Shadow Protect User Guide

ShadowProtect User Guide
Product version 5.2.7

StorageCraft Copyright Declaration
StorageCraft ImageManager, StorageCraft ShadowProtect, StorageCraft Cloud, and StorageCraft

Cloud Services, together with any associated logos, are trademarks of StorageCraft Technology
Corporation in the United States and elsewhere. All other brands and product names are or may be
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Table of Contents
StorageCraft Copyright Declaration 2
Table of Contents 3
1 ShadowProtect Overview 6
1.1 Features and Components 6
1.2 ShadowProtect Usage Scenarios 6
ShadowProtect Console Scenarios 7
VirtualBoot Scenarios 7
2 How ShadowProtect Works 8
2.1 Create a Backup Image 9
2.2 Restore a Backup Image 10
2.3 Backup Image Files 10
File Naming Conventions 10
File Dependencies 11
3 Installing ShadowProtect 12
3.1 Requirements 13
Hardware Requirements 13
Supported Operating Systems 14
Supported File Systems 15
Supported Storage Media 16
MSP Requirements 17
Multi-Boot Environments 17
3.2 License and Install Options 17
ShadowProtect Virtual 18
ShadowProtect for Managed Service Providers 18
3.3 Starting ShadowProtect 18
3.4 Activating ShadowProtect 18
Automatic Activation 19
Manual Activation 20
Deactivating ShadowProtect 20
3.5 Uninstalling ShadowProtect 21
3.6 Upgrading ShadowProtect 21
4 Understanding ShadowProtect Console 22
4.1 Menu Bar 22
Client Options 23
Agent Options 23
4.2 Navigation Panel 25
4.3 Tabs 26
Wizards Tab 26
Management View Tab 27
Disk Map Tab 28
Backup Jobs Tab 29
Destinations Tab 30
Backup History Tab 31
4.4 Network View 32
5 Creating Backup Image Files 33
5.1 Backup Image File Storage Locations 34
5.2 Destinations 35
Editing Destinations 37
Deleting Destinations 37
5.3 Configuring a Continuous Incremental Backup Job 37
Using VSS 40
Configuring a Scheduled VSS Backup Job 41
Configuring a Non-VSS Backup Job 41
5.4 Configuring a Weekly/Monthly Backup Job 42
5.5 Options 43
Compression Method 43
File Protection 43
Split Image File 44
Backup Job Name 44
Backup Comment 44
Advanced Options 44
Backup 45
Image 46
Commands 47
Encryption 47
Retention 47
5.6 Deleting Backup Image Files 48
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6 Mounting Backup Image Files 48
6.1 Recover Files and Folders 50
6.2 Backup Image Mount Options 50
6.3 Dismounting Backup Image Files 51
Dismounting Images in Windows 52
7 Restoring a Volume 53
8 Image Conversion Tool 54
8.1 2TB Limit using the Image Conversion Tool 56
9 Using ISOTool 57
10 Using ImageReady 58
11 Remote Management 60
11.1 Management View 60
Remote Install of Backup Agents 61
Adding and Deleting Remote Nodes 61
Modifying Remote Node Properties 62
Connecting and Disconnecting Remote Nodes 62
11.2 Network View 63
Adding and Deleting Remote Nodes 63
Modifying Remote Node Properties 63
Connecting and Disconnecting Remote Nodes 64
Exporting and Importing Node Settings 64
11.3 Using an Install Setup Package 65
12 Using VirtualBoot 65
12.1 VirtualBoot Requirements 66
12.2 Limitations 67
12.3 Creating a VM 67
Continuing Incremental Backups 69
Mounting a VM Manually 70
Configuring a VM Manually 71
Configuring a Network Adapter 71
Configuring Drivers 72
Installing Guest Additions 72
13 Other Operations 72
13.1 Verifying Backup Image Files 72
13.2 Configuring Email Notifications 74
13.3 Log Files 75
13.4 Creating Key Files 75
13.5 Creating a Recovery CD 76
14 Best Practices 77

Welcome to the StorageCraft® ShadowProtect® User Guide. This edition covers ShadowProtect versions up to v5.2.7 of these
products:
Desktop
Server
Small Business
Virtual
and related sections for the ShadowProtect IT Edition and the StorageCraft Recovery Environment.
This version supports Windows 10 systems.
This Guide describes the ShadowProtect technology, how to use the product, and how to get the most out of ShadowProtect.
While ShadowProtect comes in multiple editions, most of the differences between these editions relate to the associated user
license. When there is specfic information for an edition, this Guide notes this.
Edition Description
ShadowProtect Provides volume backup and restore options for a single desktop system. This edition is most
Desktop suitable for home use.
ShadowProtect Server Provides backup and restore options for server operating systems. ShadowProtect Server requires a
separate license for each installed OS.
ShadowProtect for Provides backup and restore options for Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS). ShadowProtect
Small Business SBS requires a separate license for each installed OS.
Provides a subscription-based licensing model for Managed Service Providers (MSP) that want to
ShadowProtect MSP
provide disaster recovery solutions for their clients.
ShadowProtect Virtual Provides a VM-based licensing model for disaster recovery in a virtualized environment.
This Guide includes the following major sections:

ShadowProtect Overview
How ShadowProtect Works
Installing ShadowProtect
Understanding ShadowProtect Console
Create a Backup Image
Mounting Backup Image Files
Restoring a Volume
Image Conversion Tool
Using ISOTool
Using ImageReady
Remote Management
Using VirtualBoot
Other Operations
Best Practices
Additional Information
For emerging issues and other resources, see the following:

The ShadowProtect ReadMe file available online.
The StorageCraft technical support Web site at www.storagecraft.com/support.html .
This User Guide is also available in the ShadowProtect user interface from the Help menu.
The StorageCraft Glossary of technical terms.
Documentation Conventions
This symbol designates Note or Warning text that highlights important information about the configuration and/or use of
ShadowProtect.
1© 2017ShadowProtect
StorageCraft Technology Corporation Overview
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1 ShadowProtect Overview
Review these topics as you prepare to install and use ShadowProtect:
Features and Components
Usage Scenarios
1.1 Features and Components

For a complete version history of product updates, refer to the online ShadowProtect ReadMe document.
Component Features
This console manages the disaster recovery configuration on your Windows system. The console can:
Configure backup jobs that run unobtrusively in the background using Microsoft VSS (Volume Shadow
Copy Service).
Store backups on any accessible media including network storage (SAN, NAS, iSCSI), removable
ShadowProtect drives (USB, FireWire), and optical media (CD, DVD, Blu-Ray).
Verify backup images to ensure data integrity.
Console
Create compressed and encrypted backup image files for efficiency and security.
Run wizard-based recovery of files, folders, or a complete data volume, to an exact point in time.
View backup images for quick file and folder recovery.
Mount any backup image file as a virtual disk using VirtualBoot.
Remotely manage system backup and recovery operations.
ShadowProtect The engine that creates a system's point-in-time backup images. The ShadowProtect console manages the
Backup Agent operation of this backup agent.
A bootable environment for disaster recovery which doesn't require installing software. StorageCraft offers
both a recovery environment based on Windows and the new Recovery Environment-CrossPlatform based on
Linux which also restores all supported Windows systems. Either environment can:
Access all critical
StorageCraft features of the ShadowProtect Console from a standalone disaster recovery environment.
Load from a bootable CD or USB drive.
Recovery
Restore a system (bootable) volume quickly and easily.
Environment Back up a non-bootable system before attempting a restore operation.
Use Hardware Independent Restore (HIR) to restore to different hardware, or to virtual environments
(P2P, P2V, V2P).
For more information about the Recovery Environment, see the StorageCraft
Recovery Environment User Guide.
ImageManager
StorageCraft also offers ImageManager which provides policy-driven services for managing backup image files. These include:
Consolidation of Incremental backup image files into daily, weekly, and monthly consolidated image files that
greatly reduce the number of files in an image chain.
Verification and re-verification of backup image files, including consolidated files.
Replication of backup image files to a local drive, a network share, or an off-site location (using FTP,
intelligentFTP, or ShadowStream).
Head Start Restore (HSR) lets you restore a backup image while ShadowProtect continues to add incremental
backup images to it. This lets you greatly reduce the downtime associated with hardware
failure or hardware migration tasks.
For more information about ImageManager features, see the ImageManager User Guide.
1.2 ShadowProtect Usage Scenarios

ShadowProtect supports a variety of backup and recovery scenarios, depending on your needs. These include:
ShadowProtect Console Scenarios
VirtualBoot Scenarios
ShadowProtect Console Scenarios

Here are several common use cases for ShadowProtect:
Live Backup
Problem: I don't want to shutdown a system every time I want to create a system backup image.
ShadowProtect Solution: By leveraging disk imaging with existing Windows snapshot technology, ShadowProtect lets you
create live system backups without any system downtime. ShadowProtect creates live backup images that include a system's
operating system, critical data and configuration settings.
Create Full and Incremental Backup Images

Problem: Making a full backup image every time I backup a system is very time consuming. I need to be able to make incremental
backup images to save time and space.
ShadowProtect Solution: ShadowProtect uses a sector-based backup strategy that lets it backup just the changes to a file in an
Incremental backup image. Sector-based incremental backup is the quickest and most efficient way to take an incremental
backup.
Once you have an initial full backup, you can create regular incremental backup images from that point forward to support an
accurate restoration.
Individual Folder and File Restore

Problem: Restoring individual files and folders traditional backup systems, such as a tape drive, can be very difficult and time-
consuming...assuming I can even find the necessary data in the first place. I need a quick and easy method to recover lost files or
folders.
ShadowProtect Solution: Use the ShadowProtect Backup Explore Wizard to mount a backup image file as a volume using a
Drive letter or mount point. Once mounted, you can explore and recover individual files and folders from the backup image. Disk-
based backup images provide fast file access, and you can even share backup images so Since the backups are disk-based,
theprocess is very fast and easy and uses Windows Explorer. The IT administrator can mount a backup image and share this with
end users who can select the files and folders they need to restore.
Update an Existing Backup Image

Problem: I have an existing backup image, but need to update a driver in that image, or clean a virus or other malware from the
backup image before restoring files. I don't want to have to clean the system, then re-create the backup image before using it to
restore a system.
ShadowProtect Solution: Because you can mount ShadowProtect backup image files as read/write volumes, you can modify
and repair backup images as needed. ShadowProtect saves these backup image changes as a separate Incremental image file.
VirtualBoot Scenarios
The following scenarios introduce several possible use cases for VirtualBoot:

Historical Data Access
Problem: After transitioning to a new financial management system, you are audited. To satisfy the audit, you need access to
historical tax records stored in the proprietary format of the old financial software. Unfortunately, you no longer have the old
software, so you cannot access your historical tax records.
VirtualBoot Solution: Rather than trying to restore a complete backup image that contains the old financial software, use
VirtualBoot to boot the backup image, which gives you access to both the application and the data from your system at the time of
the backup. By preserving the applications with the data, you can greatly extend the lifespan of your data.
Software Testing
Problem: You need to find out how some new software performs on your production system, but you don't want to risk having any
problems.
VirtualBoot Solution: VirtualBoot the latest backup of your production system, then install the software in the virtual machine. You
can evaluate the software performance using your system's actual production environment without any risk to your production
system.
Backup Image Testing

Problem: You need to confirm that your backup images restore properly and that they provide access to all your mission critical
applications and data.
VirtualBoot Solution: VirtualBoot a recent backup image and you can verify that the restored applications and data perform as
expected..
Hardware Failure
Problem: You have a database server and the 20TB disk array crashes. You need to get the system back on-line and replace the
disk subsystem.
VirtualBoot Solution: This solution is a three-step process:
1. VirtualBoot the latest backup image of your database server so users can continue using the database. The interim VM solution
performs well because there is no file conversion required. StorageCraft provides native support for its backup image files in the
VirtualBox environment.
As part of this process, configure ShadowProtect to continue creating Incremental backups in the VM, preferably every 15 minutes.
These Incremental backups are part of the original backup image chain. ShadowProtect has VirtualBox store the VM-generated
Incremental backups in native VDI files. While these files are relatively tolerant of VM host crashes, or VirtualBox.exe or
VBoxSvc.exe process crashes, they might become corrupt and prevent the VM from restarting. If this happens, create a new
VirtualBoot VM, using as the VM source the latest Incremental backup created in the prior VM.
Warning: To continue uninterrupted Incremental backups in a VirtualBoot VM, the ShadowProtect backup job that creates the
backup image files must use a ShadowProtect Destination Object of type Network Share (see Destinations).
2. Start a HeadStart Restore (HSR) on the database server's new disk subsystem (For more information, see the ShadowProtect
ImageManager User Guide).
3. Once the HSR catches up to the most current Incremental, created in the VM, take the VM offline and finalize the HSR installation
on the new disk subsystem (a quick operation), then bring the database server hardware back on-line.
Note: Once the replacement VM is online and continuing the Incremental backup image chain, you can recover from a hardware
failure in several different ways:
Restore to the original hardware, once repaired.
Restore to new hardware (using StorageCraft Recovery Environment's Hardware Independent Restore (HIR)).
Restore permanently to a VM environment by using HSR to restore to a VHD or VMDK virtual machine hard disk file.
2 How ShadowProtect Works

A ShadowProtect backup image file is a point-in-time representation of a computer volume. It is not a standard file copy of the
volume, but rather a sector-by-sector duplicate of the volume. In the event that you need to recover data, you can mount a backup
image file (using the ShadowProtect Mount utility) and view its contents as if it were a regular volume. You can recover specific files
and folders from the image or you may recover the entire volume to the exact point in time that the backup image was taken.
This section includes the following topics:
Create a Backup Image
Restore a Backup Image
Backup Image Files
2.1 Create a Backup Image

A backup image file is a sector-by-sector representation of the volume at the time the volume snapshot was taken. ShadowProtect
writes the backup image file to the designated storage media. Options include network storage (SAN, iSCSI, NAS, etc.),
removable storage (USB / FireWire), and optical storage (CD, DVD, Blu-ray). The amount of time it takes to write the backup
image file depends upon the system hardware and the size of the image file. For information about configuring and creating
backup image files, see Creating Backup Image Files and Backup Image Files.
Creating a ShadowProtect backup image involves two components--the Snapshot driver and Microsoft's VSS. Using Microsoft
VolSnap and VSS (available with Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or later), the ShadowProtect driver creates a point-in-time
snapshot of the volume to protect. The entire process of taking a snapshot takes only seconds and does not interfere with system
operation.
ShadowProtect may use different combinations of VSS and snapshot driver depending on the operating system and application:
Image
Snapshot Supported OS Quality Comments
Speed
Manages VSS-aware applications to achieve best quality

StorageCraft Windows XP / backups.
VSM with VSS 2003 and later Fast Best Uses script files to manage applications that are not VSS-aware
to improve backups
Can create incremental backup files
VSS-aware applications are managed automatically to achieve

Microsoft Windows XP / best backups.
VolSnap with 2003 and later Slow Best Uses script files (before and after the snapshot) to manage non-
VSS VSS-aware applications and improve backups.
Cannot create incremental image files.
Uses script files (before and after the snapshot) to manage

applications and improve backups.
StorageCraft Windows 2000 Fast Good
VSM direct Note: Windows 2000 does not support VSS, so VSM
Direct is the only option for this platform.
ShadowProtect also includes two features for working with backup images: the Backup Scheduler and the Image Conversion Tool.
The ShadowProtect Backup Scheduler

The ShadowProtect Backup Scheduler can:
Configure automated backup jobs to protect volumes.
Schedule thse full image or incremental images (as often as every 15 minutes).
Manage the retention of backup image sets.
The Image Conversion Tool

The ShadowProtect Image Conversion tool simplifies image management of existing image files. The tool can:
Consolidate files in an image set
Modify password encryption
Enable compression
Merge or split image files
2.2 Restore a Backup Image

Once you create a backup image, you can use this image to restore data in two ways:
Recover individual files and folders
Use the ShadowProtect Mount utility to open an image file as a volume either as a drive letter or a mount point. The Mount utility
can efficiently mount hundreds of backup images simultaneously if needed. These mounted files preserve the Windows volume
properties of the original. Users can access the backup image file just as they would if the volume were on a hard disk. This
includes modifying and saving changes to the temporary volume as an incremental backup file.
For more information see Mounting Backup Image Files.
Restore entire volumes
Use the ShadowProtect console's Restore Wizard to restore an entire data volume from a backup image file. Use the
StorageCraft Recovery Environment to restore a system (boot) volume.
For more information see Restoring a Volume.
2.3 Backup Image Files

ShadowProtect uses the following types of backup image files:
Backup Images Description

Full A stand-alone image file that represents a disk volume at a specific point-in-time. Full backup image files do
.spf not rely on any other files.
An image file that contains volume changes relative to another backup image file. You can create Incremental
backup image files relative to Full backup images or other Incremental backup images. ShadowProtect also
Incremental
creates an Incremental image file when an existing image file is mounted as a read/write volume and modified.
.spi Incremental backup image files let ShadowProtect offer multiple volume backup strategies, including
differential and incremental backup options. See Glossary for information about these backup strategies.
Image files that belong to a spanned image set. Spanned image sets are made by breaking a backup image
Spanned file into pieces for increased portability (for example, to save the image file on multiple CDs or DVDs).
.sp_#_ The actual spanned image file name replaces the pound sign (#) with a number that indicates the position of
the file within the spanned image set.
ImageManager
-cd.spi Image files that have been automatically collapsed by ImageManager. The suffix before the file extension
-cw.spi indicates if the file is a daily, weekly or monthly collapsed backup files.
-cm.spi
.spk A password key file used to encrypt backup image files.
.spwb A temporary "write-back" file used to save changes for a mounted image file volume.
.cr A rolling file used by ImageManager consolidation
.bitmap A data file used in optimizing ImageManager consolidation
File Naming Conventions

The ShadowProtect naming convention identifies the file and its relationship to, and dependencies on, other backup image files.
The syntax is:
<volume-identifier>-b_<base-seq>-d<diff-seq>-i<inc-seq>.<extension>_
volume-identifier: Identifies the volume that the backup image file represents.
base-seq: The base image file sequence number. This either identifies:
the sequence number of this file or
the base image file upon which this file is dependent.
diff-seq: The Differential backup sequence number. This either identifies:
the differential image file upon which this file is dependent.
inc-seq: The Incremental backup sequence number. This either identifies:
the incremental image file upon which this file is dependent.
extension: The file extension, which identifies if the file is a Full, Incremental, or Spanned backup image file.
File Type
Description
Extension
C_Vol-b001.spf Full image of the C: volume.
C_Vol-b001-
d001-i000.spi*
or Differential image of the C: volume with a dependency on the full backup image file C_Vol-b001.spf
C_Vol-b001-
d001.spi
C_Vol-b001-
d000-i000.spi*
or Incremental image of the C: volume with a dependency on the full backup image file C_Vol-b001.spf
C_Vol-b001-
i001.spi
C_Vol-b001- Incremental image of the C: volume with a dependency on the differential backup image file C_Vol-b001-
d001-i001.spi d001.i000 which in turn has a dependency on C_Vol-b001.spf.
*Backup image file names that include the “-d000” or “-i000” segment identifier indicate that the backup image file does not rely on
any other differential or incremental backup image file.
NETGEAR ReadyDATA File Naming

Backup files saved to a NETGEAR device have a different naming convention:
Year/Month/Day/Hour/Minute/Second plus a UTC offset
where the Hour/Minute/Second is the system's Local Time--not UTC time. Using this nomenclature allows users to select the
appropriate point in time they want to either mount or restore.
File Dependencies
The name of a backup image file identifies the files on which it depends. However, it is not possible to determine if other backup
image files later in the chain are dependent on this file. Because of this, it is very important to use the Image Conversion tool to
review dependencies prior to moving, modifying, or deleting backup images.
Warning: All backup image files are part of a chain--short or long. Deleting a backup image file on which other files depend
makes the dependent backup image files useless. You cannot browse or restore files from these dependent backup image
files.
The same is true of a full image file which anchors the chain. Deleting a full image file from an active chain causes
ShadowProtect to start a new chain at the next scheduled backup. All the existing files cannot open without the missing full
image.
3 Installing ShadowProtect
Before installing ShadowProtect, review the Requirements and the License and Install Options.
Note: Windows XP and Server 2003 users must log in with Local Administrator rights to use the ShadowProtect interface.
Caution: If the Windows Telnet Service is installed and running on the system, please review a potential error condition in Best
Practices to avoid the snapshot driver failing to install.
To Install ShadowProtect
1. If you have a ShadowProtect CD, insert the disc into the system's CD drive.
Note: If the installation does not start automatically, browse the ShadowProtect CD and click AUTORUN from the
root of the CD.
If you have downloaded the ShadowProtect installer, click on the .EXE file to launch the program.
2. Follow the steps of the Setup Wizard to complete the install.
Note: To register ShadowProtect, you must install the language that matches the license key you purchase.
3. On the Installation Type page, select which type you want:
Complete This installs all the ShadowProtect components
This option allows you to select which components to install and where
Custom to install them. For example, use this option if you want to install only the
console on a particular system.
4. If you chose the Custom install option, select the ShadowProtect components to install, then click Next on each
component page.
Management Installs the ShadowProtect management interface (UI), which lets
you manage both ShadowProtect operations for this system and
Console
remote systems if desired. This is the default.
Backup Installs the ShadowProtect Backup agent, which lets you manage
ShadowProtect operations on this system remotely. This is the
Agent
default.
Installs the ShadowProtect VSS driver. This is the default and is
Snapshot required for optimal performance and data protection. Only deselect
Driver it if the system only runs non-VSS compliant software, such as
some versions of Intuit QuickBooks.
Mount Installs the ShadowProtect mount driver which adds the ability to
Services mount and dismount a backup image file using the right-click menu
in Windows Explorer. This is the default.
Installs a basic ISO utility to create, mount, or burn a copy of an ISO
ISOTool
image.
Installs Windows Explorer integration for VirtualBoot. VirtualBoot
VirtualBoot launches a virtual machine using the selected system volume
backup file. This is the default.
Installs the ImageReady image testing utility.
ImageReady Note: The Adobe CreativeCloud Suite install fails if StorageCraft
ImageReady is already installed on the system.
SPDiagnostic Installs a tool that gathers detailed information about a

ShadowProtect installation for use in troubleshooting issues for
Tool
StorageCraft Support. The default is to not install the tool.
Note: To mount a VHDX backup on a system with a custom install of ShadowProtect, be sure the install
includes at least the ShadowProtect Backup Agent. (It does not have to include the SnapShot Driver.) Otherwise,
the VHDX mount fails.
5. In the Installation Complete page, select Yes, I want to restart my computer now, then click Finish.
If you cannot restart the computer immediately, select No, I will restart my computer later.
Note: You must restart the computer before attempting to use ShadowProtect to create backups.
6. Remove the ShadowProtect CD (if used) from the system's CD drive.
Upgrading ShadowProtect
If this is an upgrade to an existing ShadowProtect installation, the wizard shortens this process.

