Backup and restore are the processes of creating and retrieving copies of data. This can be done to external or internal storage and is useful in the event of data loss or corruption. In this article, we will build on our previous article on Windows Server Backup installation and configuration by discussing how to restore a backup in Windows Server 2022.

For the purposes of this article, we will assume that you have a server running Windows Server 2022 that is also a domain controller. We will also assume that you have already taken a full backup of your server.

To restore the backup, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Open Server Manager.
2. Click Tools > Windows Server Backup.
3. Click Recover.
4. Select the backup that you want to restore.
5. Choose the location where you want to restore the backup.
6. Click Next and follow the instructions.

Once the restore process is complete, your server will be restored to the state it was in at the time of the backup.

Note: It is important to test your backups regularly to ensure they work properly. You can do this by restoring a backup to a test server.

Restore the Active Directory Backup on Windows Server

If your backup contains the Active Directory Services, you will get the below notification saying the AD DS only can be recovered when the computer is in DSFM mode.

In this case, you need to enable the Directory Services Restore Mode first. To do that, press Windows + R buttons to open the Run box. Write the MSCONFIG command and enter.

In the System Configuration wizard, click on the Boot option on the top menu.

Click on the Safe boot option, and choose the Active Directory repair. Click on the Apply button and restart your computer.

Restore Backup in Windows Server 2022

If a data loss occurs, you can manually recover the data using the backup data. To recover the data with the Windows Server backup, follow the below steps:

1. Open the Windows Server Backup from the Start Menu or Server Manager > Tools
2. Click on the Local Backup on the left-hand side
3. On the right-hand side, click on the Recover option.

4. The Recovery Wizard asks where the backup is stored: this server or another location. Since I have kept the backup on the local drive, I select this server option. To continue, click Next.

5. Select the backup according to the date to use for the recovery. If you have only one copy, that is automatically selected. Click next.

6. The new recovery wizard asks what you want to recover. If you select the Folders and files, you must specify the specific files and folders for the recovery. Else, if you choose the Volume, you can restore the entire Volume. Moreover, select the Applications if you want to recover the applications. I prefer the System State to restore system state data.

7. Select a location for system state recovery. I select the original location and check the authoritative restore of Active Directory files.

8. Finally, click on the Recover button to confirm the recovery and start the Recovery process. The process takes a few seconds, and the computer will restart automatically when it is done.

In a nutshell, the steps to back up and restore Windows Server 2022 are as follows:

To back up Windows Server 2022:

1. Open Server Manager.
2. Click Tools > Windows Server Backup.
3. Click Local Backup.
4. Click Backup Once in the Action section to open the wizard.
5. In the Backup Options dialog, select the files, folders, or volumes that you want to back up.
6. In the Backup Destination dialog, select the location where you want to store the backup.
7. Click Next and follow the instructions.

To restore Windows Server 2022:

1. Open Server Manager.
2. Click Tools > Windows Server Backup.
3. Click Recover.
4. In the Getting Started dialog, select the location where the backup is stored.
5. In the Specify Location Type dialog, select the location type.
6. In the Specify Remote Folder dialog, type the backup path.
7. In the Select Backup Date dialog, select the date of the backup that you want to use for recovery.
8. In the Select Recovery Type dialog, select what you want to recover.
9. Click Next and follow the instructions.

Here are some additional tips for backing up and restoring Windows Server 2022:

• It is important to test your backups regularly to ensure they work properly. You can do this by restoring a backup to a test server.
• You should back up your data frequently, especially if you have important files or folders.
• You should store your backups in a safe location, such as an external hard drive or a cloud storage service.

Conclusions

To conclude, if you have backed up your files and folders, you can restore them on Windows Server 2022. This article has provided you with the steps on how to do so. I hope this has sharpened your skills, and I welcome your thoughts and questions in the comment section.

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As part of our DNS server guides, this article covers how to change the DNS zone settings in Windows Server 2022 after creating and configuring DNS zones. It is a vitally important and often required skill to know how to modify DNS zone configuration. Among other configurations, the three most often required settings that we need to change are the DNS zone type, ADI zone replication scope, and DNS zone dynamic updates. Hence, with a step-by-step approach, we will cover these three topics throughout this article, each in a separate section.

Related articles:

1. How to Install DNS In Server 2022 Using Server Manager And Powershell?
2. Configure DNS Forwarder And DNS Conditional Forwarder In Server 2022.
3. Detailed step-by-step DNS zone configuration.

How to Change a DNS Zone Type?

