand in order to update Vista or Windows Server 2008.
Q&A: Troubleshooting Shared Network Connections
Question:
I was sharing my Internet connection with one other computer (wired) and a laptop (wireless). The modem and router (Netgear) were moved from one location to another. After that, the original PC I was using is without a connection. That PC works OK at other locations; other laptops work OK at the problem site.
An "expert" said I should uninstall Internet Explorer and reinstall it. I did—nothing happened. The cable has been tested. PCs have been tested. I think there is a sharing issue. The router IP configuration is set to auto, as it is in all PCs. Hope you can help.
Answer:
These networks problems can be pretty mysterious. The first step is to determine if the problem PC is connected to the network at the problem location. That can be done with a program called ping.
Open the Command Window (All Programs/Accessories/Command Prompt). Enter ping and the IP (address) of the router. If you get a response as shown, you are connected and there may be some other issue. My guess is that you get "Destination host unreachable," which means you are not connected. In this situation, the problem is certainly not Internet Explorer.
After you recheck that each computer is set to "Obtain an IP address automatically" in the TCP/IP properties of the network connection Properties window, reset the entire network, starting with the modem.
- Turn off all computers, the router and the modem.
- Turn on the modem and let it establish a connection with your Internet Service Provider (ISP), 30 seconds to a minute.
- Turn on your router, allowing time for it to sync with the modem.
- Turn on the problem computer at the problem location. Check to see if it works without all the other computers active.
- Bring up the other computers one at a time.
If the problem computer doesn’t work at Step 4, then the issues (settings, firewalls, etc.) need to be resolved before moving to Step 5.
If the computer works at Step 4, but stops working at Step 5, then the issue involves another computer on the network.
Generally, the five-step process above will resolve most network issues as long as all equipment is powered down prior to starting. If it doesn’t work, call it a night and go to bed. In the morning, it will either work or you will quickly find the solution. I don’t know why that is, but it is!