Remote Install
To do a silent or push install of ShadowProtect:
1. Download and unpack the appropriate installation info file (the ISS) file for the version of ShadowProtect to install.
Save this file to the same folder with the ShadowProtect setup program.
Note: Although this ISS file shares the same extension as a Windows InstallShield file, it uses a different format
and cannot be used by InstallShield.
2. Select ShadowProtect's Management View tab.
3. Click Install on the menu bar. The Push Install Wizard displays.
4. Follow the prompts to select the installer package (the Setup program for ShadowProtect). The Wizard populates
the package details fields.
5. Click Next.
6. Provide the appropriate credentials to access the endpoint(s) for the push install.
7. Select the endpoint(s) that are destinations of the push install.
8. Optional: Provide the ShadowProtect product key to activate the endpoint(s) license(s).
9. Select Reboot after install as required to perform backups of the endpoint.
10. Specify a time to perform the reboot and a message to alert the endpoint user.
11. Click Next to review the push install configuration.
12. Click Next to begin the install.
ShadowProtect completes the install of the ShadowProtect agent on each of the selected endpoints.
3.1 Requirements
ShadowProtect has the following hardware and software requirements:
Hardware Requirements
Supported Operating Systems
Supported File Systems
Supported Storage Media
MSP Requirements
Multi-boot Environments
Hardware ShadowProtect
CPU 300 MHz or higher Pentium-compatible CPU
Memory The greater of 256 MB or the Operating System minimum
Hard Drive space 50 MB free disk space
CD-ROM or DVD drive Required only for CD installs or for Recovery Environment
Monitor VGA or higher resolution
Clustering ShadowProtect does not support Windows Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV)
Backup Destination Requirements

ShadowProtect can save backup files to external or network-attached drives. This third-party hardware may have its own
requirements. (For example, the Netgear ReadyDATA system.) Please refer to the appropriate manufacturer for details.
Windows Clustering
ShadowProtect does not support Windows Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV). Windows Server 2012 failover cluster may use CSV,
for example. Installing ShadowProtect on such a system may result in redirection of I/O related to clustered shared volumes.
Supported Operating Systems

StorageCraft ShadowProtect 5 Windows Support
Supported Operating Systems License Types
Server Small Business Desktop Virtual
Windows Server 2012 R2 x64
Windows Server 2012 x64
Windows Server 2008 R2 x64
Windows Server 2008 x86/x64 (Service Pack 2 or higher)
Windows Server 2003 R2 x86/x64
Windows Server 2003 x86/x64 (Service Pack 2 or higher)
Windows 2000 x86 Server, Advanced Server (Service Pack 4 or higher) Limited Limited
Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 x64 Essentials
Windows Server 2012 R2 x64 Essentials
Windows Server 2012 R2 x64 Foundation
Windows Server 2012 x64 Essentials
Windows Server 2012 x64 Foundation
Windows Small Business Server 2011 x64
Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 x64 Essentials
Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Foundation Limited
Windows Server 2008 x86/x64 Foundation (Service Pack 2 or higher) Limited
Windows Small Business Server 2008 x86/x64

Supported
Windows SmallOperating Systems
Business Server 2003 R2 x86/x64 License Types
Windows Small Business Server 2003 x86/x64
Windows 10 x86/x64
Windows 8.1 x86/x64
Windows 8 x86/x64
Windows 7 x86/x64
Windows Vista x86/x64 (Service Pack 2 or higher)
Windows XP x86/x64 (Service Pack 3 or higher)
Windows 2000 x86 Professional (Service Pack 4 or higher) Limited Limited
Specific operating system support depends on the edition of ShadowProtect that you purchase. ShadowProtect supports both 32-
bit and 64-bit versions of many operating systems. Refer to the ShadowProtect Release Notes (ReadMe) for the latest specific
support details.
StorageCraft® ShadowProtect® has limited backup support for Windows 2000 environments. The lack of hardware support and
suitable device drivers may make recovery difficult. If you use Windows 2000, make sure you have appropriate hardware and
drivers to use as your recovery target if a disaster happens.
StorageCraft VirtualBoot™ technology does not support Windows 2000.
Windows 2000 doesn’t have a VSS framework or support, so VSS backups are not available on Windows 2000.)
Windows 2000 does not support either the ISOTool or the ImageReady utilities in ShadowProtect.
Supported File Systems

ShadowProtect supports the following file systems:
FAT16
FAT16X
FAT32
FAT32X
NTFS
Important: If you want to do continuous incremental backups your volumes need to use NTFS.
MBR Disks
GPT Disks
Basic and Dynamic Volumes and Disks
4K/AF drives with 4096 byte sectors
Important: Backups of 4K/Advanced Format drives won’t successfully VirtualBoot on VirtualBox unless 512-byte
sector emulation (512e) is enabled on the volumes being backed up.
ShadowProtect does not support:

exFAT or ReFS file systems
Windows Storage Spaces storage pools
Windows Server Cluster Shared Volumes
Using VirtualBoot with UEFI-based system volumes
ShadowProtect also does NOT backup any links created with the SUBST command (or calls to DefineDosDevice()) because such
links reside *outside* of any persistent file system.
Restores
ShadowProtect performs restores from:
SPF
SPI
image files for data volumes.
Note: ShadowProtect does not support restores from VHD or VHDX files.
Supported Storage Media

ShadowProtect supports these storage media:
Locally-connected hard drives or SSDs
Removeable hard drives (USB or FireWire)
Virtual drives (LUN) hosted on a local RAID controller
Network drives (SAN, NAS, iSCSI)
Optical media (CD, DVD, Blu-Ray)
ShadowProtect does not support:
Windows Storage Spaces storage pools
The ShadowProtect Recovery Environment for Windows also supports restoring volumes from virtual disks in the Microsoft VHDx
format (used by the NETGEAR ReadyDATA device for storing ShadowProtect backup images).
The Image Conversion feature of ShadowProtect supports these virtual disks:
VMware VMDK
Microsoft VHD
Microsoft VHDX
Note: Hyper-V cannot attach and boot from a VHDX file converted from a system volume backup image. It can, however, mount
and access the file.
Supported Sector Sizes

Contemporary hard drives and SSDs ship with a 4096-byte physical sector size. Most also support the 512-byte logical sector
size. (These drives are often labeled 512e for "512 Byte Sector Size Emulation".) ShadowProtect supports backing up both 4096-
and 512-byte logical sector sizes.
In the unusual situation of restoring a partition/volume from one logical sector size to another:
512 bytes per logical sector -> 4096 bytes per logical sector (and the destination does not support 512e)
4096 bytes per logical sector -> 512 bytes per logical sector
ShadowProtect will issue an error message during the restore if it encounters a mis-matched sector size.
MSP Requirements
The MSP version of ShadowProtect requires a 32-bit proxy configuration to access the Internet. Otherwise, ShadowProtect cannot
activate its license. This is an issue as Windows 64-bit OSes configure only 64-bit proxy settings by default. Confirm that the proxy
is configured for 32-bit (and not just 64-bit) applications. Once the Windows proxy supports both 32- and 64-bit applications,
confirm the communication between the client and the proxy.
In particular, review the two MSP read-only fields in the ShadowProtect console under Options > Agent Options > Agent NT
Service Options:
Proxy Server
Proxy Port
These settings should be the same as the Windows configuration in Control Panel > Internet Options > Connections > LAN
Settings > Proxy Server. Use the Windows procedures to modify these settings as required.
For more information, see the StorageCraft MSP Portal Users Guide.
Multi-Boot Environments
If your system has multiple boot partitions, install ShadowProtect on each of the bootable Windows partitions. These installs
guarantee that ShadowProtect recognizes changes to ShadowProtect-managed volumes from these secondary Windows
environments. You do not need to activate ShadowProtect, but the snapshot driver (stcvsm.sys) must be available in each
Windows partition.
This snapshot driver manages the fast incremental tracking in ShadowProtect. If you boot to an alternate OS environment where
the snapshot driver is not loaded, ShadowProtect cannot track volume updates from that OS boot session. This means that your
next Incremental backup misses any changes made from the alternate OS.
If one or more non-Windows operating systems, such as Linux, can write to a ShadowProtect-managed volume, make sure
ShadowProtect recognizes those changes by creating a script. This script should execute during the startup/logon phase of the
non-Windows OS. It should delete all VSM000.IDX (case-sensitive) files from the root directory of each ShadowProtect-managed
volume. Removing these files forces ShadowProtect's stcvsm.sys to do a full differential/comparison backup when your primary
Windows volume boots. This differential image file captures any changes made to the volume from the non-Windows OS.
3.2 License and Install Options

StorageCraft provides the following ShadowProtect license options:
License
Description
Type
Purchased StorageCraft licenses ShadowProtect on a per-system basis (based on the number of systems for which you are
making backups. For example, using ShadowProtect to backup 100 computers requires 100 licenses. Before
License
using the software, review the complete End User License Agreement.
StorageCraft provides an Evaluation version of the ShadowProtect software as a CD or ISO image file. Use this
Evaluation version to create and restore backup image files of system and data volumes as well as restore specific files and
folders. (The Evaluation version includes the StorageCraft Recovery Environment to restore system volumes.) The
License
Evaluation version expires and ceases to operate after the Evaluation period ends. Images created during the
Evaluation period are fully compatible with the registered (purchased) version of the software.
StorageCraft provides a Trial version of the ShadowProtect software as a free download. Use this version to
create backup image files of system and data volumes as well as restore specific files and folders or data
Trial volumes. However, you cannot restore system volumes because the Trial version does not include the
License StorageCraft Recovery Environment. The Trial version expires and ceases to operate when the trial period ends.
Images created during the trial period, however, are fully compatible with the registered (purchased) version of
ShadowProtect.
NOTE: ShadowProtect licenses are language-specfic. Be sure to select this license language when installing ShadowProtect.
Note that the ShadowProtect language does not have to match either the OS language or any related Language Packs or MUIs.
(For example, a user could activate a German language install of ShadowProtect on an English language Windows system.)
ShadowProtect Virtual
ShadowProtect Virtual is a licensing model specifically designed for virtual environments. It allows you to purchase a single
ShadowProtect Virtual license or licenses in 3, 6, 12, 24, or 50 license bundles..

ShadowProtect Virtual offers the same features and functionality available in ShadowProtect at a price point more appropriate to a
virtualized environment.
Note: ShadowProtect Virtual licenses allow you to migrate or restore to a physical environment. However, once restored to
a physical system, the virtual license does not permit ShadowProtect to continue making backups. You must use a standard
ShadowProtect license to make backups in a physical environment.
ShadowProtect for Managed Service Providers

ShadowProtect for Managed Services Providers (SPMSP) is a subscription-based licensing option for Managed Service
Providers (MSP) that want to provide disaster recovery services to their clients. ShadowProtect for Managed Services:
Supports all types of Windows installations (Desktop, Server, SBS, etc.) using a single product installer.
SPMSP licenses "call home" to StorageCraft servers on a daily basis to confirm that these licenses are still active. Because
of this, SPMSP installs require Internet connectivity.
An SPMSP license activation is valid for 30 days. As part of the "call home" process, SPMSP licenses auto-renew every 30
days unless:
The MSP or StorageCraft explicitly deactivates the license.
The license stops calling home, in which case it automatically deactivates
The StorageCraft MSP Licensing Console (http://msp.storagecraft.com ) lets MSPs create and manage SPMSP licenses,
including remote license deactivation when needed.
3.3 Starting ShadowProtect

You can access ShadowProtect in two ways:
From Windows: Select Start > All Programs > StorageCraft > ShadowProtect.
From Recovery Environment: Make sure your system boot sequence is set to boot from the CD-ROM drive. Put the
ShadowProtect CD in the system's CD-ROM drive, then boot the system. For more information about loading and using Recovery
Environment, see the StorageCraft Recovery Environment User Guide.
Note: If ShadowProtect installs after ImageManager v6.5 or newer on the same system, the ImageManager Startup menu icons
may not appear.
3.4 Activating ShadowProtect

When you purchase ShadowProtect, StorageCraft provides you with both a product serial number and an Evaluation version of the
purchased product. We recommend you activate the product upon installation using the product serial number.
The Evaluation version provides you with 30 days of product access. During this time you must activate the product with the
product serial number. If you do not activate the product within 30 days of installation, the product times out and stops functioning.
(You can still activate the product after the end of the 30 days. However, any backup jobs you created will not run again until after
you activate the product.)
NOTE: ShadowProtect licenses are language-specfic. Be sure to select this license language when installing ShadowProtect.
Note that the ShadowProtect language does not have to match either the OS language or any related Language Packs or MUIs.
(For example, a user could activate a German language install of ShadowProtect on an English language Windows system.)
You can activate ShadowProtect in two ways:
Automatic Activation
Manual Activation
Note: You can also deactivate a previously activated ShadowProtect installation. Deactivation frees up the product license
for use on another system (see Deactivating ShadowProtect for more information).

OS Upgrades
You need to deactivate the ShadowProtect license and uninstall the software prior to upgrading an existing Windows 7 system to
Windows 8 or a Windows 8 to Windows 8 Pro or Windows 10. After the OS upgrade, reinstall ShadowProtect and reactivate the
license. While the system preserves backup job configurations and other ShadowProtect settings, a best practice is to always
create a new backup job after the upgrade rather than continue an older, existing chain.
ShadowProtect Upgrades
If you upgrade ShadowProtect from one major revision to another, such as upgrading from v4.x to 5.x, you must have a valid and
current maintenance agreement to continue to use the product (beyond a 30-day trial period). (Your existing license works for
minor revision upgrades, such as from v4.1.5 to 4.2.0.)
If you have a current maintenance agreement, to upgrade your ShadowProtect license:
1. Perform the upgrade.
2. After the upgrade, ShadowProtect displays 30-day Trial under License in the navigation panel. Select Help>Product
Activation.ShadowProtect displays the existing serial number (which has the maintenance agreement) along with the Name
and Organization fields.
3. Enter a Name and/or organization.
4. Click Activate to re-activate this existing license for use with the new version of ShadowProtect.
5. Restart ShadowProtect if requested.
ShadowProtect displays Active under License in the navigation panel.
Automatic Activation
StorageCraft provides automatic activation for ShadowProtect installations.
Note: There is a manual activation option If the system does not have Internet access. This option is on the StorageCraft website.
To activate ShadowProtect automatically
1. Start ShadowProtect.
For more information, see Starting ShadowProtect.
2. From the Menu Bar select Help > Product Activation.
3. In the Product Activation dialog box, provide the requested information, then click OK.
Product Serial Number Enter the serial number that you received when purchasing
ShadowProtect.
Name and (Optional) Specify the name of the product user, purchaser, or
Organization organization.
4. If the activation is successful, click Close.
5. If the activation was not successful, review the message to determine why the activation was unsuccessful. To correct the
problem, do one of the following:
a) Review the information in the Product Activation dialog box for accuracy. Correct any errors, then OK to resubmit the
activation request.
b) If your computer cannot successfully communicate to the activation server or the Internet, wait for a while and try the
activation process again..
c) Ttry using the manual activation option to activate the software.
c) Activation may fail if the software detects there are no more allowed activations for the serial number. Purchase additional
licenses to increase the number of available activations. If you feel you received this message in error, contact StorageCraft
Support .
6. ShadowProtect asks to restart the service:
Click Yes to restart the software. ShadowProtect is now activated.
Manual Restart
Clicking No in the Restart Now dialog delays activation until after a restart. (It also results in the ShadowProtect Activate Product
dialog showing no serial number or other information.)
Note: Closing and reopening the ShadowProtect UI does not complete the activation or refresh the serial number in the
Activate Product dialog.
To restart the software after clicking No:
1. Close the ShadowProtect UI (if open).
2. Run Windows Services.msc.
3. Right-click ShadowProtect Service.
4. Select Restart. The ShadowProtect Service restarts.
5. Run ShadowProtect.
6. Select Help > Product Activation.
The activated serial number now displays along with the other information.
Activation during the Trial Period
You can install and run ShadowProtect without activating it for a period of 30 days. Once you choose to activate it, follow the steps
listed.
Manual Activation
If you are unable to use the automated activation method, StorageCraft provides a manual activation option. This requires you to
request an activation key online and manually apply it to your ShadowProtect installation.
Note: MSP installs do not support manual activation.
To get an activation key
1. Open a Web browser to http://www.storagecraft.com/activation.
2. Using the online form, provide:
Your ShadowProtect version.
Your customer name.
A valid email address to deliver the key.
The contents of the license.id file found in one of the two listed directories.
3. Click Submit.
4. Copy the activate.zip file from the response email or web form to the same directory containing the license.id file.
5. Unzip and run the activate.bat file.
Note: This file is specific to this system and its license.id file. It cannot be used to activate any other ShadowProtect install.
7. Confirm that Active appears in the License field in the navigation panel.
You have successfully licensed ShadowProtect.
Deactivating ShadowProtect
ShadowProtect supports deactivation when:
Upgrading a system from one version of Windows to another (for example, from Windows 7 to Windows 8),
Upgrading from some older versions of ShadowProtect to another (see the ShadowProtect ReadMe for details).
Retiring a system to make the license available for use on another system.
To deactivate a ShadowProtect license
2. Select Help > Product Activation.
3. Click Deactivate.
ShadowProtect displays a message stating you can no longer use this product key on this machine
4. Click OK.
5. Close ShadowProtect.
3.5 Uninstalling ShadowProtect

Use the standard Windows application removal tool to uninstall ShadowProtect.
To uninstall ShadowProtect
1. In Windows, select Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.
2. Double-click on StorageCraft ShadowProtect.
3. Select Uninstall.
4. Click Next.
Note: The Uninstall program displays a warning if you have not deactivated the ShadowProtect license. If you proceed with
the uninstall, you will have to reinstall the software later on to deactivate the license.
5. Click OK to acknowledge you have deactivated the ShadowProtect license.
6. Click Next to begin the uninstall.
7. Reboot the computer to complete the uninstall.
3.6 Upgrading ShadowProtect

Note: All ShadowProtect backup image files remain compatible with newer versions of ShadowProtect.
ShadowProtect upgrades come in three varieties:
Upgrades between minor revisions