The DNS zone type definition is the very key setting when we create and configure a DNS zone. It specifies the zone’s function and further configurations options accordingly. It is also possible to change the zone type of a specific zone after it is created and configured. As part of changing DNS zone settings, we can change it anytime we need to in Windows Server 2022 using the below simple steps.

1. Press the Windows Key + R Keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialogue box.

2. Type indnsmgmt.mscand press Enter, consequently.

3. On the DNS Manager console, right-click on the zone you want to change the setting and click on the Properties option from the list.

4. Select the General tab in the zone Properties and click on the Change button associated with the Zone Type, as shown in the below picture.

5. On the Change Zone Type window, choose the new zone type from the available zone types. When it is all set, click on the OK button. Then, click on the Yes button on the warning window.

That is all about how to change a DNS zone type. Straightforward! Now, let’s go with how we can change the replication scope for an Active Directory Integrated (ADI) DNS zone.

How to Change an ADI Zone Replication Scope?

If you already know the difference between the DNS zone types, you know that the replication scope setting is associated only with an Active Directory DNS zone. Similar to the above section, we can change the replication scope of an ADI zone from the Properties window of the zone. Let’s go with the steps.

1. Open DNS Manager console (steps 1 and 2 of the above section)

2. Right-click on the zone you want to change its replication scope and click on the Properties option. (step 3 of the above section)

3. Select the General tab and click on the Change button next to the Replication, as shown in the below picture. This option is available only in the ADI zone and not in other zone types.

4. Now, on the Change Zone Replication Scope window, choose the replication scope for your ADI zone. Once set, click on OK.

With four simple steps, we changed the ADI DNS zone’s replication scope in Windows Server 2022.

How to Change a DNS Zone Dynamic Update?

Before straightly going to the steps to change the dynamic update of the DNS zone, it is necessary to know that this setting is available only with the primary and ADI zones and not with the Secondary and Stub zones. Similar to the above two sections, we can modify this setting in the Properties window of the zone. Let’s walk through all the steps.

1. Open up the DNS Manager console as described in the above sections.

2. On the DNS Manager console, right-click on the zone you want to change its dynamic updates settings and click on the Properties option. ( step 3 of the first section)

3. On the General tab of the zone properties, expand the options associated with the Dynamic updates and select the appropriate option (see the picture below). Once selected, click on OK to save the setting and exit the window.

That is all we need to do to change the Dynamic Update settings of a DNS zone.

Conclusion

So far, in this step-by-step article, we have covered the three most required settings of a DNS zone in Windows Server 2022. We discussed the steps to change a DNS zone type first. Then, we went through the guide to change the replication scope setting of an ADI zone. Finally, we covered the instructions to modify the dynamic update for the Primary and ADI DNS zones.

In the end, I hope this article could provide you with helpful instructions and insights. Please feel free to share your thoughts and further questions in the comment section below.

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Share Permissions allows groups of people to share files and folders connected to the same network. Since an organization shares its resources according to its employees’ needs, this Windows feature makes it easy to do so. Share Permissions in Windows 11 and the precedent versions provide this ability to implement appropriate access permissions to content. If you have installed Windows 11 on your computer and you want to share a folder using Share Permission, you may face trouble at first. And due to the security issue, Microsoft made file-sharing damn tricky. Don’t worry! In the following paragraphs, you will learn how to share files over the network on Windows 11.

You can read about NTFS Permission on NTFS Permissions in Windows Server 2022 and Windows 11 page.

How to use share permissions on Windows 11

Before beginning to share a file, you must turn on the windows discovery options:

1. Go to the Control Panel, and click on the Network and Internet.
2. In the new window, click on the Network and Sharing Center.
3. On the top left-hand side, click on the Changed advanced sharing settings.
4. Turn on network discovery in the private/public/domain/all networks.

When you share folders with colleagues or friends, the built-in share permissions tools make the process easy for you. There are two types of shares in File Explorer.

1. Basic Share

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder you want to share; right-click on it, find the properties and click on it.
2. Click on Sharing tab at the top of the window; you will see two options: Share (basic Share) or Advanced Sharing. If you click on the share option, you can quickly share folders with minimum configuration. Click on Share, and from the text box, find the user or group you want to share with.

3. Finally, in the Network access window, choose the people you want to share with on the network, give the permission level to the selected user and click on the Share button. And your file is shared; click done.

2. Advanced Share

1. Alternatively, when you open File Explorer, right-click on the intended folder, then click on the Properties, and this time click on the Advanced Sharing button, and in a new window, check the “Share this folder” option.

