SYSTEM_STATE Directive

The System_State:\ directive is a valid directive only when backing up Windows 2000/XP machines. If the machine is not one of these types, and not Windows 2003 Server, then System_State:\ will not have any effect.

Windows 2003 Server computers recognize the System_State:\ directive and behave as if following the Shadow Copy Components:\ directive. A message informs the user that this directive translation has occurred.

If the machine is Windows2000\XP, the list of items that get backed up can include:

• Active Directory
• COM+ Class Database
• Cluster Database
• IIS Database
• Registry
• Boot Files and Protected Files
• SYSVOL
• Certificate Server

On an NT system, the registry gets backed up in the process of regular file system backups. The files that comprise the registry can be found in the following location:

%SystemRoot%\SYSTEM32\Config

At a minimum, the following files are backed up as part of the registry:

• DEFAULT
• SAM
• SOFTWARE
• SECURITY
• SYSTEM