Upgrades between minor revisions of ShadowProtect (such as between a 5.0 and 5.0.1 versions) simply require installing the new
software. ShadowProtect retains all configuration settings.
To perform a minor revision upgrade:
1. On the License Agreement page, select I accept the terms of the license agreement, then click Next.
Note: You must accept the license agreement to install ShadowProtect. (Click Print to print out the License Agreement if
needed.)
2. On the Ready to Install page, click Install.The program completes the installation of ShadowProtect.
3. Click OK on the Reboot reminder page.
4. In the Installation Complete page, select Yes, I want to restart my computer now, then click Finish.
5. If you cannot restart the computer immediately, select No, I will restart my computer later. However, you must restart the
computer before attempting to use ShadowProtect.
6. Remove the ShadowProtect CD (if used) from the system's CD drive.
Upgrades between major revisions

Upgrades between major revisions of ShadowProtect (such as from a 4.x to a 5.x versions) requires:
Installing the new software
Re-activating the new install (this requires a valid and current maintenance agreement.).
As with a minor revision upgrade, ShadowProtect retains all configuration settings for existing backup jobs.
To perform a major revision upgrade:
1. Perform a ShadowProtect upgrade using the minor revision steps.
2. After the upgrade, run ShadowProtect. The License field in the navigation pane shows "30-day Trial".
3. Select Help > Product Activation.ShadowProtect displays the previous activation key.
4. Fill in any remaining fields.
5. Click OK to re-activate.
ShadowProtect changes the license status to Active.
Upgrades to the Operating System

An upgrade to the operating system, such as:
Windows 7 to Windows 8
Windows 8 to Windows 8 Pro
requires a reinstall and reactivation of ShadowProtect.
Note: With the many changes that occur with an OS upgrade, we recommend starting a new backup image chain to ensure an
accurate OS restore should it be required later on.
Follow the steps in Deactivating ShadowProtect, Uninstalling ShadowProtect, and Installing ShadowProtect to complete the OS
upgrade.
4 Understanding ShadowProtect Console

ShadowProtect Console includes most of the configuration and operation controls for ShadowProtect:
The console is divided into four sections:

Menu Bar: Located at the top of the console, the Menu Bar provides access to general menus used to configure and operate
ShadowProtect.
Navigation Panel: Located on the left side of the console, the Navigation Panel provides access to the tasks and tools used to
configure and operate ShadowProtect.
Main Panel: Located in the center of the console, the Main panel uses Tabs to view ShadowProtect tasks and information.
Network Panel: Located on the right side of the console, the Network panel, or Network View, provides access to the Remote
Management features in ShadowProtect.
4.1 Menu Bar

The ShadowProtect Console menu bar includes:
Menu Description Options

Accesses
File application-level Exit: Closes the ShadowProtect UI.
options.
Backup: Launches the Backup Wizard (see Create a Backup Image).
Restore: Launches the Restore Wizard (see Restoring a Volume).
Explore Backup: Launches the Explore Backup Image Wizard (see Mounting Backup Image
Files).
Accesses the Dismount Backup Image: Launches the Backup Image Dismount Wizard (see Dismounting
Tasks ShadowProtect Backup Image Files).
Wizards. Verify Image: Launches the Verify Image Wizard (see Verifying Backup Image Files).
Image Conversion Tool: Launches the Image Conversion Tool Wizard.
Add Destination: Opens the Destinations dialog box where you can create named destinations for
backup image files.
Refresh Volumes Info: Refreshes the ShadowProtect volume list for the current system.
Status Bar: Toggles a status bar at the bottom of ShadowProtect console to provide application
View Manages
and environment status information.
toolbar visibility.
Task Panel: Toggles visibility of the Navigation Panel.

Client Options: Opens the Client Options dialog box where you can configure visual notifications
Accesses the for backup job success or failure.
ShadowProtect Agent Options: Opens the Agent Options dialog box, This box displays ShadowProtect agent
Options Agent options. configuration information and email notification settings for the current system. You can choose to
send email notifications for either or both failed and successful backup jobs.
Contents: Opens a browser window to the online documentation. Use the Search box at the upper-
right to locate specfic topics.
Note: Help is only available when running ShadowProtect console, not the Recovery
Environment.
Product Activation: Opens the Activation dialog box, where you can activate (or deactivate) the
Accesses the ShadowProtect installation (see Activating ShadowProtect).
Help ShadowProtect Check for Latest Version: Queries for updates to the current ShadowProtect installation. If it finds
help resources. an available update, it displays the URL to get the update.
Register: Opens a browser to the Manual Activation page and request a product activation key
(see Manual Activation).
About: Displays the ShadowProtect version and copyright information. Click System Info in the
About dialog to open the Microsoft System Information dialog box. This box contains detailed
information about the computer.
Client Options
The ShadowProtect Client Options activates a visual notification of the system's backup success or failure:
The notifications default is Off. Use the dropdown menu to select On, then click OK to activate an alert.
At the next scheduled backup, ShadowProtect displays the notification:
Agent Options
The Agent Options dialog configures this client's ShadowProtect email notifications. The dialog also displays configuration details.

Configure Email Notifications

1. Enter the requested SMTP server credentials and name.
2. Enter the To: and From: addresses. Include the administrator's address in the To: field to have ShadowProtect send copies
to that address.
3. Select one or more types of email alerts: on Success, on Failure, Daily or Weekly reports.
Note: Leaving all selections at their default value of "Off" tells ShadowProtect to send no alerts.
4. Click OK to save the configuration.
5. Click Test Email to confirm the configuration.
Configure VSS Options

ShadowProtect uses VSS to quiesce applications before taking a snapshot. Some VSS writers do not interact well with
ShadowProtect and may causes issues such as a lengthy delay before ShadowProtect takes the snapshot. As a troubleshooting
tool, ShadowProtect can exclude one or more VSS writers to identify which one is misbehaving.
To troubleshoot VSS writers:
1. Open a command prompt on the affected system.
2. Run vssadmin list writers to identify all installed VSS writers.
3. In the ShadowProtect console, select Options > Agent Options > VSS Options > Excluded VSS Writers.
4. Copy the VSS writer names into the field. Separate them using a semicolon ( ; ).
5. Click OK.
6. Run a backup. Verify if the backup performs as expected. If so, the issue is with one of the VSS writers.
7. Remove a name from the list of excluded writers and rerun the backup until the problem returns. Retain this name in the
excluded list.
Configure NT Service Options

This section offers options for diagnostic or troubleshooting purposes:
Option Default Description
Startup
60 Sets the time to wait after the ShadowProtect service starts and before running a backup. For
Backup
seconds example, this setting allows time for the system to complete rebooting after the service starts.
Delay
Profile sbrun Set this option to ON at the request of StorageCraft Support to troubleshoot slow backup speeds. The
Off
performance statistics gathered appear near the end of the Backup Log.

ShadowProtect MSP Version
For installs using the ShadowProtect MSP version, the Agent Options dialog includes two additional non-editable items under the
Agent NT Service Options:
These fields populate only when the system uses a proxy server. These options include:
Identifies the client's proxy server as reported by Windows. Edit these proxy
Proxy configuration details in
Server Control Panel > Internet Options > Connections > LAN settings in the Proxy
Server section.
Proxy Port Identifies which port the client uses to communicate with the proxy server. The default
is Port 80.
(See the MSP Portal guide for more details.)
4.2 Navigation Panel

The left-side Navigation panel provides quick access to ShadowProtect tasks and tools. Toggle the Navigation panel on or off by
selecting View > Task Panel. The Navigation panel is organized into the following categories. You can collapse and expand each
category, as desired.
Category Description Options

View Displays or hides the Network View. Network View: Toggles to display the list of nodes running the
ShadowProtect Backup Agent (see Remote Management).
Tasks Accesses ShadowProtect Wizards. Backup: Launches the Backup Wizard.
Restore: Launches the Restore Wizard.
Explore Backup: Launches the Explore Backup Images Wizard.
Dismount Backup Image: Launches the Backup Image Dismount
Wizard.
Tools Accesses ShadowProtect tools. Note: Several tools are available only in the Recovery Environment.
Verify Image: Launches the Verify Image Wizard.

Image Conversion Tool: Launches the Image Conversion Tool Wizard.
Network Configuration: (RE only) Launches the Network Configuration
utility, where you can configure a computer's network access settings.
HIR Configuration: (RE only) Launches the Hardware Independent
Restore (HIR) utility, where you can restore a backup image to a different
environment from which it was created.
Load Drivers: (RE only) Opens the Load Drivers dialog box, where you
can configure storage drivers for use in the Recovery Environment.
File Browser: (RE only) A simple file browser that lets you browse files
and folders of a backup image file.
Text Editor: (RE only) A simple text editor.
Vista BCD: (RE only) Launches the Vista BCD editor, where you can edit
Boot Configuration Data (BCD) on systems running Windows Vista.
Partition Table Editor: (RE only) A simple partition table editor.
UltraVNC: (RE only) Launches the Remote Management utility, where you
can configure remote access to systems running the Recovery
Environment.
Select Your Time Zone: (RE only) Launches the Time Zone utility, where
you can adjust the system's time zone information.
Enable Logging: (RE only) Opens the Logging dialog box, where you can
configure ShadowProtect event logging.

Help (Desktop/Server only) Accesses the Opens a browser window to select the preferred language for the user
online user guide. (Requires internet guide. Select a language and the ShadowProtect User Guide.
access.)
Note: Use the Search box at the upper-right of the page to locate specific
topics.
License (Desktop/Server only) Displays current Trial or Evaluation version: Displays the number of days before the
licensing information for this ShadowProtect installation expires.
ShadowProtect installation. Licensed version: Displays "Active", meaning that the product is fully
licensed and activated.
Info (RE only) Display system information. A quick reference to basic system information, including Computer Name,
IP Address and Time Zone information.
Status (RE only) Displays the current state of Queued Tasks: The number of queued tasks waiting to run.
the system, including: Running Tasks: The number of tasks currently running.
4.3 Tabs
The ShadowProtect Console provides the following pages in the Center panel:
Wizards Tab
Management View Tab
Disk Map Tab
Backup Jobs Tab
Destinations Tab
Backup History Tab
Wizards Tab
The Wizards tab is the default page in the Main panel. It provides access to three Wizards that guide users through the most
common ShadowProtect tasks.
Backup: Starts the Backup Wizard. This guides you through the creation of a backup job. For more information, see Create
a Backup Image.
Restore: Starts the Restore Wizard. This guides you through the process of restoring a volume from a backup image file.
For more information, see Restoring a Volume.
Explore Backup: Starts the Explore Backup Wizard. This guides you through mounting a backup image file as a volume so
you can restore individual files and folders. For more information, see Mounting Backup Image Files.

Management View Tab
The Management View tab is one way to access the remote management capabilities of ShadowProtect. It is the preferred
management view for users of ShadowProtect Server and ShadowProtect SBS because it lets you easily manage many nodes
from a single location.
The Management View tab is divided into two panes: Node Controls and Node List.
Node Controls
The Node Controls pane lets you manage connected nodes using the following controls:
Control Description
Connect Connects a previously-added managed remote node to the ShadowProtect user interface.
Disconnect Disconnects a managed remote node from the ShadowProtect user interface.
Add Adds a system that has the ShadowProtect Backup Agent installed to the node list.
Delete Deletes a remote node from the managed node list.
Edit Opens the Server Details dialog box of the currently selected node (see Modifying Remote Node Properties).
Manage Opens the ShadowProtect tabs (Disk Map, Backup Jobs, Destinations, Backup History) for the currently
selected node.
Opens the ShadowProtect Push Wizard, which lets you push the ShadowProtect agent out to other systems
Install that you want to manage from this Management View. For more information, see Installing the Backup Agent
Remotely.
Node List
The Node List appears below the Controls pane. This is a list of nodes currently managed by this console with these details.
Column Description
Computer Displays the Windows Computer Name for the system.
Connection Identifies if a managed system is currently connected to this console.
Status
Last Lists the time for the last scheduled backup. A green checkmark indicates the backup succeeded. A red dash
Backup indicates a failure.
Next
Shows the time for the next scheduled backup.
Backup
Backup
Indicates the number of backup failures for the system.
Failures
Backup Displays the percentage ( %) completed of a currently running backup job.
Progress
Each node displays information in three columns:
Job Status: Displays information about the current backup job, including the destination backup image file, and
status (queued, running, completed), and the time remaining (running job) or total time (completed job). Click View
Basic Details to view the Volume Backup tab.
Properties Backup Job: Displays information about the backup job configuration, including Compression, Encryption, and
the backup job options.
Schedule: If the selected backup job is a recurring job, the Basic Properties tab displays the job schedule for both
Full backup images, and Incremental backup images, where applicable.

Backup Displays detailed information about the currently running backup job, including time remaining, throughput, and an
Progress Event log. If no backup job is running, the Volume Backup tab displays details from the most recent backup job.
Disk Map Tab

The Disk Map tab provides a graphical view of available system drives--listing each physical disk drive with its partitions.The Disk
Map tab also lets you access the Backup and Restore Wizards for the selected drive.
Note: In the Recovery Environment, you can also run Chkdsk, format a drive or edit the selected disk's boot.ini file using the Disk
Map tab.
Disk Options
Right-click on a disk's description at the left and the Refresh Volumes Info option appears. This option refreshes this disk's volume
list.
Partition Options
Right-click a partition entry in Disk Map to open an actions menu for that entry:
Note: These same options appear when right-clicking on a volume in the list at the bottom of the pane.
These menu options perform these actions:
Option Description
Backup Launches the Backup Wizard (see Creating Backup Image

Files).
Restore Launches the Restore Wizard (see Restoring a Volume).
Refresh Volumes Refreshes the ShadowProtect volume list for the current
Info system.
Backup Jobs Tab

The Backup Jobs tab displays scheduled backup jobs. From this tab, you have complete control over the ShadowProtect jobs
configured for the current system.
The Backup Jobs tab is divided into two panes and includes a right-click menu:
Job Controls Pane

The upper Job Controls pane lets you manage backup jobs. Select a backup job from the job list to manage it, and view job
information in the Job Information pane. The Job Controls pane includes the following controls:
Control Description
Immediately executes the next task for the selected backup job--either a full backup or an incremental--depending on if
Execute the job creates incrementals or full weekly or monthly backups.
Warning: Execute includes an arrow to open a menu with Full and Incremental options. (Execute defaults to the job's
type.) If the job creates incrementals, ONLY select Full to stop the current backup chain and start a new one.
Cancel Cancels the selected backup job. This terminates a currently running job, but keeps the job status as enabled (this
means that the job executes at its Next Run Time).

Pause Toggles the selected job status between Enabled and Disabled. A disabled job is suspended and will not run until re-
New enabled.
Launches the Backup Wizard (see Create a Backup Image).
Delete
Deletes the selected job.
Edit Launches the Backup Wizard, where you can edit the selected job's configuration (see Create a Backup Image).
Details Opens the Volume Backup tab in the Job Information pane so you can see details about the currently selected backup
job.
Refresh Refreshes the volume information in the Backup Job Information pane.
Job Information
Displayed in the lower pane, Job Information includes two tabs--Basic Properties and Volume Backup--that provide information
about the currently selected backup job.
Basic Properties Tab
Displays details on:
Displays information about the current backup job:

Destination backup image file
Job Status Status (queued, running, or completed)
View Details Button (opens the Volume Backup tab)
Time remaining to complete the job (running job) or total time (completed job)
Average data transfer rate in megabytes/second
Provides details on the type of backup job:

Compression type (High, Standard, or None)
Encryption (password protect the backup file or not)
Scheduled Backup Job Options from the job's configuration such as:
--Include or exclude free space from the backup
--Performance Throttling (priority of the backup process)
--Incremental or full backup
Schedule Describes when to perform the backup
Volume Backup Tab
Displays details on:
Status Completed or Running

Source Identifies the volume the job backs up
Destination Identifies where ShadowProtect stores this job's backup image files
Event Log Displays detailed information about the currently running or the most recent backup job.
Note: Click Close to exit the Volume Backup tab.
Right-Click Menu
Select a backup job and right-click on it to display this menu:

These options include:
Immediately starts a new full backup of the selected job's volume.

Execute (Full) Caution: If the selected job creates continuous incrementals, clicking Execute (Full) stops the existing chain
and starts a new one with a new full backup file.
Execute
Immediately starts a new incremental of the volume either for incremental or weekly/monthly jobs.
(Incremental)
Immediately starts a new full backup of the selected job's volume (same as Execute (Full)).
Execute... Warning: If the selected job creates continuous incrementals, clicking Execute... stops the existing chain and
starts a new one with a full backup file.
Modifies the backup job's execution time (for details on the schedule dialog, see Creating Backup Image
Edit Schedule
Files).
Write Job File Creates a job file in the ShadowProtect\Jobs folder for use by STC Support in troubleshooting.
Disable Temporarily halts the execution of the selected backup job. (Toggles to Enable after selecting Disable.)
Delete Task Deletes the selected job.
Destinations Tab
The Destinations tab shows a list of configured storage locations for backup image files. Use this tab to create or modify
destinations used by ShadowProtect backup jobs. For more information see Using Destinations.
The Destinations tab includes:
Menu Bar
This offers options for working with destinations:
Add Opens the Destination dialog box.

Delete Deletes the currently selected Destination.
Edit Opens the Destination dialog box so you can modify the existing configuration (see Editing Destinations).
Refresh Updates the Destination Objects List and the Destination Objects Information List.
Destinations List
This upper pane displays a list of currently defined destinations for image files. Select a destination to view Information about the
backup image sets stored there. Use the menu bar to perform another operation. The list shows:
Type Identifies the destination as a Local Directory or a Network Share.

Name Shows the name given the destination when it was created.
Path Displays the network path or drive letter\volume\folder to the destination.

Image Sets
The lower pane displays information about the backup image sets stored in the currently selected destination. This includes:
Base image file name The name of the first file--a full image of the volume--in the backup incremental chain.
First image creation time The ShadowProtect date and time stamp of the base image file
Last image creation time The ShadowProtect date and time stamp of the last incremental in that chain.
Points in Time The number of incrementals stored in this backup chain.
Image List Doesn't Update

When ShadowProtect or ImageManager adds image files to a network destination (such as a NAS device), the list of these files
under the Destination tab may not update automatically. Use Refresh to update the list.
This most often occurs with Linux-based NAS devices as they do not always send out update notifications to ShadowProtect.
Backup History Tab

The Backup History tab displays the backup job log:
The Backup History tab shows:
Menu Bar
The menu offers:
Delete
Clears the Job List log file.
All
Details Displays or hides the Job Log pane.
Status The filter is a dropdown menu at the right side of the menu bar. This opens a sub-menu with options to filter the backup
Filter jobs to show All, Completed, Aborted, or Failed jobs. The default is All Events.
Job History
The upper pane displays a list of past backup jobs. Select a job to view job details in the Job Log. You can sort the backup history
lists using the column headers. You can also adjust the column width by dragging the column header borders.
Job Log
The lower pane displays the log entries for the selected job. (Note: This is the same information available in the Volume Backup
tab.) These entries help in troubleshooting issues with backups.