2. In the Advanced Sharing window, you can change the share’s name and limit the number of users that can access this folder simultaneously, and write comments for users.
3. Click on Permissions to specify the type of permissions and users you want to share with.

4. If you want to specify the user, click on the Add button, write the user’s name in the text box, and click on the Check Name button. Or click on the Advanced and Find Now button to find and select the existing users manually.

5. After selecting the user, you can now check the Allow or Deny boxes to define permission access to users. When you specify the permissions for users or groups, click Ok.

Note: there are three types of share permissions:

1. Full control: the user can read, write, change, delete, and even change the permissions type.
2. Change: the user can read, write, execute, and delete the folder.
3. Read: the user can read and view the content. (This is the default permissions)

Fix file sharing problems

After you shared a folder and it did not work or did not show up in the network on other computers, you may need to enable some services on your computer.

1. Search Turn Windows Features on or off in the search box or start menu and open it.
2. Scroll down and find SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support in the new tiny window and expand it. Check SMB 1.0/CIFS Client. Restart your computer.

3. Furthermore, if you still have problems, open the search box and search for Services and open it. Find Function Discovery Provider Host and Function Discovery Resource Publication, double click on each of them to open and set the start type to Automatic and Start them.

4. Other services you need to set to Automatic and start are SSDP Discovery and UPnP Device Host.

After you set these four services to Automatic and start each of them, you need to restart your computer. After the restart of your computer, you can share folders in the network.

Conclusions

To conclude, the share permissions in Windows 11 add extra security dimensions to the organization’s network. Additionally, this feature allows users and groups to use shared folders and files according to their needs. We hope this article could help you solve the sharing problems in your network and if you have questions, write them in the comment section of this page.

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In a domain-joined networked environment, we always need to restrict users’ access to most PC settings and resources. It is necessary to do so for security and safety reasons. One crucial restriction that we always need to apply is to deny users access to PC Settings and Control Panel. And that is what this article is about. More specifically, this article covers the detailed steps to preventing users’ access to the Control Panel and PC Settings using Group Policy on Windows Server 2022.

In our example, our domain controller machine runs Windows Server 2022, on which we create the group policy. We create an Organization Unit (OU) level group policy directly on the (OU) that contains the users to which we apply the policy.

You may also like to read Install Active Directory On Windows Server 2022 Using PowerShell.

Steps to Deny Access to PC Settings and Control Panel

As we described in the scenario earlier, we create the policy that is linked to an OU, which contains the users to which we apply the restriction. We can create the group policy first and link that to the OU, or we can create the group policy directly on the OU. Either way ends up with the same result. However, we go with the second approach in our example. That being said, let’s go with the steps.

1. Press down the Windows key + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialogue box.
2. Type in gpmc.msc and press Enter to open the Group Policy Management console.

3. Right-click on the OU to which you want to associate the group policy. Then, select Create a GPO in this domain,… option.

4. Put a name for the Group Policy Object (GPO) in the relevant box, and click OK.

5. Once the GPO is created, right-click on it, and select Edit from the context menu.

6. On the Group Policy Management Editor window, expand Policies under User Configuration. Then, expand the Administrative Template and click on Control Panel. Finally, double-click on Prohibit access to Control Panel and PC settings.

7. On the configuration window, check the Enabled option. Then, click OK, and close the Group Policy Management Editor window.

To this end, we have created the group policy to prevent users’ access to the Control Panel and PC settings. We created it directly linked to the OU that contains user accounts that we want to restrict. So, it is all done. To verify it, go with the next section.

Verifying the Above Group Policy Configuration

To check the above restriction, we need to log in with a user account that is a member of the OU to which we linked the group policy. Then, we update the group policy and try to open the Control Panel and PC Settings. See the below steps.

1. Login to the client’s computer with a user account that is a member of the OU to which you linked the restriction.
2. Run gpupdate /force in the Run dialog box to perform group policy updates. Wait for a while until the group policy completes.

3. Once the group policy gets updated, try to open the Control Panel or PC Settings. It doesn’t open, and you will face the pop-up window shown in the below pic.

That is all we need to do to check how the restriction we configured works and if it is applied correctly.

Conclusion

It is a common setting in a domain environment to deny users access to the Control Panel and PC settings. It is essential for security and safety reasons. As the steps discussed above, we can apply this restriction simply by defining and configuring a group policy object to an OU that contains the target users.

