Comments on: How To: Restore a Client Computer Without Using the Client Restore Disk

By: BSJ

BSJ — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:32:08 +0000

This post really helped me. However in my case, I didn't need to move the disks to the WHS as I only needed to restore the system partition, which was one of several on a RAID pair of disks. What I did was install Windows 7 to a spare partition that existed; installed the WHS Client software; then ran ClientRestoreWizard.exe to restore the corrupted system partition. It restored noticeably faster than the restore CD.

By: ImTheTypeOfGuy

ImTheTypeOfGuy — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:59:29 +0000

Anyone have problems with it not allowing you to enter the server password? It immediately goes to the next screen and it indicates "an unknown network error has occurred during pc restore". Don't know why it would matter on the network, which it is connected without problems, given I installed the drive an an internal sata.

By: abdinoor

abdinoor — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:47:40 +0000

hi this is abdi i have problm with m computer,someone deletth whole soud software. so could you pleasefgave e some suggesion that i can reback my sound

By: Part II: Restoring the Windows 7 Image – Using the WHS Client Restore Wizard | Using Windows Home Server

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:59:49 +0000

[...] Using the tool “ClientRestoreWizard.exe” located in C:Program FilesWindows Home Server, I did a restore onto a 2.5” hard drive for a laptop. This is a somewhat short and yet complex process, requiring you to have a disk or partition currently mounted in order to restore. Here’s a link to the process: http://www.wegotserved.com/2009/11/17/how-to-restore-a-client-computer-without-using-the-client-rest... [...]

By: Drashna

Drashna — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:36:40 +0000

Sorry for not clarifying. As for connecting the drive, you'd need to connect it physically. Either through an external enclosure, or internally. Either solution should automatically assign drive letters to the connected disks. You'd need to make note of which disks are which letters, and then assign those drive letters to the corresponding drives to be restored.

As for SSD, it would be the same as a regular HDD. If you have a 2.5" SATA disk, you could just connect that internally, or pick up a $20 usb enclosure.

And just FYI, the reason I didn't really go all indepth for this, is because it is not supported, and could case issues. So unless you have a good idea of what you are doing, it may not be a good idea to try this. But I'll still help you out if you really want to do it.

By: Drashna

Drashna — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:31:18 +0000

As for making it active, disk management, right click boot partition, mark as active. As for making it bootable, that really depends on the OS, and the hardware configuration. Which is why I didn't really go into detail.
Vista/Win7 should be fine, worst case, run the startup recover and it should fix it just fine. For XP, it's a lot trickier.

By: Mitchell Hennessy

Mitchell Hennessy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:55:53 +0000

*Correction: I used something LIKE this in my situation. Rather than using the server, I restored her harddisk using my client computer in a simlar fashion. That's what gave me the idea of trying the server itself. I suppose if it's a netbook SSD you're attempting to replace that has a mini PCI-E connection, you might try connecting it directly to a server (note: this probably wouldn't apply to the MSS) via the internal PCI-E x2 or x4 slot and seeing if Winodws recognizes a new storage device. I'd try it on another client (desktop) if you have one, before attempting on a WHS box (if anything goes wrong, you can just restore the client desktop).

Again, as always. This is a "Use At Your Own Risk" kinda thing.

By: Mitchell Hennessy

Mitchell Hennessy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:50:35 +0000

It's not really a supported solution in the first place, so there are always going to be limitations in what you can and can't do in a situation like this. I used this as a "last resort" measure on my girlfriend's notebook when the restore kept failing on her machine using the Restore CD. I then figured that if there's a "clientrestorewizard" binary on the server itself like there is for every client (computers with the Connector installed), then the process should be about the same if you connect a disk directly to the server (non-pooled) and gave it a drive letter in Disk Management. I hadn't tried it, but Drashna graciously decided to test it and it apparently works. I wouldn't suggest it as a normal method of reimaging a restore, but for situations like the one Drashna listed, it's a viable option.

By: boggy4062

boggy4062 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:30:48 +0000

Yeas you should! .
I had to restore 4 times my IBM T40 XP professional after SP3 installation failed attempt. For some reason, SP3 would refuse to install on that machine, complaining about some driver. Luckily, WHS restore worked like a charm. No hustle, just a CD in the drive and having a cappuccino moment as the laptop was being restored.
I also restored an exotic Sun W2100z workstation using the required drivers on the USB flash drive. Again, WHS restore worked a champ.

Anyway, anybody who is serious about their data AND TIME, should invest in any WHS box.
I hope that the new version of WHS is going to bring more refined backup / restore features for WHS server itself (how about backup of a backup server to a remote/secondary WHS?), automatic partition resizing during restore … this should not be a big of a deal, should it?