4.4 Network View
The Network view displays information for managing ShadowProtect on remote systems (see Remote Management). Select
Network View from the Navigation panel to see this panel while viewing any of the tabs.
The Network View includes the following controls:
Control Description
Connect Connects the ShadowProtect console to a previously added, managed remote node.
Disconnect Disconnects a managed remote node from the ShadowProtect console.
Add Adds a system to the node list. This system must have the ShadowProtect backup agent installed.
Delete Deletes a remote node from the managed node list.
Refresh Refreshes the remote node list.
Properties Toggles the Properties table on and off.
Import Nodes Imports a previously exported node list into your Network View.
Export Nodes Exports your node list into an XML file.
Properties Table
This table shows:
Displays details of the selected node:

Server Name--Shows the Windows machine name for the node.
General Server Address--Repeats the machine name if local, the address if remote.
Group name--Shows which group the system is part of.
Server Description--Indicates if the node is local or remote.
Status--Displays the connection status of the node to this ShadowProtect console.
Displays the authentication details for the selected node:
Auth Settings Domain name--Indicates the network domain name if a remote node.
User name--Displays the user name used to log into a remote node.
Password--Indicates the password used to log into the remote node.
Displays details of the node's ShadowProtect agent:

Agent Information Agent version--Shows the installed version of the ShadowProtect agent.
Last connected--Indicates the date and time this node was last connected to this console.
5 Creating Backup Image Files

Note: For information about creating a backup image file in Recovery Environment, see the StorageCraft Recovery
Environment User Guide.
ShadowProtect provides two ways to create backup image files using the Backup Wizard:
One-Time Backup: The Backup Wizard guides you through creating an immediate full backup image file. Consider the following
when creating a one-time backup job:
ShadowProtect supports one-time backup images from both Windows and Recovery Environment. For more information
about each of these products, see Features and Components.
You must be a member of the Administrator group on the system where you want to create a backup.
One-time backup jobs can be run at any time. They do not affect existing scheduled backup jobs for that volume.
Scheduled Backup: The Backup Wizard guides you through the process of creating a recurring backup job. Consider the
following when creating a scheduled backup job:
A volume can belong to no more than one scheduled incremental backup job. Note that this limitation does not prevent
creating a one-time backup image or a differential backup image of that volume.
If ShadowProtect is currently running a backup job for that volume, or the computer is turned off and unavailable,
ShadowProtect skips any scheduled backup jobs for that volume at that time.
ShadowProtect supports scheduled backup images only from Windows (not the Recovery Environment).
ShadowProtect includes VirtualBoot, which allows administrators to launch a temporary replacement for a crashed or
disabled server or workstation Note: In order to continue the existing backup chain for the system while it is hosted on a
VirtualBoot VM, you must use a ShadowProtect Destination Object of type "Network Share" in the backup job to store the
system's image files (see Destinations).
Note: Use the Backup Wizard to configure a NETGEAR ReadyDATA destination.
Backup Scheduling Options
ShadowProtect offers a set of scheduling options:
Creates Full or Differential backup images.

Now Note: The differential option is active only for an existing chain.
Creates a one-time backup job that starts as soon as the Backup Wizard closes.
Creates full backup images.

Creates a one-time backup job at the specified date and time.
Later By default, the Start Time fields display the current date and time. To change the date and time settings, click on
an element of the date/time (month, day, year, hour minute, second, AM/PM), then type or use the up/down
buttons to set the desired value.
Creates Full and Incremental backup images.

Creates a recurring backup job based on a weekly schedule. You select the weekdays and time of day to
start a Full backup.
Optionally, you can specify a schedule for Incremental backups.
a. Select the weekdays to create incremental backups.
b. Specify times of day to start and stop creating incremental backups.
Weekly c. Specify the incremental backup frequency (minutes between incremental backups).
Note: The Weekly schedule always creates a new full backup at least once a week, even after the incrementals
in between. To create a backup job that takes a full backup and then a single incremental once a week, for
example, select Continuous Incrementals and define the day and time to take the incremental once a week. For
example, select only Saturday for an incremental, with the interval of 999 minutes. This creates a single full
backup at the start of the job, then a single incremental on Saturday each week. In the event of a drive failure,
however, such a schedule would result in the loss of up to a full week of data.
Creates Full and Incremental backup images.

Creates a recurring backup job based on a monthly schedule. Select the days of the month and time of day
to start a full backup.
Monthly Optionally, you can specify a schedule for incremental backups.
b. Specify times of day to start creating incremental backups

Continuous Creates Full and Incremental backup images.
Incrementals Creates a single Full backup, then creates recurring incremental backups from that point forward. This
option requires StorageCraft ImageManager (see the StorageCraft ImageManager User Guide).
To specify the Incremental backup schedule:

b. Specify times of day to start and stop creating incremental backups.
c. Specify the Incremental backup frequency (minutes between incremental backups).
Note: ShadowProtect allows only one incremental backup job for each source volume.
Creating a Differential Backup Image

Use a differential to create a backup file that contains only the differences since the last backup. Note that a To create a
differential:
1. Select Differential backup in the wizard's Backup Schedule page.

2. Continue with the wizard to the Previous Backup Image page.
3. Select the existing backup image file to use as a basis for creating the differential backup image.
4. Click Next.
5. On the Options page, select the desired backup image file options.
Note: The Options page lets you set both basic and advanced backup image options.
6. Click Next to continue with the wizard.
ShadowProtect creates a differential backup image file for this system.
Email Notifications
To receive email notifications when a backup job succeeds or fails, go to Options > Agent Options. Configure an email
address, then select either or both Send Email on Success or Send Email on Failure to receive notices.
Start a New Job after an OS Upgrade

Operating system upgrades make profound changes to software. StorageCraft recommends starting a new backup job after an
OS upgrade rather than attempt to continue with an older existing chain of the same volume. If the upgrade is from one major OS
release to another, you will also need to deactivate the ShadowProtect license and uninstall the software prior to the upgrade. (For
example, a major upgrade would be from a Windows 7 system to Windows 8 or a Windows 8 to Windows Pro.) After the OS
upgrade, reinstall ShadowProtect and reactivate the license.
Note: The system preserves backup job configurations and other ShadowProtect settings through the reinstall.
5.1 Backup Image File Storage Locations

ShadowProtect can store backup image files on any disk device:
Hard drives
Removeable USB/FireWire drives
Network drives
Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices.
and optical media:
CDs
DVDs
Blu-Ray discs
Each has advantages and disadvantages:
Location Advantages Disadvantages
Local Hard Drive

Fast backup and restore Consumes local disk space
Inexpensive Vulnerable to loss if the drive fails
Cannot use the source drive or volume as the target for
backups
Fast backup and restore
Local USB/FireWire Preserves disk space on More expensive than local hard drives
local drives
Drive Vulnerable to loss if the drive fails
Inexpensive
Easy off-site storage
Fast backup and restore

Protection from local hard Must have network interface card drivers supported by
Network Hard Drive drive failure Recovery Environment
(Server) Off-site storage Complexity. Users must have network rights to save and
Can run ImageManager on access backup images
system
Relatively fast backup and

Network Attached restore Must have network access to reach device
Storage (NAS) Protection from local drive Must have access rights to the device
failure
Preserves local disk space
Good media for archiving Slower backups due to media speeds vs. hard drives
Optical (CD/DVD/Blu- Protection from local hard File restrictions due to limited capacity of discs
Ray) drive failure Spanning large files over multiple discs adds management
effort
Note: If you select a destination that does not have enough disk space to save the backup image, the backup job fails.
ShadowProtect notes the reason for the failure in its log file (and in the Backup History tab).
5.2 Destinations
Backup destinations are pre-defined storage locations for backup image files. ShadowProtect supports both local and network
storage as destinations. If a destination storage device changes, you only have to modify the destinations that point to that storage
device, rather than edit all backup jobs which use that destination.
Note: Destinations can point to only one folder. StorageCraft strongly recommends that each system have a unique folder to
store its image files since mixing these files from different systems makes it almost impossible to manage. As a result, you
must define a different destination for each system. However, you can use this one destination folder to save all the backup
jobs from the same system. (For example, if the system has multiple volumes such as a boot volume and a data volume.)
To create a backup job destination

1. Open the ShadowProtect console, then select Tasks > Add Destination.
This displays the Destinations dialog box. You can also open the Destinations dialog box from the Backup Name and
Destination page of the Backup Wizard (see Creating Backup Image Files).
2. Specify the settings for the new destination, then click OK.
Select the type of destination to create:
Local Directory: The destination is on a locally connected storage device (HDD, USB drive, etc.)
Destination Network Share: The destination is on the network.
Type Note: Select a "Network Share" Destination Type to continue the backup chain even if the source system
itself suffers a failure. Choosing a Network Share allows users to launch a VirtualBoot temporary
replacement for the failed system.
Destination
Specify a descriptive name for this destination.
Name
Click Browse to locate the destination.
Local Directory: Click Browse, then select the local drive and folder to store backup images.
Network Share: Click Browse, then select the network location to store backup images.
Warning:The Destination Path cannot contain special characters:
Destination
Path ` ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) | \/ ? > < , { } [ ]
The path also cannot exceed 186 characters in length. If either occurs, the connection fails.
Warning: Do not change the Network Share name using a Windows utility or the Management page in a
NETGEAR ReadyDATA NAS. Doing so causes the job to fail.
Specify the credentials needed:

Network Share: Enter the network credentials.
User ShadowProtect Backup Service credentials: Use the same stored credentials used by the
Credentials ShadowProtect backup service to access your system.
Specific user credentials: Provide the Container (Domain, Computer name, or NAS device name),
Username and Password that ShadowProtect should use to access this network share.
Verify Instructs ShadowProtect to verify the destination path and access credentials, if necessary, before creating
Destination the destination.
If the destination access verification is not successful, the program alerts you that it could not create the
Access destination. If this happens, confirm the path and credentials are accurate, then re-create the destination.
Netgear ReadyDATA Destinations

The configuration of a Netgear ReadyDATA system as a backup file target destination uses the Backup Wizard, not the
Desitnations tab.
Editing Destinations
To edit a backup job destination
1. Start the ShadowProtect Console (see Starting ShadowProtect).
2. Select the Destinations tab.
3. Select the destination to edit, then click Edit.
This opens the Destination dialog box showing the current destination configuration. From this dialog box, you can edit all of
the destination's properties except the Destination Type (Network Share or Local Directory). If this type changes, create a
new destination.
Deleting Destinations
To delete a backup job destination
1. Start the ShadowProtect console (see Starting ShadowProtect).
2. Select the Destinations tab.
3. Select the destination to delete, then click Delete.
Note: Before deleting a destination, make sure to modify or delete any backup jobs that use the destination or the jobs
will fail. For information about editing backup jobs, (see Backup Jobs Tab.)
5.3 Configuring a Continuous Incremental Backup Job

A continuous incremental backup job creates:
An initial single full backup (base image)
Recurring incremental backups from that point on at set intervals.
Note: ShadowProtect supports only one continuous backup job per volume. The continuous incremental job type is greyed out if
one or more volumes already has a continuous job running.
Incremental backups benefit from using StorageCraft ImageManager to manage the amount of disk space used by the files and to
maintain their integrity.
Some points to consider when configuring a continuous incremental backup job:
Provide a name for the backup job. While ShadowProtect does not require a user-defined name, creating a unique name
allows quick identification of related backup files in a folder. ShadowControl CMD also can display the backup job name--
again making it easier to determine which job applies to which EndPoint.
The minimum interval for backups is every 15 minutes. The maximum is once every 1440 minutes (24 hours). The Wizard will
calculate and display the number of backups ShadowProtect will do each day based on the start/stop times and the interval.
StorageCraft recommends to always use VSS for backups, so leave the Use VSS option and the Sunday option under VSS
Incremental Backups section checkmarked. (See Using VSS for details on when to not use VSS.)
StorageCraft also strongly recommends using the free StorageCraft ImageManager software to consolidate backup files. A
continuous incremental job creates an ongoing flow of new files which can quickly saturate a destination drive. To avoid this,
use ImageManager to schedule consolidation of older incremental backup files.
System Reserve and other Volumes

Hardware vendors may configure their hard drives to include additional partitions:
Diagnostic Partition: Usually a 100MB or less partition, this would include one or more tools specific to that hardware
platform. This partition will have no drive letter assigned to it.
Recovery Partition: Usually a 1GB or less partition, this stores data existing on the boot partition prior to installing the
Operating System. The Recovery Partition is used to restore the system back to factory default status.This partition will have
no drive letter assigned to it.
System Reserve Volume: This may include boot information and is of particular value only when using Microsoft Windows
BitLocker.
A ShadowProtect restore typically does not require a backup of any of these volumes. Instead ShadowProtect:
Recreates the boot information from the System Reserve volume during a restore.
Does not need additional hardware-specific diagnostic tools in the Diagnostic Partition as a typical restore is to new,
different hardware.
Does not need the factory content from the Recovery Partition as this partition contains hardware-specific diagnostic tools
not compatible with new, different hardware.
The only exception is in the case of a system which uses Windows BitLocker to encrypt a partition. If a user uses the Recovery
Environment to create a full cold backup of the encrypted partition, a one-time full backup of the System Reserve volume is
required. This one-time backup preserves the Bitlocker data required to decrypt the partition.
Note that user-preference may warrant preserving these partitions with one-time full backups.
GPT Disk Volumes

GPT disks also include additional volumes:
the EFI System partition (ESP)
the Microsoft Reserved Partition (MSR)
Neither of these require a backup, as ShadowProtect automatically restores the required partitions during recovery. (In fact, the
MSR contains no file system to back up.)
Creating a Continuous Incremental Backup Using the NETGEAR ReadyDATA

ShadowProtect 5.2.0 and StorageCraft Recovery Environment for Windows now support the NETGEAR ReadyDATA system. The
procedure in configuring and using the NETGEAR ReadyDATA differs from the standard procedure. This section describes these
considerations.
Considerations when using the NETGEAR system:
It is defined as a destination using the Backup Wizard, not the Destinations tab as with most network resources.
It exclusively supports continuous incremental backup jobs.
Its backups are automatically saved as vhdx-format virtual disks.
It includes a unique backup file retention policy run by ShadowProtect for the ReadyDATA system. (Incremental backup jobs
using any other destination rely on StorageCraft ImageManager to implement retention policies.)
To configure a NETGEAR ReadyDATA destination:
1. In the Backup Wizard's Backup Name and Destination dialog, select Network Locations in the location dropdown box. The
Destination dialog opens.
2. In the Destination Type dropdown box, select NETGEAR ReadyDATA. The dialog changes to reflect the NETGEAR
configuration:
3. Enter a unique Destination Share name.

Warning: Do not change the Destination Share name later on using a Windows utility or the Management page in a
NETGEAR ReadyDATA NAS. Doing so causes the job to fail. Attempting to recreate the job using the same Share name
also results in an error.
4. Enter the IP address (or device name) and login credentials for the NETGEAR ReadyDATA system:
5. Click Connect. ShadowProtect displays volume information for the NETGEAR system after successfully connecting.
6. Select either New/Existing or Use admin account to run the job. Use New/Existing to select an existing NETGEAR user or
create a new one to run the job. (ShadowProtect automatically creates the user on the NETGEAR when specifying a new
user.) Select Use admin account to use that account to run the job.
7. Click OK to save the configuration. ShadowProtect displays the Backup Name and Destination dialog again, now showing
the NETGEAR destination in the location box:
8. Click Next. ShadowProtect displays the Backup Job Editor showing the Retention Policy Rules. (Note: This is different than
regular continuous incremental backup jobs which rely on ImageManager to configure retention policy.) These rules describe
how the NETGEAR consolidates and removes older backups.
9. Select the minimum number of backups to keep and the maximum number of days to keep those backups.
10. Select Enforce policy before starting the next full backup to have ShadowProtect consolidate or delete backups prior to
running the next backup. This conserves space and prevents a possible failed backup in the event of the drive running out of
space. If the Enforce policy option is left unchecked, the NETGEAR system executes the backup, then performs any retention
policy events.
11. Click Next to continue configuring the backup job as outlined for other continuous incremental jobs.
Using VSS
ShadowProtect uses the Windows VSS framework to provide consistent backups of SQLServer, Exchange, Active Directory,
Oracle or other database systems. VSS ensures that all cached data is written to disk prior to taking the snapshot. Using VSS,
ShadowProtect simplifies a system restore--whether on a server or a workstation. For these reasons, using VSS is the default for
all ShadowProtect backup jobs.
There are, however, a few uncommon scenarios where taking a non-VSS backup may be an option:
One or more VSS components fail, causing the backup job to fail.
Limited disk space requires smaller incremental file sizes.
Limited server resources (RAM or CPU) requires a simpler backup operation.
The preferred solution to these issues is to either resolve the failure or provide additional storage or processor resources.
However, it is possible to configure a backup job to run wthout VSS or to only use VSS on set occasions.
Note: The option to use or not use VSS is only available when configuring a continuous incremental backup job.
This table summarizes strategies for various backup issues:
Issue Possible Resolutions
Some VSS writers do not fully or correctly comply with

VSS the VSS spec. This may cause VSS to halt. This type
component of error will be noted in the backup job's log file. Refer
failure to the Agent Options page for details on using VSS
Options to resolve this problem.
This may occur with a NAS destination for multiple
systems' backup files. Rather than have a backup fail
for lack of space, configure ShadowProtect to take a
Limited non-VSS backup. The resulting non-VSS incremental
file typically gives a modest decrease in size
disk space
compared to a full VSS backup. This decrease may
be useful then for multiple devices to continue to
backup to a single volume until more space becomes
available.
A server may host multiple processor-intensive

applications (such as may occur with Windows SBS).
Adding the task of executing an incremental backup
every 15 minutes may result in poor performance.
Limited Opting for a non-VSS backup could limit the impact of
server each snapshot on the server.
resources
Rather than execute non-VSS backups only, the
recommendation is to configure the job to execulte
non-VSS backups during business hours, then
execute a VSS backup after hours.
Non-VSS-Aware Applications
Some applications, such as Intuit QuickBooks, remain non-VSS-aware. These applications may seem like a good case to
configure a non-VSS backup. However, it is not. Instead, ShadowProtect supports both pre- and post-backup scripts which can run
commands to stop and restart these non-VSS-aware apps. (See Commands for details on running scripts.)
Configuring a Scheduled VSS Backup Job

The Backup Job wizard can configure a scheduled backup job using VSS on one or more days. Use the VSS Incremental
Backups section of the Backup Schedule dialog:
To configure this job:

1. Mark the day(s) to perform the VSS backup.
2. Use the combo box to specify the time to run the VSS job.
Note: If the aim is to reduce the workload on a server, select a time after business hours.
3. Uncheck Use VSS in the lower Additional Incremental Backups section.
Note: Leaving the Use VSS checkbox marked causes ShadowProtect to ignore any settings in the upper VSS Incremental
Backups pane. Instead, ShadowProtect uses VSS for all incremental snapshots.
When using both types of backups for a job, ShadowProtect keeps the scheduled VSS backup incremental file in the correct time
sequence of the backup job's chain along with the non-VSS backups. In the event of a system restore, select the VSS backup file if
possible to ensure a clean restore of the volume rather than selecting one of the non-VSS backups.
Configuring a Non-VSS Backup Job

Use the Backup Schedule dialog to configure a job that only runs non-VSS backups:
1. Uncheck Use VSS in the lower Additional Incremental Backups section.
2. Uncheck Sun (and any other marked days) in the upper VSS Incremental Backups section.
Warning: Consider carefully before creating a non-VSS-only continuous incremental backup job. Without VSS, there is the
potential for lost data and corrupted files particularly with VSS-aware apps. This type of backup is referred to as "crash-
consistent", as it is similar to taking a backup after a power failure on the system. In the event of a restore, these applications may
require an extended recovery using the application's tools to repair any losses or corruption. These are the same steps as would
be required to recover from system crash--such as a power failure or from an improper shutdown of the application.
5.4 Configuring a Weekly/Monthly Backup Job

The ShadowProtect Backup Wizard guides you through the process of creating a weekly or monthly backup job. Consider the
following when creating such a job:
ShadowProtect creates a separate backup file for each volume.
The selected backup schedule determines the available backup image types. For more information about these types, see
the Glossary.
ShadowProtect supports differential backup images which save only the changes since the last full backup.
ShadowProtect can schedule jobs for:
Now Creates a one-time full (complete volume) or differential (only the changes since the last backup) images.
Starts as soon as the Backup Wizard closes.
Creates a one-time full backup image.
Starts at the specified date and time.
Later By default, the Start Time fields display the current date and time. To change the date and time settings, click on an
element of the date/time (month, day, year, hour minute, second, AM/PM), then type or use the up/down buttons to set
the desired value.
Creates full or full with incremental backup images.
Weekly Creates a recurring backup job based on a weekly schedule.
Select the weekdays and time of day to run the full or full and incremental backups.
Creates full or full and incremental backup images.
Monthly Creates a recurring backup job based on a monthly schedule.
Select the days of the month and time of day to start the full or full and incremental backups.
System Reserve and other Volumes

Hardware vendors may configure their hard drives to include multiple partitions:
Diagnostic Partition: Usually a 100MB or less partition, this would include one or more tools specific to that hardware
platform. This partition will have no drive letter assigned to it.
Recovery Partition: This has only the data included on the new disk prior to installing the Operating System. It is used to
restore the system back to factory status. This partition will have no drive letter assigned to it.
System Reserve Volume: This may include boot information and is of particular value only when using BitLocker.
A ShadowProtect restore does not require either a full or continuous backups of these volumes, as it:
Can recreate the boot information from the System Reserve volume.
Does not need the factory content from the Recovery Partition since a typical restore occurs after the drive has failed.
Does not need additional hardware-specific diagnostic tools as again a typical restore is to new, different hardware.
The only exception is in the case of a system using BitLocker. In which case, a one-time full backup of the System Reserve volume
preserves the needed content for a full restore. However, user-preference may warrant preserving these volumes with additional
one-time full backups.
5.5 Options
ShadowProtect provides the following backup image file options when creating a backup job:
Compression Method
Encryption
Split Image File
Backup Comment
Advanced Options
Note: StorageCraft recommends keeping the default settings for these options. However, the linked sections on each option
explain the ramifications of modifying each option if required.
Compression Method
ShadowProtect provides the following file compression options when creating a backup image file:
None No data compression. This option uses the fewest CPU resources but uses
the most disk space.