In the end, I hope you found this article helpful. Do not hesitate to share your thoughts and queries in the comment section.

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Suppose you have one domain controller in your network. In that case, you may wonder how to add a new domain controller to an existing domain to avoid discontinuity in case of server failure. When you add new domain controllers to an existing domain, they replicate the active directory database with each other. If the primary domain controller fails, you can use the second domain controller to respond to authentication requests and perform the DC’s tasks. Overall, multiple domain controllers increase fault tolerance and load balancing. The following article will elaborate on the steps required for adding a new domain controller to an existing domain in Windows Server 2022.

To demonstrate it in detail, I have two servers (SR1-technig and SR2-technig) running Windows Server 2022. The SR1-technig server acts as a primary server and is also a domain controller. Since the SR1-technig is already a domain controller, I will add the new domain controller in the SR2-technig server and make both SR1-technig and SR2-technig domain controllers.

Step One: Join your server in the domain

At first, I will join the SR2-technig (The second server) to the domain and make it a member of the primary domain controller. To do that, I need to assign the IP address of the existing domain controller to the DNS of the second server that I want to make a domain controller.

1. Open Server Manager, and click on the Local Server option on the left-hand side.
2. In the Local Server window, click on IP Address (Ethernet)

3. Double-click on the network to that you are connected.
4. In the Ethernet Status window, click on Properties.

5. Double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4.

6. Set your DNS Server address manually to the IP address of the domain controller you want to join. Click OK.

7. Close the windows and return to the local server window.
8. In the Local Server Window, click on WORKGROUP to join a domain.
9. On the system properties, click on the Change button.
10. Check the domain box, write the domain name you want to join, and click OK.

11. Provide the credential and click ok.
12. Restart your computer.

Step Two: Install Active Directory Domain Services

In the second step, you need to install the Active Directory Domain Services on the server you want to promote to the domain controller.

1. Click on Manage > Add Roles and Features in the server manager window.
2. Click next on the before you begin Wizard.
3. Select the installation type and click next: Role-based and Feature-based installation.
4. After selecting the destination server, click next.
5. Find the Active Directory Domain Services Roles and, select it, click Add features.

6. Click on the Next button till the installation button activates.
7. Finally, confirm the installation and click on the Install button. The installation takes a few seconds.

Related: How to Install Active Directory Using PowerShell on Windows Server 2022

Step Three: Promote the Server to Domain Controller

Now that your server is a member of the domain controller and you have installed the Active Directory Domain Services roles in your server. It is time to promote or add the new domain controller to the existing domain.

1. In the Server Manager screen, click on the notification flag next to the Manage.
2. Click on the Promote this Server to Domain Controller to open the DC’s promotion wizard.

3. In the Deployment Configuration wizard, select the deployment operation. I CHOOSE THE FIRST OPTION since I add a new domain controller to an existing domain.

4. Specify the domain information: you can click on the Select button next to the text box, select your domain name, and click Ok. If you are already a member of the domain controller, it automatically finds the domain name.
5. After selecting the domain name, click on the Change button to provide credentials to perform the task. Click next.

6. Specify the domain controller capabilities. The DNS server, Global Catalog, and Site Name are already selected by default. I provide the Active Directory Services Restore Mode password and click next.

7. Click the next button to pass the DNS options wizard.
8. Specify from which domain controller it should replicate the Active Directory database, and click next.

9. Although I can change the location of the AD DS database and log files, I keep its default location and click next.
10. After reviewing the configuration, click Next.
11. The Prerequisites Check verifies the prerequisites for domain controller operation. If the prerequisites checks passed successfully, click on the Install button.
12. The installation will complete after a few seconds, and your server will restart automatically.

How to check if the new domain controller has been added?

After installing the Active Directory Domain Services and promoting it to the domain controller, you can check whether the domain controller has been added successfully or not.

1. In the server manager window, click on Tools management.
2. Click on Active Directory Users and Computers.
3. Expand the domain and click on the Domain Controllers Organizational Unit.

You will see the domain controller(s) in your current domain.

Conclusions

To conclude, we talked about the steps required for adding a new domain controller to an existing domain in Windows Server 2022. You can share your thoughts and questions in the comment section of this page.

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A Restore Point is the type of file that contains the configuration of your operating system. When you create a Restore Point in Windows 11, it saves the configuration of your operating system at that specific point in time. You can apply back that configuration to your operating system later. You may want to create a Restore Point when you install an application, install a windows update, or make other changes to the operating system of your machine. Later you can delete the restore points if the changes are applied well, or you might not be satisfied with the new changes and you restore the previous configuration.