Standard Typically compresses data by about 40%. Standard compression provides
an optimal
Typically balance between
compresses data byCPU usage
about 50%.and
Thisdisk space
option usage.the most
requires
High CPU resources, but is useful when disk space is limited.
Contemporary standalone or VM host hardware provides adequate support for the high compression setting. Modify the setting
only when extended monitoring reveals performance degradation during backup operations.
File Protection
ShadowProtect provides the following file protection mechanisms for image files. File protection is particularly useful when storing
backup image files on a network or replicating off-site to help prevent unauthorized access to the files.
Password Protection: Assigning a password requires the use of the correct password to access the backup image file. Use
these guidelines to create a password using ShadowProtect:
Use a variety of alphanumeric and symbol characters.
Use a random mixture of characters: upper and lower case letters, symbols and numbers.
Use at least eight characters.
Don’t use a word found in the dictionary.
Once defined, ShadowProtect cannot change the password for a given chain. If changing the encryption password becomes
necessary, create a new backup job and chain with the new password.
Warning: Guard encryption passwords carefully. ShadowProtect cannot access a backup image file without the
password. ShadowProtect cannot change passwords on existing encrypted files. Nor can StorageCraft Support
recover the password or otherwise provide access to an encrypted backup image file.
File Encryption: ShadowProtect uses the password as an encryption key when encrypting the backup image file. You can select
one of three encryption methods in the Advanced Options dialog box. For details, see "Encryption" in Advanced Options.
Use Password File: You can use a password file, also known as a Key File, to encrypt a backup image. This is helpful if you are
not managing your own backups and you don’t want other users to have access to the password used to protect the backup image
files. For information about creating a Key File, see Creating Key Files.
Important: StorageCraft strongly recommends encrypting all backup files replicated to remote sites.
Split Image File

ShadowProtect can split a large backup image file into multiple smaller files, These smaller files create a Spanned Image Set.
Use spanned image sets to move a large backup image file onto fixed-length media such as CDs or DVDs.
To split a backup image file:
1. Select Split Image File in the Backup Wizard's Options page.
2. Specify the maximum file size (in MB) for each of the smaller files in the set the Split Image File field. For example, 700MB for
CD-Rs or 4000MB for DVD-R.
Note: You can also split an existing backup image file using the Image Conversion Tool.
Note: If a backup image file is divided into multiple files, the filename suffix will change to .sp1, .sp2, ..., .spN, where N
represents the file's sequence within the Spanned Image Set.
Backup Job Name

The Backup Job Name field specifies a name for the job. ShadowProtect uses this name as a prefix for each backup image file
created as part of this job. This makes tracking and managing image files simpler. For example, a backup job with the name
"Server1" quickly identifies just those backup image files that are related to Server1.
The ShadowControl CMD console also uses backup job names in reporting on EndPoint status. Again, this makes managing
these files easier.

Backup Comment
The Backup Comment option adds a text comment to a backup image file. Users can review these comments when mounting or
restoring the backup image file at a later date. ShadowProtect adds the time and date stamp by default to the backup image.
ShadowProtect supports a text comment of up to 100 characters. The software displays an error message when attempting to
save a comment exceeding this length. Return to the edit field to reduce the text length in order to save the comment.
Note: ShadowProtect includes the contents of this Backup Comment field in its log. Ensure that the text is clear and self-
explanatory to avoid errors when reviewing the log files.
Advanced Options
ShadowProtect supports various advanced options for backup image jobs. Access these options by clicking Advanced on the
Options page of the Backup Wizard:
(For details on creating a job, see Creating Backup Image Files.)
Note: StorageCraft recommends keeping the default advanced option settings unless you fully understand the impact of
changing these settings.
ShadowProtect organizes these advanced options into four tabs:

Backup
Image
Commands
Retention
Note: Retention only appears when creating weekly or monthly backup jobs.
Backup
The Backup tab includes the following advanced options:

Backs up all sectors on the volume including those sectors
marked as free space. This can result in a much larger
Include Free image file, but can help preserve previously deleted files.
Space OFF Note: You can turn this option On or Off at a later date
without creating a new job.
Specifies how much I/O bandwidth that ShadowProtect

ON, can use when creating a backup image file. Use the slider
Performance 100% bar to adjust this setting. Reducing (throttling)
throttling I/O ShadowProtect I/O usage increases the time it takes to
usage create a backup image file, but can reserve I/O bandwidth
for other processes.
Instructs ShadowProtect to create a differential image
2nd and rather than a full image for the second and subsequent
subsequent scheduled backup jobs. For example, if you have a weekly
backup schedule that creates a new full image each
full backups OFF
Monday, selecting this option instructs ShadowProtect to
are create a differential image each Monday based on the
differentials changes since the initial full image. This reduces storage
needs for the backup image files over time.
Generate Instructs ShadowProtect to create an MD5 (Message
MD5 file Digest 5) checksum file when creating a backup image
when ON file. The checksum lets you confirm the file integrity of
creating an backup image files. ImageManager also uses this MD5 file
image file to verify integrity.
Instructs ShadowProtect to ignore disk read errors that

Ignore read occur during the creation of backup image files. Use this
failures and option with caution, as it may back up disk corruption and
OFF
continue prevent a restored volume from working properly.
backup However, in the event of a failed disk, it may help preserve
any remaining intact data.
Instructs ShadowProtect to create an SPK key file when
choosing to encrypt backup files. Turning this option OFF
Write Key forces ShadowProtect to not create an SPK file while
ON
File encrypting backup files. Users will need to enter the
encrypted file password each time to perform operations
such as in ImageManager.
Causes ShadowProtect to create a bitmap file for the
Generate source volume. ImageManager can then use this file to
volume OFF prune free space during a backup consolidation.
ShadowProtect's Image Conversion utility can also use
bitmap this file to exclude free space when converting a file to
VMDK or VHD.
Image
The Image tab includes the following advanced options:

Enable Enables or disables using file caching when writing the
write OFF backup image file. When writing to a network location, this
caching may slow down the backup process.
Enable Enables or disables creating backup images
concurrent simultaneously for multiple volumes rather than creating one
OFF
task backup image at a time. When using this option, the system
execution hardware should support a high disk load.

Determines how ShadowProtect reacts to a system error
that interrupts the ShadowProtect incremental tracking
feature. When set to Off, ShadowProtect recovers by
generating a new full image and starting a new image set.
Enable self- When set to On, ShadowProtect recovers by creating an
healing incremental image as planned, along with a differential
incremental ON image based on the most recent incremental image and the
recovery current volume. This prevents disruption of the incremental
backup schedule. It can, however, result in increased CPU
and network bandwidth usage when compared to creating a
new set.
Enables or disables executing the last scheduled backup

Auto- job if it was missed. (For example, because the system was
execution powered off.) If ShadowProtect missed more than one
scheduled job, this option executes only the last unexecuted
of ON
backup job. The exception is if a scheduled full and
unexecuted subsequent incremental backups were missed, the
task missed full backup would be taken but not the missed
incremental backup(s).
Commands
The Commands tab specifies command files (.exe, .cmd, .bat) to execute at key points in the backup image file creation process.
The command files cannot rely on any user interaction, so test each command file before using them with ShadowProtect.
ShadowProtect default allows for 1 minute at each stage (Pre-snapshot, Post-snapshot, and Post-backup) for command files to
complete. If the command files do not complete in 1 minute, ShadowProtect proceeds while the command files continue executing.
To use a command file for a particular stage, either:
Use Browse to locate and open an existing command file or
Enter the full file name, including path, into the appropriate field
Pre-Snapshot
Executes the specified command file before taking the image snapshot. For example, you might execute a pre-snapshot
command file that places non-VSS-aware applications or databases into a backup state.
Note: It takes only a few seconds to create a snapshot, so non-VSS-aware databases or applications are only out of
production briefly before they return to normal operating mode using a post-snapshot command.
Post-Snapshot
Executes the specified command file after taking the image snapshot. For example, you might execute a post-snapshot command
file to return non-VSS-aware applications or databases back to normal operating mode.
Post-Backup
Executes the specified command file after creating the backup image file. For example, you might execute a post-backup
command file to automatically copy the backup image file to an off-site location or FTP server.
Note: To avoid the 1 minute execution limit for post-backup command files, call a command file that executes another
command file and then finishes. This lets you complete the ShadowProtect-associated command file in the 1-minute
allotment while the secondary command file performs tasks that take longer to complete (synchronizing or copying the
backup image files to an alternate location, scanning the backup image file for viruses, etc.).
Encryption
The Encryption tab specifies the algorithm used to encrypt the backup image file. This tab displays only when you select Enter
Password on the Options page of the Backup Wizard (see File Protection).
Algorithm Description
RC4 128-bit Fastest, but least secure, algorithm

AES 128-bit A balance between speed and security
AES 256-bit The most secure, but slowest, of the algorithms
Note: Most contemporary hardware supports the default AES 256-bit encryption without undue delays.
Retention
The Retention tab sets policy for automatically managing the retention of backup images. ShadowProtect only displays the
Retention tab for weekly or monthly jobs. (Continuous incremental jobs use ImageManager to enforce retention policy.)
The Retention tab includes the following options:

Enable a
retention OFF Enables or disables an automatic retention policy. The
following settings outline this policy.
policy
Number of Specifies the maximum number of image sets to keep.
backup When ShadowProtect reaches this set maximum, it deletes
3
Image Sets the oldest image set after running the next backup.
to retain
Instructs ShadowProtect to delete all files, both full and

incremental, when removing an old image set.
Delete both
Full and Note: By default, ShadowProtect enforces the retention
Incremental policy (and deletes an older set) only after creating a new
OFF image set. This means that ShadowProtect creates the
backup Maximum +1 image set first before deleting the oldest
images in image set. This ensures that it always keeps the maximum
the set number of image sets. However the drive storing the sets
must have space for M+1 sets temporarily while
ShadowProtect creates the newest backup.
Delete only
Incremental
backup
Instructs ShadowProtect to delete only the incremental
images ON
backup images when removing an old image set.
(retain Full
backup
images)
Enforce Instructs ShadowProtect to make room for a new image set

policy by deleting the oldest image set before creating the new
before image set. This reduces the amount of disk space needed
OFF to adhere to the specified retention policy.
starting the
next Full Note: Use this setting to further limit the amount of space
backup taken with backup files.
5.6 Deleting Backup Image Files

You can delete backup image files using any process you normally use to delete a file in Windows. However, before deleting a
backup image file, be certain of the following:
Verify that a full backup image file is not required for any existing chain from an active backup job. If this file is the start of an
active backup job, deleting the file breaks the chain. If you proceed to delete the file, ShadowProtect will create a new full
backup image file at the next scheduled backup and start a new chain. All existing incremental files in the old chain will not be
accessible.
Verfiy that no newer incremental files depend on an older incremental file before deleting the older one. If you proceed to
delete the older file, all the later dependent backup image files become useless. That is, you cannot mount or restore files
from these dependent backup image files.
Use the Image Conversion Tool to check for any incremental file dependencies.
6 Mounting Backup Image Files

The ShadowProtect Explore Backup Wizard guides you through the process of mounting a backup image file. If the selected
image file is part of a chain, ShadowProtect automatically associates the files required to browse and restore this specific backup
image file. You only need to select the backup image you want to explore. Once mounted, you can treat the backup image file as
you would any other Windows volume:
Browse the backup image file.
Share the backup image file.
Copy individual files and folders from the backup image file.
Modify the backup image file (if the volume is configured as writeable).
Use standard Windows security and file properties.
The restore process is the same whether you use the ShadowProtect console and Windows to restore files and folders or use the
StorageCraft Recovery Environment to do so. Which you use depends specifically on the state of your system and what you need
to restore:
Restore in Windows runs but you have lost data or had undesirable changes to
Windows applications or hardware files on a volume (excluding the operating
system files).
Windows does not load and you have lost data or operating system
Restore in
files, or had undesirable changes to applications or hardware files
Recovery
on a volume. For more information, see the StorageCraft Recovery
Environment
Warning: Image mount operations should only be used to restore data. Never mount an image as writable and continue adding
data as if you are in a production environment. Never mount a writable image chain and share it across the network. Temporary
changes are written to a .spwb file while the image is mounted and those changes are written to the .spi file when you dismount. If
many changes are added by multiple users across the network, AND if any kind of problem occurs when you dismount. . . ALL
changes will be lost. StorageCraft cannot recover any changes from a failed dismount that were made while a writable image was
mounted.
Note: To restore data from an incremental image, you must have all previous incremental backup image files and the initial
full backup image that the selected image depends on. If any of these files is missing or corrupt, mounting the backup image
to that point in time is not possible.
For information about mount options, see Backup Image Mount Options.
To mount a backup image file
Note: To mount a VHDX backup on a system with a custom install of ShadowProtect, confirm that the system includes at
least the ShadowProtect Backup Agent.
1. Use the Explore Backup Wizard in ShadowProtect to display the Backup Image File Name page.
2. Browse to the backup image file you want to mount, then click Next.
For information about backup image file naming conventions, see File Naming Conventions.
For NETGEAR ReadyDATA systems, enter the device's IP address or device name, then click Browse. In the Open
dialog, Use the Files of Type dropdown box to change the default file type from ShadowProtect files to VHDx. Browse
through the Completed Backups folder to select the desired point-in-time file to mount. The Mount Wizard selects the
largest volume of a multi-volume VHDX by default. Select the desired volume to continue.
Note: You must provide the password for an encrypted backup image.
The Explore Backup Image Wizard displays a categorized list of information about the backup image file.
3. (Conditional) In the Backup Image Dependencies page, select the desired point-in-time image from the selected
backup image set, then click Next.
4. On the Explore Options page, select how you want to mount the backup image, then click Next.
For more information about mount options, see Backup Image Mount Options.
Mount Option Procedure
1. Select Assign the following drive letter.
Mount image as a drive letter
2. Select the appropriate drive letter from the drop-down list.
1. Select Mount in the following empty NTFS folder.
2. Browse to an appropriate folder to select it.
3. To name the mount point subfolder, select to use:
Mount the backup image file as a mount point
Time/Date (defaults to the image file's creation timestamp)
File Name (defaults to the image file's name)
Custom (a user-defined string)
5. (Optional) Deselect Mount Backup as Read-Only to mount the backup image as a writeable volume.
If you mount the backup image file as a writeable volume, you can choose to save the changes to an Incremental image
file when you dismount the volume (see Dismounting Backup Image Files in Windows).
Note: Mounting a backup image as a writeable volume does not alter the source file. ShadowProtect never modifies
an existing backup file.
Warning: NETGEAR ReadyDATA-stored VHDx backup image files may be mounted Writeable. However, that
system does not support saving changes from a VHDx and discards them on dismount..
6. On the Wizard Summary page, review the mount information, then click Finish.
ShadowProtect mounts the backup image file, automatically launches Windows Explorer and then displays the
mounted volume.
7. With the backup image mounted, you can browse the contents of the volume as you would any Windows volume.
8. To restore individual files or folders, use Windows Explorer to copy them from the backup image file volume to your
production volume.
Note: Once mounted, select Refresh Volumes Info to get an accurate view of the mounted system volumes from
the Disk Map tab.
6.1 Recover Files and Folders

Use Windows Explorer to view and recover files and folders from backup image files. ShadowProtect adds two options to the
Explorer's context menu (the right-click menu) of image files:
Launches the Image File Mount Wizard. This wizard guides you through the
process of mounting the selected backup image file. This type of mount
allows you to modify files or folders from the image file and then have
ShadowProtect save those changes in a new backup image file. You can
Mount simultaneously mount multiple backup image files, but you must mount each
backup image file individually with the Image File Mount Wizard.
Mounts the selected backup image file as read-only using the next available
Quick drive letter. You can select multiple backup image files in Explorer then
Mount select Quick Mount to mount them simultaneously. Each mounted image file
receives the next available drive letter. You can then copy files or folders
from this mounted image to recover them.
Drives remain mounted until you dismount them or restart the machine. For more details about dismounting a backup image file,
see Dismounting Backup Image Files.
NOTE: ShadowProtect retains NTFS file permissions in backup images. As a result, files or folders from a backup image may not
open when using Quick Mount to view an image on a different system (which lacks those permissions). To temporarily change
these permissions and view the files or folders, use Mount to open the backup image as Read/Write instead. Then use Windows
Explorer to change ownership of the file or folder to access it.
6.2 Backup Image Mount Options

Decide which options to use for mounting a backup image file as:
A drive letter
A mount point
Read-only
Writeable
Drive Letter
The Mount Utility mounts a backup image file as a drive letter with all the properties of the original volume. For example, if an NTFS
volume used EFS (Encrypted File System), this security remains intact on the volume when it is mounted.
You can perform a variety of tasks on mounted images: run ScanDisk or CHKDSK, perform a virus check, defragment the drive,
copy folders or files to an alternate location or view disk information such as used and free space.
Once mounted, you can also set the image file as a shared drive. Network users can connect to the shared drive and restore their
own files and folders.
Mount Point
You can mount an image file as a mount point (a directory on an NTFS file system). Mount points overcome the available drive
letter limitation and support more logical organization of files and folders. The same functions that exist for drive letter mounts exist
for mount points.
Read-Only
The ShadowProtect Quick Mount feature mounts image files as read-only. This provides access to the backup image to:
Recover files
View and verify the contents of the image
Run other applications that need to access to the data from the backup image, such as a storage resource manager or data
mining application
Note: Windows 2000 does not support mounting read-only NTFS volumes.
Writeable
ShadowProtect can also mount a backup image as a writeable volume. Users can then access the backup image to:

Remove files from the backup image (such as running an anti-virus application to remove viruses, malware, etc.).
Add files to create a new backup image.
Update the backup image security.
Change file and folder permissions
Restore a backup image to a smaller volume (see Dismounting Backup Image Files).
Note: ShadowProtect tracks all these changes to the data and can then preserves these in a new image file when you
dismount the image. This creates a new branch in the chain and is not used to continue the existing chain. The original
image file is never changed.
Warning: ShadowProtect accepts the Writeable option for mounting VHDX-format backup image files stored on a NETGEAR
ReadyDATA system. However, ShadowProtect discards all changes made to a ReadyDATA-sourced VHDX backup image file
upon dismount.
Image Files and NTFS Permissions
ShadowProtect retains existing NTFS file and folder permissions for the volume. As a result, Windows prevents access to
protected files or folders on mounted images without the correct credentials. To access protected files or folders, open the image
as Read/Write using the Mount wizard. Use WIndows Explorer to then change ownership of the file or folder. (See Permissions for
addtional details.)
Note: Using this Read/Write setting does work for VHDx files on a NETGEAR ReadyData system to change permissions on files
and folders.
6.3 Dismounting Backup Image Files

Once mounted, a backup image file remains mounted until you dismounted it or the system reboots.