Create Restore Points in Windows 11 Using Graphical Tools

We are using the System Properties to create a Restore Point. Follow the steps below to create Windows 11 Restore Points using System Properties.

1. Search for Create a Restore Point in the Windows Search Bar. Or, type Sysdm.cpl in the Run and click OK, then click on the System Protection tab of the System Properties window.

2. Click on Configure.
3. Click on Turn on system protection. You can specify the amount of Disk space for the restore points to be stored. Once the restore points data reaches the limit, the older restore points will be deleted. Then click OK to apply.

4. To create a Restore Point, click on Create, type a descriptive name for your restore point, then click on Create.

5. To see restore point lists and restore a specific restore point, click on System Restore.

6. Select Choose a different restore point, then click on Next. If this option doesn’t appear, just click on Next.
7. Choose a Restore Point from the list, then click on Next.

8. Click on Finish. Your computer will be restarted, and the Restore Point will be applied.

You may also be interested to know How To Create Virtual Machine Checkpoints In Hyper-V.

Create Restore Points in Windows 11 Using Command Line Interface

There are two ways to create and configure Restore Point using Command Line Interface. You can run commands on PowerShell or Command Prompt to configure Restore Points.

Create Restore Point using Command Prompt

Follow the steps below to create Restore Points in Windows 11.

1. Run CMD as administrator.
2. Type the following command wmic.exe /Namespace:\\root\default Path SystemRestore Call CreateRestorePoint "Testing Restore Point", 100, 7. The Testing Restore Point is the name of the restore point that I created during this article, and you can name your Restore Points differently.
3. To use more features of the restore point, type the rstrui.exe command.

Create Restore Point Using PowerShell

Creating a Restore Point through PowerShell is not a more complex and time-consuming process. If you type the commands correctly, you may not receive errors. Keep in mind that by default, you can only create one Restore Point every 24 hours. You can change the frequency of Restore Point creation from the registry if you need. Follow the steps below to Restore Point on Windows 11 using Windows Powershell.

1. Run PowerShell as Administrator.
2. Type Enable-ComputerRestore -Drive "C:\". I am going to enable Restore Points for drive C:\. You can add another location.
3. Type the following command.Checkpoint-Computer -Description "Checkpoint for testing purpose" -RestorePointType "MODIFY_SETTINGS". You will see the following screen when PowerShell starts creating a Restore Point.

Restore Point helps you to save the current setting of your operating system and restore it back any time in the future. It is good to use Restore Points when you make some changes to your computer, and you are not sure that changes will happen correctly.

You may also be interested in these articles as well.

Delete System Restore And Shadow Copies In Windows 10.

How To Install And Enable Data Deduplication In Windows Server 2022.

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Since data has become an essential part of our lives, its safety is also a big concern. You may want to protect your data from viruses, crushes, and corruption in many situations. You can ensure the safety of your data by backing up all your data and files, and you can create a backup either manually or automatically on Windows 11. Since we have an article about backing up our files on Windows 11 manually, you can check how to take and restore a full Backup on Windows 11 article. The current article will give you ways to schedule an automatic backup on Windows 11 through the file history and Windows backup and restore.

How to schedule backup on Windows 11 with Windows Backup and Restore

Windows backup and restore is a built-in and traditional tool that lets you schedule an automatic backup on Windows 11. Follow me with the below steps; I will create a full backup of my files on an external USB.

1. Connect your external hard drives such as USB or external hard disk to your computer if you want to take backup on an external hard disk.
2. Open the control panel. Press Windows + R to open the Run; write the control panel and click OK.
3. Click on the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) option under the system and security category.

4. Click on the Set up backup icon.

5. Select the local or external drive that you want to save your backup and click next.

6. A question asks what do you want to backup? If you choose ‘Let windows choose,’ it automatically backs up the entire data in Libraries, desktops, and default Windows folders. However, if you choose Let me choose, you can select libraries, folders, and drives and whether to include the system image or not manually. I go with the second option.

7. Select the check box of the items you want to back up. Additionally, check its box if you’re going to include the system image of drives. Else, uncheck it, and click next.

8. In the Review Your Backup Settings wizard, click on the Change schedule to set the times for your backup.

9. Specify how often to take backup and what day and time, then click Ok.

8. Finally, click on the Save Settings and Run Backup Button to create a backup.

How to create an automatic file backup?