To dismount a mounted image:
1. Open the Backup Image Dismount Wizard by doing one of the following:
In the Tasks menu, click Dismount Backup Image.
In the Menu bar, select Tasks > Dismount Backup Image.
Right-click on the mounted image in Windows Explorer and click Dismount.
2. Use the Dismount wizard to:
Save changes (if mounted as writeable).
Warning: NETGEAR ReadyDATA-stored VHDx backup image files may be mounted Writeable. However, that
system does not support saving changes and discards them on dismount..
Shrink the volume so you can restore the image to a smaller drive.
Note:The Shrink Volume feature truncates mounted backup image files so that the file system ends at the last
currently-allocated cluster. To reduce the backup image size as much as possible, use a disk defragmentation tool on
the mounted image to consolidate file distribution within the volume and free up space at the end of the volume.
3. In the Mounted Backup Images page, select the backup image volume to dismount. The wizard displays the volume
properties.
4. Click Next
5. (Conditional) In the Backup Image Dismount Options page, select if you want to:
Save volume changes
Shrink the backup Image
These options are available only if the backup image volume is writeable (see Backup Image Mount Options).
Save changes to incremental File: Saves any changes made to the mounted volume. Right-click the incremental file to
save the modified backup image file using a different name.
Note: In ShadowProtect 5.x and newer, we recommend modifying the backup image file name to clearly reflect its
source. For example, if the source image file was C_VOL_b001-i119.spi then rename the modified backup image file
C_VOL_b001-i119-i001.spi. (The i001 indicates it is the first incremental taken from the source image file i119.)
However, with the release of ShadowProtect 5.2.0, the system automatically labels SPI files using a suffix similar to the
above recommendation. For example, an SPI file generated from the image file C_VOL_b001-i119 now receives the
label C_VOL_b001-i119-i001.spi.
ShadowProtect does not create an MD5 file for SPI files. ImageManager will instead verify the integrity of SPI files
using CRC rather than the MD5 file.
Shrink Volume: Shrinks the volume so you can restore the image to a smaller hard drive partition. This option is only
available when::
Dismounting a writeable backup image of an NTFS volume in Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, jor newer
versions of the OS.
Running the Mount feature in StorageCraft Recovery Environment.
Note: ImageManager may report an error when verifying an image file created from a mounted backup and
which is shrunk from its original size.
6. Click Next.
7. In the Backup Image Dismount Summary page, review the dismount details, then click Finish.
Note: Once dismounted, select Refresh Volumes Info to get an accurate view of the mounted system volumes from the
Disk Map tab.
Dismounting Images in Windows

Use Windows Explorer to dismount an image file. ShadowProtect adds two options to the Explorer's context menu (the right-click
menu) for mounted image files:
Launches the Backup Image Dismount Wizard. This wizard guides you
Dismount through the process of dismounting the selected backup image file. Use
this option for images mounted as writeable in order to save these
changes to a new incremental file.
Quick Dismounts the backup image file without any further user interaction.
Dismount ShadowProtect dismounts the file without saving any changes to data.
7© 2017Restoring a Volume
StorageCraft Technology Corporation StorageCraft Support Center Page 52 of 78
7 Restoring a Volume
ShadowProtect provides two ways to restore a backup image file depending on which type of volume it is:
Restore using
Volume which
Description
Type ShadowProtect
version
Use the Restore Wizard in ShadowProtect to recover a

Data ShadowProtect
data (non-boot) volume. Note: This method does not
Volume in Windows
require you to reboot the system.
Use the Recovery Environment to restore a system
volume.
System Restore in the Note: Use the Recovery Environment for Windows to
(boot) ShadowProtect
restore from a VHD/VHDX formatted image file. The
Volume Recovery
Environment Recovery Environment CrossPlatform only supports
restores from .SPF and .SPI image files, not from VHD
or VHDX format files.
Warning: Restoring a backup image to an existing volume overwrites all data currently on that volume.
Supported Sector Sizes

Contemporary hard drives and SSDs ship with a 4096-byte physical sector size. Most also support the 512-byte logical sector
size. (These drives are often labeled 512e for "512 Byte Sector Size Emulation".) ShadowProtect supports backing up both 4096-
and 512-byte logical sector sizes.
In the unusual situation of restoring a partition/volume from one logical sector size to another:
512 bytes per logical sector -> 4096 bytes per logical sector (and the destination does not support 512e)
4096 bytes per logical sector -> 512 bytes per logical sector
ShadowProtect will issue an error message during the restore if it encounters a mis-matched sector size.
To restore a data volume

1. Open the Restore Wizard by doing one of the following:
In the Wizards tab, click Restore.
In the Tasks menu, click Restore.
In the Menu bar, select Tasks > Restore.
2. On the Backup Image to Restore page, select the Image Set to restore, then click Next.
In the drop-down menu, select the destination (see Destinations) that contains the backup image set, or click Browse to
locate the desired backup image set. The Specify Image Names field displays the backup image sets available at the
selected destination or path.
Note: You must have the proper network credentials to access an image set stored on a network share.
3. If the Specify Image Names field does not list all the expected points-in-time, right-click on the list to display the option to
refresh contents:
4. Click Refresh contents to update the list of restore points.

5. Select which image set contains the point-in-time you wish to restore, then click Next.
6. On the Backup Image Dependencies page, ShadowProtect provides a list of times and dates of all the backups it has taken
of the selected disk. Choose which point-in-time (date and time) to restore, then click Next.
Note: This page also displays specific properties of the selected backup image file. These are informational only and are
relevant when resolving restore issues with StorageCraft Support. These properties include:
Image File Shows the volume size and used space, creation time, backup type (none, daily, weekly, monthly),
Properties compression type, password protected (yes/no), and any comments.
Original
Partition Style (MBR, GPT), number, type (FAT, NTFS), bootable option, offsets and length.
Information
Disk Disk geometry, disk size, number of the first track sectors and if it is a dynamic disk. You can also view the
disk layout graphically at the bottom of the screen. Note: This represents what the disk looked like at the
Information
time of backup.
Originating OS version, the machine name, MAC address, the ShadowProtect engine version used to create the
machine image file and drive letter of the mounted volume.
7. On the Restore Destination page, select the partition where you want to restore the backup image, then click Next.
Note: The selected partition must have sufficient space for the selected restore. For example, you cannot restore a
40GB backup file to a disk or partition with only 10GB of free space. Uae the Disk Map tab to create or modify
partitions as needed before doing the restore.
8. The Wizard displays the Specify the Restoration Options page. These options only apply to restoring System (boot) volumes
(which is done using the Recovery Environment).. Click Next.
9. On the Wizard Summary page, review the details of the volume restore operation, then click Finish.
You can view the progress of the restore volume operation in the Backup Jobs tab.
Note: StorageCraft strongly recommends creating a new backup job for the restored volume. While an existing
ShadowProtect backup job may continue to create new incrementals, issues arise from changes in hardware, volume size,
or operating system between the pre-restore and post-restore incrementals. To ensure reliable backups, create a new job on
the restored volume.
8 Image Conversion Tool

ShadowProtect includes the Image Conversion Tool to manage existing backup image files. This tool can:
Convert a backup image into a virtual machine format (VMDK or VHD/VHDX).
Consolidate a point-in-time backup image (full + incremental images) into a single new full image.
Change the compression setting on an existing image.
Change the encryption setting on an existing image.
Split an backup image file into a Spanned Set where each file has a maximum file size. This is useful for moving backup
image files to CD or DVD.
Note: Current hypervisors, including Hyper-V and VMware, will only mount a VMDK or VHD converted from partitions of less
than 2TB. A workaround is to create multiple partitions smaller than 2TB on drives larger than 2TB. (See 2TB Limit using the
Image Conversion Tool for details.) However, converting image files to VHDX does support greater than 2TB volumes.
Also, the conversion tool only supports FAT32 volumes up to 4GB in size--the limit for FAT32.
You can access the Image Conversion Tool from either Windows or the StorageCraft Recovery Environment.
Note: To exclude free space from the source file, set the Advanced Options > Generate Volume Bitmap option to ON when
configuring the original backup job.
To use the Image Conversion Tool
1. In the ShadowProtect Tools menu at the left (or in the Tasks dropdown menu), click Image Conversion Tool.
2. The Image Conversion Tool wizard appears. Click Next.
3. On the Source Image File page, browse to the location of the backup image files you want to modify.
ShadowProtect displays the a list of the backup chains stored in this location.
4. Select the chain by selecting the chain's full image file.

5. Click Next.
Note: Provide the password If the backup image is encrypted.
6. In the Backup Image Dependencies page, select the incremental image that represents the point in time you want. (The
default is the full image.)
ShadowProtect also displays the selected file's properties in four groups in the right panel:
Originating machine: The operating system version, the machine name, MAC address and the engine version of
ShadowProtect used to create the image file.
Disk Information: Disk geometry, disk size and number of the first track sectors. You can view the original disk layout
in graphical form at the bottom of the screen.
Original Partition Information: Style, number, type, bootable option, starting offset and length.
Image File Properties: Volume size, creation time, compression, password protection, comment.
7. In the Destination Image File page, specify the required information, then click Next.
Select
network
location or From the drop-down menu, select the Destination where you want to store the destination image file. If the
browse menu doesn't show the path, click Browse to find the desired location.
to a local
path
Specify
image Specify a name for the destination image file.
name
Select the type of image file you want to create. Supported options include:
SPF: Creates a new full (base) image file by consolidating the original full image plus all the incremental files
up to the point in time of the incremental selected. This full image can then be archived.
VHD: Creates a Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk file compatible with Hyper-V virtual environments.
Save As VHDX: Creates a newer generation of Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk which supports volumes greater than 2TB.
VMDK: Creates a Virtual Machine Disk file compatible with VMWare virtual environments.
NOTE: Both the Recovery Environment-CrossPlatform and the one for Windows also support conversion of
image files to .VHDx format.
8. In the Wizard Summary page, review the job summary, then click Finish.
Note: After converting a system volume backup image to a VHD or VMDK, make sure to load Recovery Environment
in the VM first and run Hardware Independent Restore (HIR) using this converted system volume. Since the VM uses
different hardware than the original system, you must do this before the operating system will boot successfully. If you
still have boot problems refer to "Using HIR" and "Using the Boot Configuration Utility" in the StorageCraft Recovery
Caution: Hyper-V currently does not support attaching and booting a VHDX file created from a system volume backup
image.
The Image Conversion tool then creates the appropriate converted file.
Canceling an Image Conversion
Click Cancel to abort the conversion. For VMDK conversions, note that ShadowProtect creates a temporary file during the
conversion. Unlike other StorageCraft products, the Image Conversion tool creates this temporary file with the actual name and
.VMDK extension of the final completed conversion. After canceling this type of conversion, this temporary *.vmdk file may remain.
This stub is incomplete and cannot be used for mounting.
8.1 2TB Limit using the Image Conversion Tool

The current hypervisor from VMware only supports VMDK files converted from partitions of under 2TB in size. Previous versions of
Hyper-V also limited VHD files to under 2TB as well. Any ShadowProtect image file converted using the image conversion tool to
VHD or VMDK format must come from a source partition that is under 2TB in total size. The actual size of the image file, even if it
is under 2TB in size, isn't important. If the source partition is over 2TB then these hypervisors won't mount the file.
A workaround is to partition drives larger than 2TB into volumes smaller than 2TB.
NOTE: In Windows 8/Server 2012, Microsoft introduced a new virtual file format: VHDx. VHDx does support volumes greater than
2TB. ShadowProtect 5.2 and the image conversion tool do support this format. However, Hyper-V does not support attaching and
booting a VHDX created from a system volume image file.
ShadowProtect warns if the source partition is larger than 2TB, depending on which version of ShadowProtect runs:
Warning in ShadowProtect versions 4.1.5 and older
When using the image conversion tool, ShadowProtect 4.1.5 and older will fail to create the converted file. Instead, it displays a -87
error in the event log:
14-Oct-2012 10:01:44 sbrest 411 Cannot create new virtual disk file E:\backups\big conversion.vmdk (-87 The
parameter is incorrect.)
ShadowProtect version 4.2.x and newer

In ShadowProtect 4.2 and newer, selecting a source partition larger than 2TB in the image conversion tool displays a dialog with
the VHD and VMDK options disabled:
9 Using ISOTool
ShadowProtect 5 includes an updated ISOTool. The new version can:
Burn an ISO image to a disc (including CD, DVD, and Blu-ray),
Mount and dismount ISO images
Author a CD ISO. The authoring function can also modify an existing ISO image and save those changes to a new ISO file.
To use the ISOTool:
Note: Windows 2000 does not support ISOTool.

Run ISOTool either from:
Start/All Programs/StorageCraft/ISOTool.exe
or from
C:\Program Files (x86)\StorageCraft\ShadowProtect\ISOTool.exe.
Note: Either way, right-click on ISOTool.exe and select Run as Administrator.
The tool offers five tabs to:

Burn a Disc
Rip a Disc
Mount ISO
Dismount ISO
Author ISO
These tabs provide instruction to perform these functions. The authoring tab has additional steps.
Author an ISO
Note: This option only creates non-bootable data disks.
To author a new ISO:
1. Double-click on the default name "My ISO" to enter another name.
2. Use the Disc Type dropdown box at the lower-right to specify what size image you want. The range is from 700MB to 128GB
on a dual-layer Blu-ray disc.
3. Click Add Files to browse and select one or more files.
4. Click Add Directory to select a folder to include on the ISO.
Note: ISOTool only accepts one folder at a time, even though you can select multiple folders at once.
5. To remove an unwanted folder or file, highlight one and click Remove.
6. Type in a name for the ISO.
7. Click Browse to select a destination for the new ISO.
8. Optional: check Use Burner to send the resulting ISO to a blank disc in the recorder.
9. Click Author ISO.
The ISOTool creates the new ISO image.
10 Using ImageReady
ShadowProtect 5 includes a new tool--ImageReady--for automated testing of backup image files. Specify a folder to manage and
ImageReady automatically:
Mounts each image in a backup job's set
Runs a script against the mounted image
Reports the results
Saves any changes made to the mounted volume as an incremental for later testing
The results can verify the reliability for restoring fully-functional system, application, and data volumes.
For example, ImageReady can:
Mount a volume and run Chkdsk to determine if there are problems with the data.
Mount a Microsoft Exchange Server backup--including the system, data, and log volumes--and run a script that calls, for
example, a test of the edb files to determine if they are intact or to run a cleanup process if the edb files are in a dirty
shutdown state.
ImageReady Requirements
To run ImageReady:
The system firewall must have Port 20247 open for ImageReady to communicate.
By default, ImageReady runs using the LocalSystem account on the workstation. For ImageReady to test image files stored
on a network server or share, it needs rights to that folder or share. Either run the ImageReady service as Admin or grant the
LocalSystem account credentials to log into the network resource.
Note: The Adobe CreativeCloud Suite install fails if the StorageCraft ImageReady service is installed and running. (The installer
displays an error mesage that "The ImageReady service is already running.") On systems requiring CreativeCloud, use Windows
Services.msc to stop and disable the StorageCraft ImageReady service prior to running the install. The StorageCraft ImageReady
executables can also be deleted at that point if desired.
Note: Windows 2000 does not support ImageReady.
To use ImageReady:
1. Run ImageReady from the ShadowProtect folder. The ImageReady main dialog displays:

2. Click Connect to connect to the server.

3. Click Add. ImageReady opens the Properties dialog:
4. On the General dialog, click Browse to select a folder that has or will have one or more backup image files.
5. Click Browse.
6. Select a directory to use for mounting images.
7. Enter a unique name for the mounted image(s).
ImageReady defaults to using:
the drive letter of the source image file
the source file's filename
the time of the mount
to create a unique name for each mounted volume. ImageReady seperates these elements in the name with dashes but you
can delete the dashes and customize the name as needed.
8. Select how often ImageReady checks the folder for new files to test.
The range is from every 6 seconds to every 1440 minutes (ie: 24 hours or once a day) in 1/2 minute intervals.
9. Select the number of simultaneous mounted volumes ImageReady maintains--up to 96.
This number of simultaneously mounted volumes is hardware- and hypervisor-dependent. ImageReady refers to these
mounted volumes as "points in time" rather than "volumes" to reflect that a single server, such as Exchange, may require two
or three volumes mounted simultanously in order to peform the required tests.
Note: These settings cannot be changed once saved. Recreate the job if necessary to alter these settings.
10. If the selected image files are backups from a multi-volume set (such as with Microsoft Exchange), select the number of
volumes to include.
11. Enter the password for encrypted backup image files in the Image Chain Password field.
12. Determine if the tests you want to perform need ImageReady to write to the mounted volumes. If so, check Mount images as
writeable.
13. Determine if you want to preserve the results of any test which writes to a mounted volume. If so, check Generate
Incremental on dismount.
14. Click Save.
15. Click Custom Script tab to enter the commands or script for ImageReady to run.
This script can be of arbitrary length or as simple as c:\Windows\System32\chkdsk $MOUNTPATH1.
16. Specify a timeout in minutes or leave the default at 0 for unlimited.
A timeout prevents a test from running an infinite loop.
17. Specify the number of concurrent tasks for ImageReady to execute.
Note: ImageReady attempts to perform multiple mounts and tests concurrently. This number of simultaneously running tasks
is hardware- and hypervisor-dependent. Should tests impact system performance, reduce the number of concurrent tasks.
18. By default, ImageReady only runs scripts on new image files in the managed folder. (That is, those files made after creating
the ImageReady job.) Check Apply to existing images to have ImageReady run a script against all existing image files in the
managed folder and not just new image files.
19. Check Dismount on completion to reduce ImageReady's demands on system resources.
Otherwise, ImageReady will keep the volume mounted until:
1) a new image file appears and
2) it exceeds the number of points in time to keep mounted.
20. Select Alerts if you want the results of each test sent to an email address. Specify the details then click Test Email to confirm
the configuration is correct.
If you do not select to have the email alerts, information on the results will also appear in the Log Activity window of the main
dialog.
Note: Modifying alert settings for one job modifies the settings for all jobs.
21. Click Save.
22. Repeat these steps to add more folders or additional tests to run.
To edit an existing test, highlight the managed folder in the list and click Properties.
Error Messages
After clicking Connect, ImageReady may issue an error:
No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.
There are several possible causes for this error message:

Port Blocked: The most likely cause is that port 20247 is blocked at the firewall. Open this port to allow the ImageReady
connection.
Lack of Connections: ImageReady uses connections to manage files and folders. When managing many folders or a folder with
many image files, it may exhaust the available connections. At that point, ImageReady may issue the refused error.
This lack of connections may occur in Windows 7 or earlier desktop OSes, where Windows limits the number of connections
available to applications. To manage many folders or many image files, use a Windows Server (including 2012) or a Windows 8
desktop to run ImageReady as these have no connection limitation.
11 Remote Management
ShadowProtect provides two ways to remotely manage ShadowProtect backup agents:
Management View--Used for managing many nodes. Displays a list of nodes with their backup status. (ShadowControl CMD
provides similar functionality.) Includes the option to do a push install of ShadowProtect on the node.
Network View--Used for managing a smaller number of nodes on an individual basis.
Remote management requires access to these nodes over the LAN or through a virtual private network (VPN). By connecting to a
remote node through one of these remote management tools, you have full access to the ShadowProtect features and functions on
the remote node from this console.
Note: You must have administrative rights to the remote node in order to manage it. With administrative rights, you can
remotely manage both ShadowProtect Server Edition and ShadowProtect Desktop Edition nodes using either the
Management View or the Network View.
11.1 Management View

The Management View tab specifically manages ShadowProtect Server and ShadowProtect SBS installs with a large number of
remote nodes from a central location.
Although its functionality is very similar to the Network View, the Management View simplifies administrator tasks when working
with many remote nodes:
Install the Backup Agent Remotely
Add and Delete Remote Nodes
Modify Remote Node Properties
Connect and Disconnect Remote Nodes
Remote Install of Backup Agents

ShadowProtect can remotely install backup agents using the Push install wizard.
To remotely install a backup agent
1. In the Management View tab, click Install. ShadowProtect displays the Push Install Wizard.
2. On the Specify Installer Package page, click Browse to select the ShadowProtect Installer Package.
3. Click Next.
Note: There must be an associated installation setup file (.iss) with the selected installer package. For more information, see
Creating an Install Setup Package.
4. In the Choose Search Options and Proper Credentials dialog box, provide the required information, then click Next.
The name of the system where you want to install the ShadowProtect Backup agent. Select either
Domain name or Host name according to the type of system name you are providing, then type the
System system name in the field.
Name
Note: If you leave the field blank, Push Install uses your current domain or workgroup to locate a list
of available systems.
Use Active Instructs ShadowProtect to search Microsoft Active Directory for the desired system.
Directory If you select to use AD, the wizard enables the Options menu at the bottom of the dialog box to refine the
Search Active Directory search characteristics.
The authentication credentials that Push Install uses to gain access to the remote system.
Use
Specified Note: If you do not provide credentials, Push Install uses your current credentials to attempt to
Credentials access the remote system.
Discover Push Install attempts to identify existing ShadowProtect services running on a remote system. When
Services successful, it displays the information it gathers about the agent version.
Automatically Instructs Push Install to automatically activate the Backup agent after installation.
activate To use this feature, click Settings (at the bottom of the Push Install dialog box when Automatically
installed activate installed agents is selected) to specify the username and serial number of the ShadowProtect
agents license you want to use on the remote system.
Instructs ShadowProtect to automatically re-boot the remote system after installing the agent. (The agent
requires a reboot.)
Reboot after To use this function, click Settings (at the bottom of the Push Install dialog box when Reboot after install
install is selected). Specify the details of the reboot operation. These details include setting a specific date or
time for the reboot; specifying a message to display before rebooting; and specifying a delay before the
reboot occurs (in seconds) after the message displays.
5. (Conditional) If you did not specify a system name to receive the agent earlier, you can use the Computers Overview page to
select the systems you want. Click Next.
6. On the Install Overview page, wait until the install finishes. Click Next.
7. (Optional) On the Post Install Overview page, specify a Group name for each system where you installed backup agents. For
more information about Groups, see Modifying Remote Node Properties.
8. On the Summary page, click Finish.
The newly installed remote nodes appear in the Management View node list.
Adding and Deleting Remote Nodes

To manage a remote node, you must add it to your Management View.
To add a remote node
1. In the Management View tab, click Add.
2. In the Server Details dialog box, specify the appropriate connection information for the remote node.
For information about remote node properties, see Modifying Remote Node Properties.
You can now connect to the remote node to manage ShadowProtect.
To delete a remote node
1. In the Management View tab, select the remote node in the node list.
2. Click Delete.
Note: Deleting a remote node only removes it from the Management View. It does not delete ShadowProtect or any of its
configurations from the remote node. Also, it does not remove the remote node from the Management View function of any
other system that might be configured to remotely manage that node.
Note: You cannot delete the local node from the Management View.
Modifying Remote Node Properties

The properties table displays the properties of the currently selected remote node.
Note: You can edit the remote node's descriptive properties when it is connected. You can edit the login credentials only
when it is disconnected.
To modify the properties of a remote node

1. Open the Network View in the console.
2. In the node list, select a remote node to modify.
3. If the console doesn't display the Properties pane, click Properties.
4. Modify the remote node properties as needed in the pane.
Select a field to make it active. (You can also use the tab key to move from field to field.)
Remote node properties include:
Server
Displays the machine name for the remote node used in the node list.
Name
Server Shows the IP address or machine name of the remote node. Click Browse to locate a particular system and
Address identify its IP address.
The group that you want to associate with the remote node. Groups help organize remote nodes which share
similar characteristics or requirements.
Group Without a Group Name for the node, ShadowProtect lists the Node as an Unmonitored Node. The
Name ShadowProtect management console will not try to actively connect to the node and monitor it.
Once the node has a Group Name listed, the Node appears under the Group Name. The ShadowProtect
Management console will try to automatically connect to the node each it launches to monitor the node.
Server
Displays a user-deffined description of the remote node.
Description
Status Indicates the remote node's status (connected or disconnected).
Domain
Enter the domain name used to access the remote node.
Name
User Name Enter a user name with administrator rights to the remote node.
Password Enter the user name's password.
Agent
Displays the version of the ShadowProtect backup agent installed on the remote node.
Version
Last
Displays the date and time this console last connected to the remote node.
Connected
Connecting and Disconnecting Remote Nodes

To connect to a remote node
2. Click Connect.
You connect to only one node at a time. If you try to connect to another node, ShadowProtect automatically disconnects you
from the first one.
Note: You must add a remote node to the Management View in order to connect to it (see Adding and Deleting
Remote Nodes).
To disconnect a remote node

2. Click Disconnect.
Note: Disconnecting from a remote node does not stop the ShadowProtect backup agent or affect any of the
ShadowProtect operations on that remote node.
11.2 Network View

The Network View displays a list of monitored nodes in a panel at the right side of the ShadowProtect console. Use Network
View in the View menu to display it.
Network View can:
Add and Delete Remote Nodes
Modify Remote Node Properties
Connect and Disconnect Remote Nodes
Export and Import Node Settings
Adding and Deleting Remote Nodes

You must add each remote node to your Network View to manage it.
To add a remote node
1. If the console doesn't display the Network View, click Network View from the View menu.
2. In the Network View, click Add.
This creates a new node named New Node 1. It also opens a Properties pane beneath it where you can configure the remote
node.
3. In the Properties pane, enter the credentials needed to connect to the node.
For information about remote node properties, see Modifying Remote Node Properties.
You can now connect to and manage the remote node.
To delete a remote node
1. In the Network View, select the remote node in the node list.
2. Click Delete.
Deleting a remote node does not delete ShadowProtect or any of its configurations from the remote node. It also does not
remove the remote node from the Network View of any other system that might be configured to remotely manage that node.
Note: You cannot delete the local node from the Network View.
Modifying Remote Node Properties

The Properties table displays details of the selected remote node.
Note: You can edit the remote node's descriptive properties when it is connected. You can edit the login credentials only when it
is disconnected.
To modify properties of a remote node
1. If the Network View is not visible in the console, select Network View from the View menu.
2. In the node list, select a remote node to modify.
3. If the console doesn't display the Properties pane, click Properties.
4. In the Properties pane, modify the remote node properties as needed.
Select a field to make it active. You can also use the Tab key to move from field to field.
Remote Node properties include the following:
Server
Name Displays the machine name for the remote node.
Server Shows the IP address or machine name of the remote node. To browse the network for a particular system so
Address you can find the IP address, click Browse .
The group that you want to associate with the remote node. Groups help organize remote nodes which share
similar characteristics or requirements.
Without a Group Name for the node, ShadowProtect lists the Node as an Unmonitored
Group Node. The ShadowProtect management console will not try to actively connect to the
node and monitor it.
Once the node has a Group Name listed, the Node appears under the Group Name. The
ShadowProtect Management console will try to automatically connect to the node each it
launches to monitor the node.
Server
Displays a user-deffined description of the remote node.
Description
Status Indicates the remote node's status (connected or disconnected).
Domain
Enter the domain name used to access the remote node.
Name
User Name Enter a user name with administrator rights to the remote node.
Password Enter the user name's password.
Agent
Displays the version of the ShadowProtect backup agent installed on the remote node.
Version
Last
Displays the date and time this console last connected to the remote node.
Connected
Connecting and Disconnecting Remote Nodes

To connect to a remote node
1. If the console doesn't display the Network View, select Network View from the View menu.
2. In Network View, select the remote node in the node list.
3. Click Connect.
You connect to only one node at a time. If you try to connect to another node, ShadowProtect automatically disconnects you
from the first one.
Note: You must add a remote node to the Network View in order to connect to it (see Adding and Deleting Remote
Nodes).
To disconnect a remote node

1. In the Network View, select the remote node in the node list.
2. Click Disconnect.
Note: Disconnecting from a remote node does not stop the ShadowProtect backup agent or affect any of the
ShadowProtect operations on that remote node.
Exporting and Importing Node Settings

ShadowProtect lets you transfer remote node configurations from one ShadowProtect console to another. This saves having to
reenter these configurations at the new console.
To export remote node configurations
1. If the console doesn't display the Network View, select Network View from the View menu.
2. In the Network View, click Export nodes.
3. Specify a name for the XML file that contains the configurations, then click Save.
To import remote node configurations
1. In the Network View, click Import nodes.

2. Browse to the XML file that contains the exported configurations, then click Open.
11.3 Using an Install Setup Package

A ShadowProtect Install Setup Package contains the settings needed for an automated push installation of the software.
ShadowProtect includes two setup package files: one for a full (which includes all utilities) and one for a backup-agent-only install.
You can find these setup files on the ShadowProtect CD or you can download them from the StorageCraft website.
Note: Each setup package is unique to the ShadowProtect version it installs.

Confirm that the package file has the same name as the ShadowProtect Installer
package but with a .iss extension.
To use the ShadowProtect Install Package

1. Save the appropriate .iss file (Agent or Full) and the ShadowProtect installer to the same folder on a local drive.
Warning: Avoid directory names with spaces for .iss installs. The install may fail if the command line program
attempts to interpret paths with spaces in directory names.
2. Click Install in the Management View tab. The Push Install wizard opens.
3. Click Next to open the Specify package dialog.
4. Click Browse to locate and select the ShadowProtect installer. The wizard populates the details.
5. Use the wizard to enter credentials, locate the desired system, install and activate ShadowProtect on that system.
Note: You can select one or more systems within the selected domain. However, you can only activate one
system, not multiple systems, using the push wizard. To activate multiple systems, use the Management View to
select each unactivated system and apply a license to the system.
Silent and Remote Install EULA

Regardless of the installation method, by installing, retaining, copying, accessing, or using the software, you are accepting and
agreeing to the terms of the End User License Agreement for Select StorageCraft Software Products (“EULA”) which can be found
here.
By installing the software, you either (i) accept and agree to the terms of the EULA as the end user, or (ii) if you are installing the
software on behalf of an entity or other end user, you represent that the end user has accepted and agreed to the terms of the
EULA and that you are authorized to accept the EULA on behalf of such end user.
12 Using VirtualBoot
VirtualBoot boots a system volume backup image into a Virtual Machine (VM) environment without performing a restore operation
or converting backup files to a different format. By leveraging the open source Oracle VirtualBox software, VIrtualBoot provides a
quick, temporary replacement system for a failed server.
VirtualBoot provides an innovative solution to the following situations:
System Fail-over: Restoring a failed system with terabytes of storage using traditional methods can take days. A VirtualBoot
replacement can take minutes and gives users full access to system resources and applications after only a brief downtime to cut-
over to the new system.

Backup Test: Few administrators perform backup and restore tests using traditional methods. VirtualBoot can mount any backup
image in a VM for testing to make sure a restored system would function properly.
Access Application-specific Data: While backing up data is a critical operation, sometimes the data files alone aren't useful
without their associated applications. VirtualBoot can mount an entire system, both applications and data, in a VM where you have
access to data within its associated application.
For information about VirtualBoot usage scenarios, see VirtualBoot Scenarios.
This section includes the following topics:
VirtualBoot Requirements
Limitations
Creating a VM
Configuring a VM Manually
Note: DeveloperNotes_VirtualBoot.txt contains developer-level information related to VirtualBoot. You can find this file in the
<install_folder>\StorageCraft\ShadowProtect\ folder. This file gives troubleshooting and advanced technical details for using
VirtualBoot.
Warning: If you want to preserve any changes made to a VM created with VirtualBoot, do not select Restore current
snapshot VirtualBoot as a shutdown option. This causes VirtualBox to discard all new data written in the VM since its
creation. Select this option only if you want to revert the VM back to its original state.
Also, ShadowProtect and SPX pause existing local and ShadowControl policy-based backup jobs when run on a VM
launched through VirtualBoot. This prevents mixing backup files from the source system with those of the VM if the source is
still active on the same network. (Launching a VM of a still active system might occur when testing VirtualBoot or when
testing backup files from the existing system.)
Do not unpause these backup jobs then unless the source system is no longer on the same network. Mixing backups
corrupts the chain and prevents a valid restore later on.
12.1 VirtualBoot Requirements

VirtualBoot requirements include those of ShadowProtect and VirtualBox:
Software Requirements
Note: StorageCraft recommends upgrading to the latest supported build of VirtualBox for maximum reliable performance.
ShadowProtect 4.x or later: VirtualBoot supports backup image files created by any version of ShadowProtect, but you must
have ShadowProtect 4.x or later installed to run the application. ShadowProtect 4.x includes VirtualBoot as a core component of
the console installation.
Note: Although VirtualBoot can generate a VM from backup image files created with any version of ShadowProtect,
StorageCraft recommends using VirtualBoot with backup image files created by ShadowProtect 3.3 and later to get full
access to the benefits of VirtualBoot.
VirtualBox: VirtualBox is an open source VM environment from Oracle. VirtualBoot provides native support for ShadowProtect
files in a VirtualBox VM. For information about VirtualBox and to download the software, visit www.virtualbox.org .
ShadowProtect supports various versions of VirtualBox up through v4.3.12. Please refer to the VirtualBoot Developer Notes found
in the ShadowProtect directory for details on the latest supported versions.
Warning: VirtualBoot does not support VirtualBox 4.0.0 as that version does not properly use third-party plugins.
VirtualBoot hardware requirements are driven primarily by the hardware requirements necessary to run VirtualBox (see VirtualBox
End-User Documentation ).
Processor: Oracle recommends using a recent (last five years) "reasonably powerful" x86 processor (either Intel or AMD),
including AMD/Intel x64 processors. VirtualBoot does not support Itanium (IA64).
Note: When using VirtualBoot to boot an image of an x64 operating system, make sure that your host hardware supports
AMD-V or VT-x, and that AMD-V, or VT-x, is enabled in the host machine's hardware BIOS settings.
Memory: At least 1GB

Hard Drive: At least 10 GB. This is dependent upon the guest operating system you want to load in the VM.
Host OS: VirtualBoot supports the same host operating systems as VirtualBox 1.6; namely Windows XP or later. Windows 2000
is not supported.
Guest OS: VirtualBoot supports backup image files that contain backups of the following operating systems (this is the OS that
runs in the VM):
Windows 2000
Windows XP (32- and 64-bit)
Windows 2003 (32- and 64-bit)
Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit)
Windows 2008 R2 (32- and 64-bit)
Windows Server 2012 and R2
12.2 Limitations
This release of VirtualBoot has the following limitations:
Supports boot volumes only up to 2TB. However, VirtualBoot supports data volumes (non-bootable) of any size.
Does not support UEFI-based system volumes.
Does not support LBD/4K hard disk volumes which report 4096-byte sector size to the OS. However, Advanced Format hard
disks, which have 4096-byte sectors but report 512-byte sectors to the OS, are supported.
Performing a virtual boot of Windows Small Business Server (SBS) may require 16GB or more to deliver full functionality.
If the host crashes while running a VirtualBoot VM, you must create a new VM using the latest Incremental backup image file
created in the VM. (This requires having ShadowProtect run on the VM.) For more information, see the VirtualBoot
Scenarios.
VirtualBoot does not run in a Windows 2000 Terminal Services session.
VirtualBoot does not support NETGEAR ReadyDATA VHDX backup files of system volumes.
Note: Windows Activation may intentionally lock some OEM copies of Windows to specific machines. This may also be true of
various applications. Some OEM licenses may, in fact, not reactivate except on the original machine. In these cases, using
VirtualBoot to launch a Windows VM based on a Windows OEM license or include applications with restricted licenses may run for
only a limited period without activation. Consult with Microsoft or the application vendor on reactivation options.
12.3 Creating a VM
Important: Before using VirtualBoot to create a VM, review the VirtualBoot Requirements and Limitations.
To create a virtual machine
1. Start VirtualBoot using the.
Executable: In Windows, select Start > All Programs > StorageCraft > ShadowProtect > VirtualBoot.exe.
From a Windows command prompt, move to the Program Files (x86)\StorageCraft directory. Type
Command VirtualBoot <backup image file>, where <backup image file> is the name, including full path, of the
Line: ShadowProtect backup image file that you want to use to create a VM. For example:
VirtualBoot e:\backups\C_VOL-b005.spi
Right-Click In Windows Explorer, right-click the ShadowProtect backup image file that you want to use to create a VM,
Menu: then select VirtualBoot.
2. Click Next on the VirtualBoot Wizard welcome page.
3. In the Backup Image List page, provide the required information, then click Next.
If you start VirtualBoot using the command line or right-click menu option, VirtualBoot populates the Backup Image list with all
files that are part of the backup chain for the specified backup image file.
Adds a backup image file to the VM. Use this if you have a separate data volume you want to include in the VM.
Note: VirtualBoot attempts to automatically include all volumes that are part of the boot volume's image set in
Add this list. When this does not occur, use this option at add in these other volumes.
Image If the selected backup image file is encrypted, you must provide a valid password to access it.
File Caution: Use care when selecting image files from multiple backup jobs. If the VM executes incremental
backups, those created for volumes that are not in the boot volume's image set likely won't be useful or reliable.
Remove
Image Removes a backup image file from the VM.
File
Specify Designates the boot volume in the VM. Typically, VirtualBoot detects this automatically, but if you include
Boot multiple bootable volumes in the VM, you can specify which volume serves as the boot volume. To do so, select
Volume the volume you want from the list and click Specify Boot Volume.
Note: If you specified a backup image file when starting VirtualBoot, this page lists the related backup image file
information.
4. In the Options page, provide the required information, then click Next.
Specify the operating system From the dropdown menu, select the Windows OS installed on the boot volume of the
for the new virtual machine backup image file.
Instructs VirtualBoot to automatically create the VM as part of the configuration
process. If you do not select this option, you must manually configure the VM in
VirtualBox.
In either case, VirtualBoot creates the XSP files that VirtualBox uses to define the
Automatically create the new virtual disk drives in the VM.
virtual machine
Note: VirtualBoot ALWAYS places the boot volume in the Disk_0 XSP file.
For more information, see Mounting a VM Manually.
Automatically start the new Select this option to launch VirtualBox automatically after the VM is complete and load
virtual machine it for use.
Specify the name of the new Specify a name for the VM. By default, VirtualBoot creates a name based on the
virtual machine machine name.
Specify the amount of memory
Specify the amount of memory, in MB, that VirtualBox should allocate for use by the
to allocate to the new virtual
VM when it loads.
machine
Select whether to include a network adapter in the VM. Supported options include:
NAT PRO/1000 MT Desktop: Adds a generic network adapter to the VM that uses
Specify the VM network Network Address Translation (NAT).
No Network Adapter: Excludes a network adapter from the VM.
adapter type
Note: Confirm the network configuration provides access after the VirtualBoot. If
the VirtualBoot VM is a failover, ensure access to the backup destination(s) for any
existing backup jobs.
5. (Optional) On the Options page, click Advanced to open the Advanced Options dialog box.
The Advanced Options dialog box provides the following options:
Import only one volume per
Instructs VirtualBoot to include only one volume per VirtualBox XSP file. By default,
hard VirtualBoot assigns four volumes per XSP file.
disk drive within the virtual Note: VirtualBoot ALWAYS places the boot volume in the Disk_0 XSP file.
machine
Deactivates Windows on the VM's system volume. Because Microsoft licensing limits
the number of reactivations, this option lets you use the activation grace period to
Deactivate Windows within
accomplish your purposes with the VM.
the virtual machine Note: If the host hardware where you start the VM is sufficiently different, Windows
might deactivate automatically.

Store write buffers in a Lets you specify a location to store the write buffers used when creating the VM. By
different directory than the default, VirtualBoot stores write buffers in the same location as the backup image files
Override personality used to
image files used to create the VM.
configure the virtual machine
OS volume For use by StorageCraft technical support only.
6. On the Wizard Summary page, click Finish.

VirtualBoot generates the files necessary to support the new VM and, if specified in the VM configuration, creates the VM
and launches it for use.
Note: For information see Mounting a VM Manually.
7. You may need to do further configuration on the VM if, for example, you want to use the VM as a temporary replacement for a
server. If so, continue with Configuring a VM and refer to the VirtualBox documentation for details.
To Restart an existing Virtual Machine
You can also restart an existing VM manually from VirtualBox:
1. Launch VirtualBox.
2. In the left-side VM list, select the VM, then click Start.
Continuing Incremental Backups

You can continue a ShadowProtect backup job with the VirtualBoot temporary replacement of a failed server. Continuing the
backup job is critical, as otherwise all updated content is lost when the VM shuts down. When working with a VirtualBoot VM
backup job, consider these best practices:
To prevent performance problems in the VM, use only Incremental backups (see Creating Backup Image Files). Do not use
differential imaging.
ShadowProtect places a backup job for the source volume used in the VirtualBoot VM in a Paused/Disabled state. After
starting the VM replacement, manually re-start the backup job (found in the Backup Jobs tab) to continue making incremental
backups from the replacement volume on the VM.
If you power down a VM created with VirtualBoot, do NOT select Restore current snapshot VirtualBoot as a shutdown
option. This discards all changed data written in the VM since its creation. Select this option only if you do want to discard
these changes and revert the VM back to its original state. (This might be useful when performing a backup or restore test.)