File history is another built-in method to take backup of your files in physical storage. To set up a file history auto-backup, go with the following steps:

1. Open the Control Panel
2. Click on the Save backup copies of your files with the file history option under the System and Security category.

3. You see, the file history is turned off. Turn it on by clicking on the Turn On button.

4. After the file history is turned on, click on Run Now. You see, it says file history is saving copies of your files. It copies files from Libraries, desktops, Contacts, and Favorites.

5.  On the left-hand side, some options are there that let you bring changes into your file history backup configuration.
   1. Select drive: you can change the location and the drive you want to save the backup file.
   2. Exclude Folders: If you don’t want to save copies of specific folders or files, use this option to exclude those items.
   3. Advanced Settings:  Click on the advanced settings to specify how often you want to take a backup of your files and how long you want those files to be saved.

6. After setting the time for backup, click on the Save changes button.

Conclusions

With the above two built-in methods, you can schedule an automatic backup on your Windows 11 and ensure the safety of your data even further. You can share your thoughts and questions in the comment section of this page.

The post How to Schedule Automatic Backup in Windows 11 (2 easy ways) appeared first on TECHNIG.

System admins have the ability to prevent/block users’ access to all removable storage media drives. Such restrictions play an important role in the security and safety of a networked environment. And they are very common and most often used inside almost all organizations. Additionally, the tool that helps us create such restrictions is the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC). It is a feature that we add along with the AD DS role installation. That all being said, this article covers a step-by-step guide to preventing domain-joined users’ access to removable storage media drives using group policy in Windows Server 2022.

In our example, the domain controller machine runs Windows Server 2022 Standard. Additionally, we define the group policy directly on an Organizational Unit (OU) that contains the target users. So, we have already created an OU and moved the target user(s) into it.

You may also like to read DNS Server Guides and DHCP Server Articles.

Steps to Prevent Access to Removable Media

With the above scenario in mind, it is a straightforward process to prevent users’ access to removable media.

1. Press down the Windows Key + R on your keyboard. It opens the Run dialogue box.
2. Type in gpmc.msc and press the enter. It opens the Group Policy Management (GPM) console.

3. On the group policy management console, right-click on the OU that contains the target users. Then, select Create a GPO… from the context menu.

4. Type a name for the new GPO. Then, click OK to continue.

5. Right-click on the GPO that you created. Then, select Edit from the context menu.

6. On the GPM Editor window, expand User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System. Then, select the Removable Storage Access folder as shown in the below picture. Finally, double-click on All Removable Storage classes: Deny all access.

7. On the GPO configuration window, check the Enabled option. Then, click OK and close the GPM Editor window.

8. The GPO configuration is all set throughout the previous steps. However, it will affect only after we perform a group policy update on the client machine or restart it. So, to perform a group policy update, use gpupdate /force the Command Prompt or Run dialogue box.

9. Now, if you insert a removable media like a USB drive and try to open it, you will face an error saying the media is not accessible.

That is all with the steps to deny users access to removable storage media using group policy.

Conclusion

To conclude this article, first, we talked about the importance of restricting users’ access and discussed the Group Policy Management tool. Then, we briefly introduced our scenario. Lastly, we covered detailed steps to prevent users’ access to removable storage media.

In the end, as always, I hope you find this article helpful. And feel free to share your thoughts and queries in the comment section.

The post How to Prevent Access to Removable Storage Media Using Group Policy? appeared first on TECHNIG.

When you store a massive amount of data in your system disks, you may find duplicated data. The duplicated data will impact storage efficiency. This probability is more actual when you save more similar files in your storage. For example, consider an educational center that stores thousands of students’ files with a high volume of similar contents and structures. Fortunately, data Deduplication technology can manage duplicated data and improve storage efficiency. Data Deduplication is a process that eliminates the excessive copies of data and decreases the storage capacity requirements. In this article, we write on How to install and enable data Deduplication on Windows Server 2022. So, tune in with us till the end.

Important note: Data Deduplication can deduplicate data on NTFS and ReFS only.

Install data deduplication on Windows Server 2022

You can install the data deduplication feature on the windows server through the Server Manager, PowerShell, and Windows Admin Center. I will use the Server Manager to install the Dedup roles and features on Windows Server 2022 in this session. Follow me with the steps below to install:

1. Open the Server Manager.
2. On the server manager dashboard, click on Add roles and Features. (Or on the Manage >Add Roles and Features)
3. In the Before You Begin wizard, click on the Next button.
4. Select the installation type: Role-based or feature-based installation, and click next.
5. Select the destination server and click next.
6. Find the File and Storage Services in the Server Roles wizard and expand it. Expand the File and iSCSI Services.

7. Find the Data Deduplication feature and tick it. Click on the Add features button.
8. Click on the Next button till the Installation button activates. And click on the Install button. Wait for a few seconds; the feature will install.
9. Finally, close the wizard.

How to enable data deduplication on Server 2022?

After installing the data deduplication feature on your Windows Server, now you should enable it on a volume.

1. Determine on which volume you are going to apply the data deduplication. (You cannot implement it on the C drive)
2. Open the Server Manager dashboard.
3. On the left-hand side, click on File and Storage Services.

4. Click on the Volumes.
5. Right-click on the desired volumes, and click on the Configure data deduplication.

6. You see, the data deduplication is disabled by default. Click on the drop-down menu to enable it. Select a proper answer from the three options below:
   1. General-purpose file server: it is used for general purpose (I select this one here)
   2. Virtual desktop infrastructure server: choose this option if you use it for virtualization.
   3. Virtualized backup server: Select this option if you use the virtual machine as a backup server.

7. Additionally, You can input a number to tell the server that starts deduplicating your files in a volume after some days. By default, it is three days. Here I want my server to deduplicate right now; that’s why I choose the 0 number.

8. If you want to exclude some files and folders and do not want them to be deduplicated, click on the Add button and select the folder. Or write file extension and click enter.

How to Schedule the Deduplication on Windows Server 2022?

Additionally, in the Deduplication setting wizard, you see the Set Deduplication Schedule button. Click on that to schedule the Deduplication on your server.

You can set the time to start the Deduplication process and specify the Deduplication’s day, hours, and duration. Moreover, you can create a second schedule for throughput optimization. After you set the scheduled time, click Ok.

How to Run Data Deduplication process on Volumes?

Now that you have installed the Data deduplication feature and enabled it on your Windows Server. You should know that it does not start deduplicating immediately. It will start running in the background when the system is idle or according to the time you specified in the schedule. However, you can run the Deduplication job on the targeted volumes manually. To illustrate it further, I have an E: drive on my system and want to implement the Deduplication process. To do that, I run the PowerShell as an administrator and write the following command, and enter.

Start-DedupJob –Volume "Name_of_Volume" –Type Optimization

Conclusions

To conclude, you learned to install and enable data deduplication on Windows 2022. Data deduplication is a great way to enhance the efficiency of your storage on a Windows server. I hope you can benefit from this feature on your server to save storage space. You can write down in the comment section your thoughts and questions.

The post How to Install and Enable Data Deduplication in Windows Server 2022 appeared first on TECHNIG.

File losing is one of the biggest concerns in today’s digital world, and to get rid of these problems, Microsoft offers built-in tools in Windows 11 to back up your system. By backing up your system, you ensure the safety of your data from disk failure, viruses, malware, fire, flood, or any other strange causes. Among other built-in tools, the Backup and Restore is one of the essential backup and recovery tools in Windows 11 that we will talk about in this article.

Related: How to Schedule Automatic Backup on Windows 11?

Create a full backup on Windows 11

To create a full backup that stores all the installation, files, images, documents, and settings, use Backup and Restore features. This feature takes a copy or an image of the whole system and stores that in an external or internal hard disk or drive. To create a full backup from Windows 11, follow the below steps:

1. Open Control Panel from the Start Menu, and click on Backup and Restore (Windows 7) beneath the System and Security category.

2. In the top-left-hand corner, click on Create a system image.

3. A new window pops up, asking where you want to save the backup. You have to choose one of the three options; on a hard disk, on one or more DVDs, or on a network location; Select the location accordingly. If you select the hard disk, open the drop-down menu and choose the intended disk.

4. First, confirm your backup settings and then click on the Start Backup button; then, a new tiny window shows the process of saving the backup. The processing time depends on the amount of data in your system.

5. The new window that wants you to create a system repair disk shows up. If you’re going to make the repair disk, click yes; otherwise, click no.

Finally, you are done! You can go to the selected disk and see a new folder created WindowsImageBackup, containing all the backup data.

How to restore the backup on Windows 11?

If you face hardware failure, system corruption, or your important files have been destroyed because you have already taken a backup from your file and system, you can quickly restore them. There are two ways to restore the backup in Windows 11;

First Way to Restore Backup

Restore your file through the recovery option in your system setting;

1. Open the system settings, scroll down, and find the Recovery option; click on it. Then, in the recovery window, click on Restart Now button.

2. When your computer restart, a new green window lets you choose an option. Click on Troubleshoot.

3. In Troubleshoot Window, click on Advanced Options.
4. If you find the System Image Recovery option in the Advanced Option, click on it. Else, click on the hyperlink “See more recovery options” at the bottom. In the new window, click on the System Image Recovery options.

5. The new window wants you to select a System image backup. (If you had only one system backup, it would automatically be selected) After selecting your backup image, click on the Next button.

6. A new window shows, “Choose additional restore option,” without any changes; click on the Next button. Finally, another window that shows the date and time, computer name, and other information appears; you can click on the Finish button.

The processing time takes some time, and when it is finished, you are done with the restoring, and your computer will restart.

Second Way to Restore the Backup

If your hardware failed or your system is corrupted, you can use this alternative way to restore the backup in Windows 11.

1. Boot the computer using CD/DVD, a Windows repair disk, or a booted USB drive.

2. Now, instead of clicking on Install now button, click on the Repair your computer hyperlink at the bottom.

3. The same new green windows appear that you learned their process a few lines before in the First way to restore the backup section. You can click on Troubleshoot and go ahead.

You can now take a backup from your Windows 11 Operating System and bring the lost data back if your file is destroyed. I hope this article is useful. You can share your thoughts and questions in the comment section of this page.

The post How to Backup and Restore Data on Windows 11? appeared first on TECHNIG.

Have you noticed a tiny window pops up when opening the Server Manager and asking to use the Windows Admin Center to manage Windows Server? Windows Admin Center is a free and browser-based platform used to manage Windows Server and Windows clients. This app gives complete control over all aspects of Windows Server infrastructure and improves the management environment. Additionally, this app brings together all the features in one platform and allows you to configure them remotely. In this session, We will discuss how to download and install Windows Admin Center on Windows Server 2022. Since the process is the same, you can use and implement it on Windows 11 or other Windows versions with slight differences.

How to download Windows Admin Center?

The Windows Admin Center has not been installed by default; you need to download it first. Open Microsoft Edge to download the windows admin center and click on https://aka.ms/WACDownload. The download will start automatically. Alternatively, you can search Windows Admin Center on other search engines, such as Google Chrome, and download it from docs.microsoft.com.

After the Windows Admin Center download, let’s go ahead with the installation.

How to install Windows Admin Center on Windows Server 2022

After downloading, go to the download directory and follow the steps below to install the setup.

1. Double-click on the setup to start the installation.
2. If you agree with license terms, accept the terms and click next.

3. Select the option to send the diagnostic data to Microsoft to make Windows Admin Center better. I go with the “Required diagnostic data” option and click next.

4. If your server is not up to date or you want to check for the update, select the “Use Microsoft Update” option. Otherwise, check the “don’t want to use the Microsoft update” and click next. I go with the second option.

5. Generally, Desktop (Local) mode and gateway mode are supported on Windows Admin Center for the operating system. In the image below, the wizard summarizes the gateway mode; click next.

6. The “Use WinRM over HTTPS only” is a new option with the latest updated Windows Admin Center versions. It is used to encrypt the data being sent across the wire. Since it is a broad subject and needs another article, I will use the default settings now.

7. The new wizard asks to enter the port number and certificates. By default, in gateway mode, it uses the 443 port number. Although, you can change the port number according to the requirement. Moreover, if you have installed the SSL certificate on your computer, select the second option and provide the thumbprint for the gateway SSL certificate. Since I have not installed the SSL Certificate on my system, I will use the default setting and click the Install button.

Manage Windows Admin Center

After seeing the final wizard, “Ready to Connect from a PC,” you have successfully installed the Windows Admin Center. In the last wizard, you see a URL that you can use that link to open the Windows Admin Center on a browser. If you click on this URL, it asks about the credential. Enter the user name and password, then click ok.

Another URL in the final wizard lets you know which browsers support the Windows Admin Center. Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome are primarily the two browsers supporting this app.

Another direct way to open the Windows Admin Center is through the browsers. Open Microsoft edge or google chrome and write the URL (https://localhost/full_Server_Name) and enter. Click on the server name to connect. You are in the Windows Admin Center environment. Now you can manage your servers from the Windows Admin Center.

Conclusions

This article discussed how to download the Windows Admin Center and install it on your Windows Server 2022. I hope the article could sharpen your skills further and If you have questions, write them in the comment section of this page.

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