To continue incremental backups in the VM
1. Launch your VM using either VirtualBoot (by selecting the relevant image file in Windows Explorer) or VirtualBox (by
selecting the appropriate pre-existing VM).
2. Once the VM loads, log in, then start ShadowProtect in the VM.
3. In ShadowProtect, select the Destinations tab.
4. In the Destinations tab, select the destination object used to store the VM's source backup image files, then click Edit.
Warning: Do not delete the destination object or you will break the backup image chain. Rather, modify the
destination object as needed to point to the current location of the backup image files used to create the VM.
5. In the Destination dialog box, modify the Destination Path to point to the location of the backup image files used to create the
VM. Click OK when done.
You might need to modify the network credentials (Domain, User, Password) in the destination object to access the backup
image files in their new location.
If you have problems with name resolution in the VM environment, try using the IP address of the host machine rather
than its Host name.
When editing the Destination Object path, use only real SMB/CIFS network share paths. Do not use share paths
provided in the VM-to-Host file sharing facility of the VirtualBox “Guest Additions”.
6. In the ShadowProtect main page, select the Backups tab.
7. Select the appropriate backup job, then click Execute.
ShadowProtect restarts the job with a new incremental backup in the existing chain. (The naming of incremental backup files
in the VM starts where the last Incremental image file used to create the VirtualBoot VM left off.) This maintains a single
backup image chain for the server and makes it possible to provide Head Start Restore (HSR) capabilities.
Warning: When you are ready to put the restored server back online and shut down the VM, you will want to remove
the VM configuration from VirtualBox. Howvever, be sure the restoration is complete before removing the VM from
VirtualBox. Any incremental backups created in the VM are dependent upon the initial VirtualBoot incremental backup
image file. If you remove the VM, VirtualBox deletes this file. (You can identify this file because the file name includes a
long numeric GUID value). If the initial image file is deleted, then all subsequent incrementals created in the VM
unusable. (This is similar to deleting a chain's initial SPF image file, which would also render all subsequent
incrementals unusable.)
Mounting a VM Manually
Once you use VirtualBoot to create the VM and later dismount it, you can use VirtualBox to manually mount the VM later on.
StorageCraft strongly recommends using the automated VirtualBoot process instead.
Note: The following task is based on VirtualBox v 4.2.4. Task details might vary
slightly with different versions of VirtualBox.
To manually create a virtual machine

2. If the VM exists in the list at the left, select it and click Start.
3. If the VM does not exist in the list, click New from the menu bar. VirtualBox launches the Create Virtual Machine wizard.
4. Enter a name for the VM.
5. Select the Guest OS and version.
6. Click Next.
7. Specify the amount of RAM.
8. Select Do not add a virtual hard drive and accept the caution. VirtualBox creates the VM.
9. Select the VM from the list. Click Storage in the specifications section to the right. VirtualBox displays the Storage Settings
dialog.
10. Click the Add Hard Disk icon.VirtualBox asks if you want to add a disk.
11. Click Choose existing disk.
12. Navigate to the .XSP file for use with this VM. Typically this is in the same folder with the volume's image files. (VirtualBoot
virtual hard disk files have a .xsp extension.These XSP files contain lists of the backup image files that constitute the virtual
hard drive used by the VM.)
13. Click OK to accept the disk configuration.
14. Select the new VM from the list.
15. Click Snapshots in the upper-right of the VirtualBox Manager.
16. Click the Take a Snapshot icon at the upper-left of the Current State dialog.
17. Enter a name and description for this snapshot. Click OK. VirtualBox takes a snapshot of this VM.
18. Right-click the VM in the list. Click Start. VirtualBox runs the VM.
Once created, you can start the VM manually from VirtualBox at any time by selecting it from the list and clicking Start.
Configuring a VM Manually
Once you configure a VM for use with VirtualBox, you can use the VM for testing as well as a replacement server. You can adjust
various configurations for testing:
Configuring Drivers
Installing Guest Additions
Configuring a Network Adapter
Continuing Incremental Backups
Note: When working with a VM, you must be able to switch keyboard/mouse focus between the VM and your system
environment. To switch focus to the VM, simply click the mouse in the VM window. To switch focus out of the VM, press the
right Ctrl button.
Configuring a Network Adapter

You can choose to not have a network adapter in the VM if you want to boot a backup image while the source system is still
operational. Keeping both systems operating with the same network configuration can cause the following:
Routing problems particularly at the Domain controllers.
Both the VM and the source system might save Incremental backup images to the same network location. While this does
not affect data integrity, it can lead to confusing backup image file names with Incremental backup image files from both
branches of the chain intermixed and erratic results with consolidation.
Keeping the VM off the network lets you resolve these types of issues before they cause any problems. For example, once the VM
loads you can pause ShadowProtect backup operations in the VM.
To change network support to the VM
2. On the VirtualBox main page, select the VM where you want to add a NIC, then click Settings.
The VM must be powered off to modify the VM settings.
3. On the Settings page, select Network in the left-side navigation.
4. Select the Adapter 1 tab, then select to enable or disable the Network Adapter.
5. If you choose to keep the adapter enabled, then in the Attached To field, select how you want the virtual NIC to communicate
with your host.
By default, VirtualBox uses Network Address Translation (NAT), but it supports other connection options. For more
information, see the VirtualBox documentation. A Bridged Adapter is necessary if you want VM services to be visible to other
network hosts. For example, during a failover scenario for an Microsoft Exchange server.
6. Click Advanced, then select the virtual adapter type to use in the VM.
In testing, the "Intel Pro/1000 MT Desktop" appears to be a good generic driver for the VirtualBoot environment.
7. Click OK to modify the network adapter settings.
Configuring Drivers
After starting a VM for the first time, Windows may detect a configuration change in the VM environment.
To configure drivers
1. Allow Windows to identify hardware and install drivers in the VM.
Windows goes through its initial boot sequence, identifying hardware and attempting to load drivers for those devices. This
process is similar to performing a Hardware Independent Restore (HIR) in ShadowProtect. Follow the on-screen prompts
and allow Windows to reboot as needed to load the necessary drivers.
2. After rebooting, log in to the VM.
Note: Because of hardware changes detected by Windows as part of the transition to the VM environment, Windows will
likely prompt you to reactivate Windows when you log in to the VM. However, you typically have a three-day grace period for
doing this. Because Microsoft restricts the number of hardware reactivations for each Windows license, you might want to
leave Windows deactivated if you can get the production system ready to restore within the three day grace period. If this is
not possible, activate Windows in the VM using the standard Microsoft activation process, and your Windows VM is licensed
for as long as you need it. If your Windows installation does not grant a login grace period and requires immediate
reactivation, try booting into Safe Mode, or Safe Mode with Networking, to log in.
Installing Guest Additions

You can install VirtualBox additions to provide enhanced interaction with, and control over, the VM environment.
To install VirtualBox guest additions
1. From the menu bar in the VM, select Devices > Install Guest Additions.
This loads a virtual CD into the VM that has extra software designed to make the VM run quickly and smoothly. If the CD
does not auto-run, browse the CD drive in the VM and execute one of the following:
VBoxWindowsAdditions-x86.exe: 32-bit Windows VM.
VBoxWindowsAdditions-amd64.exe: 64-bit Windows VM.
2. Follow the directions in the Guest Additions Wizard, then reboot the VM.
3. Log in to the VM.
13 Other Operations
ShadowProtect includes additional features to maintain your backup environment:
Verification of Backup Image Files
Email Notifications
Log Files
Creating Key Files
Recovery CD
13.1 Verifying Backup Image Files

StorageCraft recommends performing verfication of backup images to ensure that each image is ready for recovery.
ShadowProtect provides three ways to verify the quality of a backup file:
Use Mount or Quick Mount to open a backup image. Browse the folders and open various files. If you can do this
successfully, you know the backup image is healthy.
Use ImageManager Advance Verification to verify image integrity with StorageCraft VirtualBoot technology. See
ImageManager Verify Backup Images for details.
Use the Verify Image tool in ShadowProtect to test the integrity of a specific backup image.

To test a backup image with the Verify Image tool
1. Open the Verify Image Wizard in the ShadowProtect console:

In the Tools menu, click Verify Image.
In the Menu bar, select Tasks > Verify Image.
ShadowProtect displays the Verify Image Wizard.
2. Click Next.
3. On the Source Image File page, select the image set to verify.
Note: You must have the proper network credentials to verify a backup image set stored on a network share.
4. Click Next.
5. On the Backup Image Dependencies page, select the point in time to verify.
This page displays all Incremental backup image files associated with the selected image set. Select a specific backup image file
to view its properties:
Image File Shows the volume size and used space, creation time, backup type (none, daily, weekly, monthly), compression
Properties: type, password protected (yes/no), and any comments.
Original
Partition Style (MBR, GPT), number, type (FAT, NTFS), bootable option, offsets and length
Information:
Disk Disk geometry, disk size, number of the first track sectors and if it is a dynamic disk. You can also view the disk
layout graphically at the bottom of the screen. Note: This represents what the disk looked like at the time of
Information:
backup.
Originating OS version, the machine name, MAC address, the ShadowProtect engine version used to create the image file
machine: and drive letter of the mounted volume.

5. Once you select the point in time you want to verify, click Next.
6. On the Specify the Verify Options page, select what you want to verify:
Verify only selected

The Verify Image tool checks only the selected backup image file.
image:
Verify selected Verifies the selected backup image file and all files that it depends on. This process verifies the integrity
image and all of the full point-in-time backup. If you select this option, specify the order to verify the files (Newest to
dependent files: Oldest or Oldest to Newest).
7. Click Next.
8. On the Wizard Summary page, review the details of the verify operation, then click Finish.
You can view the progress of verify operations in the Backup Jobs tab of the console.
13.2 Configuring Email Notifications

ShadowProtect can send email notifications on the success or failure of a backup job with details on its start and finish time,
source volume, and destination.
To configure email notifications
Note: Verify your external email account has POP/IMAP support enabled
1. In the menu bar of the console, select Options > Agent Options.
2. On the Agent Options page, provide the details of the email configuration:.
SMTP Server
Name or IP The host name or IP address of the outgoing SMTP server to use when sending email notifications (for
example [email protected]).
Address
SMTP Port (Default: 25) The port used by the SMTP service.
The default port for secure SMTP connections (SSL) is 465.
SMTP Login
The username ShadowProtect uses to access the SMTP server. For example, [email protected].
User Name
SMTP Login
The password associated with the SMTP user name.
Password
SMTP The authentication method used by the SMTP server. Select the appropriate authentication method for
Authentication your SMTP server from the dropdown list. For example, the SMTP authentication method for Gmail is
Method Login.
Use SSL (Default: Off) The selection for a secure connection with the SMTP server.
When using SSL, make sure to set the SMTP Port accordingly. (The SSL port is 465.)
Email From
The email address that appears in email message's From field.
Address
Email To A list of email addresses that you want to receive the notification. Use a semi-colon for multiple
Addresses addresses.
Custom (Optional) A text string that appears below the ShadowProtect-generated email content in the Subject
Subject Suffix field.
When creating this content, use /r for carriage return, /n for new line, and /t for tab characters.
Custom Body (Optional) A text string that appears in the email Message field. Use /r for carriage return, /n for new
Prefix line, and /t for tab characters.
Send Email on (Default: Off) The selector for notifying success. Select ON if you want to send notification emails when
Success ShadowProtect successfully completes a job.
Send Email on (Default: Off) The selector for notifying failure. Select ON if you want to send notification emails when
Failure ShadowProtect fails to complete a job.

Send daily (Default: Off) The selector for daily notifications. Select ON if you want to send a daily report of
report ShadowProtect
(Default: Off) Theactivities. Enabling
selector for weeklySend daily report
notifications. alsoON
Select enables the Report
if you want time
to send field. report of
a weekly
Send weekly ShadowProtect activities. Enabling Send weekly report also enables the Report day and Report time
report fields.
Report day (Default: Off) The selector for the day of the week when reports get sent.
Report time (Default: Off) The selector for the time of day when reports get sent.
3. Click OK to save the configuration.
Note: You need to select ON for at least one type of email (Success, Failure, Daily or Weekly) to receive email notifications.
4. (Optional) Click Test Email to send a test message and confirm that the email configuration is working properly.
If you have trouble receiving ShadowProtect email messages on your production email server, try sending emails to an external
email account such as Gmail or Outlook. This lets you isolate the problem to ShadowProtect or the email system.
13.3 Log Files

ShadowProtect creates a log file for each backup job. This file shows the backup job results, including the reason for failure, if any.
You can view the log for any backup job in the Backup History Tab.
The log shows:
Start Time
End Time
Type (Full or Incremental)
Source
Destination
Status
Backup jobs that finished successfully have a status of “Completed.” Jobs that did not complete successfully have a Warning icon
and a note such as “Execution Failed” or “Aborted.” It is important to review these entries and determine why the job failed.
The second half of the job log provides information about the events that occurred during that job:
Timing (when the event occurred)
Module
Code
Message
ShadowProtect marks any event that did not complete successfully with a failed icon. . Use this information for troubleshooting
and working with StorageCraft Support.
13.4 Creating Key Files

Key Files store passwords for encrypted backup images. Using key files lets you delegate the creation and storage of encrypted
backup image files without losing control of the passwords. (For example, a user assigned to run ImageManager can configure it to
do collapses of encrypted files without the user needing access to the passwords.) Key files have a .spk file extension with a prefix
that matches the name of the associated full backup file. ShadowProtect includes the KeyFileMaker tool for recreating lost or
corrupted Key Files.
Important: ShadowProtect SPX does NOT include the KeyFileMaker. If you are
using ShadowProtect SPX, information regarding the location of the
KeyFileMaker can be found in the ImageManager User Guide.
Note: ShadowProtect automatically generates a new Key File each time it
creates a new full backup with encryption activated.

To create a key file
1. Launch KeyFileMaker (Start > Program Files (x86) > StorageCraft > KeyFileMaker > KeyFileMaker.exe).
Important: ShadowProtect SPX does NOT include the KeyFileMaker. If you are
using ShadowProtect SPX, information regarding the location of the
KeyFileMaker can be found in the ImageManager User Guide.
2. In the KeyFileMaker dialog box, provide the following information, then click Create Key File.
Set
Password /
Specify the password to store in the Key File.
Confirm
Password
Save Key Specify the name and location for the Key File. You must save the Key File in the same folder as the backup
File As image files that rely on it.
Specify the backup Image Set that you want to associate with this Key File.
Generic Key File: The key file is not associated with any backup image set. Select Generic Key File if all the
backup image files in a given folder are part of the same image set.
Key File associated with a specific GUID: Select this option if you have multiple backup image sets in the
same directory and you want to manually specify the File Set GUID (Globally Unique ID) for the image set
Key File associated with this Key File. You can locate this GUID if you:
Association a. Extracted the File Set GUID from one of the set's image file's header information. (All backup image files in an
image set share the same File Set GUID.)
b. Viewed the File Set GUID by starting to mount an image file from the relevant set with the Mount wizard (in
Windows Explorer), then locating the GUID in the File set GUID field on the Image File Name page.
Key File associated with a specified backup image: Use Browse to locate an image file in the set you want
associated with this Key File. The tool automatically extracts the GUID for use in creating the Key File.
KeyFileMaker creates the new Key File in the specified folder.
13.5 Creating a Recovery CD

StorageCraft provides two types of Recovery Environment to restore a system volume:
Recovery Environment for Windows--Created using the RE Builder tool. RE Windows (REWIND) is a 32-bit application.
Recovery Environment CrossPlatform--Available as an ISO for download in either 32- or 64-bit versions.
Either tool can restore Windows system volumes. Both have a similar interface. The difference is that the REBuilder application
creates REWind using a seperate downloaded WinPE while REX is a self-contained Linux-based environment.
Refer to the RE Builder documentation for details on creating a REWind disc.

To create a Recovery Environment CrossPlatform disc
1. If necessary, download the Recovery Environment Crossplatform ISO image file.

1. Open a Web browser to the StorageCraft Recovery Environment ISO Download web page .
2. In the Serial Number field, specify the product serial number you received when you purchased ShadowProtect.
3. Click Submit.
4. Accept the EULA.
5. Select which version of the Recovery Environment to download: 32- or 64-bit.
6. Save the ISO image to a local drive.
2. Insert a blank CD/DVD/Blu-Ray disc in your system's optical drive.
3. From Windows, select Start > All Programs > StorageCraft > ISOTool. The ISOTool runs.
4. On the Burn a Disc tab, click Browse to select the RE CrossPlatform ISO file.
5. Select the optical drive (the default is D:).
6. (Optional) Select Overwrite any existing data... if you want to replace existing data on the disc.
7. Click Burn the Disk.
8. When ISOTool finishes transferring the ISO image, click Close.
Note: This ISO transfer can take several minutes to complete.
9. Test the Recovery disc by rebooting your system using the disc.
14 Best Practices
Turn off disk defrag software when using incremental backups. When ShadowProtect takes an incremental backup, it
writes a file identifying those sectors that changed since the last backup. Disk defrag software change many sectors on the disk.
This greatly increases the time it takes to run the next incremental backup. If you want to run disk defrag software, do it before
running a full backup image. Then do not run or schedule the disk defrag software to run while ShadowProtect is scheduled to take
Incremental backup images.
Test the StorageCraft Recovery Environment. Make sure the ShadowProtect Recovery Environment CD boots your system
and that you have access to both any local drives and network devices that you might need.
Monitor disk space usage where ShadowProtect stores backup images. If the location runs out of space, backup jobs fail.
Monitor the ShadowProtect log file. Routinely examine the ShadowProtect log file. The log file confirms the success or failure of
a job. Should a backup job fail, the log file provides details allowing you to take corrective action.
Use password encryption to protect backup image files. ShadowProtect backup images include all the contents of the disk
drive. Using password encryption protects this data.
Include multiple volumes in your backup job. Databases or applications may span or use multiple volumes. Be sure to include
all relevant volumes--not just the data volume--in the backup image. ShadowProtect snapshots can operate simultaneously on
multiple volumes, ensuring cross-volume consistency.
Periodically save backup image files to removable storage. External hard drives or optical media let you store backup image
files at an off-site location to keep images available in the event of an onsite disaster.
Use the Image Conversion Tool to manage backup images. You can consolidate backup images, split backup images for
CD or DVD storage, or save the images as virtual disks. You can also use ImageManager for consolidating continuous
incremental backup jobs.
Use Email notification. Automatic emails keep you informed of the operation of your ShadowProtect backup jobs. You can then
quickly identify and resolve problems.
Use a retention policy that maximizes point-in-time histories. Review the Retention option available in ShadowProtect for
retaining point-in-time histories, including using differential images for second and subsequent full images. These options can
maximize the use of available storage capacity.
Working with heavily stressed servers. When monitoring the operating conditions of critical servers, you may note that one or
more systems (such as Windows SBS) become heavily-tasked during business hours. This burden may result in failed VSS
backups. Rather than opting for only a crash-consistent backup using a non-VSS driver, ShadowProtect often can successfully
execute a VSS backup of these same server volumes by scheduling the VSS backup outside of normal business hours when the
server is less tasked. (See Creating Backup Files for details on scheduling.)
Reinstall after an OS upgrade. An OS upgrade drastically changes the system. Whether it is an upgrade from an existing
Windows 7 system to Windows 8 or a Windows 8 to a Windows 8 Pro, these changes impact ShadowProtect. To ensure
consistent ShadowProtect performance, deactivate the ShadowProtect license and uninstall the software prior to the upgrade.
After the OS upgrade, reinstall ShadowProtect and reactivate the license. Even if the system preserves the old backup job
configurations and other ShadowProtect settings, StorageCraft recommends starting a new backup job for the upgraded system
rather than continue an existing chain based on the earlier OS version.
Snapshot driver fails to install. The ShadowProtect snapshot driver, stcvsm.sys, may not install as a result of a conflict with the
Windows Telnet Service. This can lead to failed backups and errors in the Windows Event logs. For this failure to occur, the
Windows Telnet Service must be:
Installed
Running
The "Log On on type" changed to "Local System account"
The "Allow service to interact with desktop" option unchecked.
This failure may also issue various error messages:
In the ShadowProtect Backup log

Cannot lock the volume (-5 Access is denied.)
Unexpected end of the image file
Final error (-5 Access is denied.)
sbrun.exe started successfully but failed to complete the task
Incrementals are not supported on this volume
In Windows Application Event log (all VSS errors)
- VssAdmin: Unable to create shadow copy: The shadow copy provider had an error.
- Volume Shadow Copy Service error: Unexpected error DeviceIOControl
- Volume Shadow Copy Service error: Unexpected error calling routine CoCreateInstance.
- Volume Shadow Copy Service error: A critical component required by the Volume Shadow Copy service is not registered.
To avoid this install failure and other errors, keep the Telnet default setting of:"Local Service". (For further details, see the Microsoft
KB article.)

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Product version 5.2.7

StorageCraft ImageManager, StorageCraft ShadowProtect, StorageCraft Cloud, and StorageCraft

© 2017 StorageCraft Technology Corporation StorageCraft Support Center Page 3 of 78

© 2017 StorageCraft Technology Corporation StorageCraft Support Center Page 4 of 78

This Guide includes the following major sections:

For emerging issues and other resources, see the following:

1.1 Features and Components

1.2 ShadowProtect Usage Scenarios

ShadowProtect Console Scenarios

Create Full and Incremental Backup Images

Individual Folder and File Restore

Update an Existing Backup Image

© 2017 StorageCraft Technology Corporation StorageCraft Support Center Page 7 of 78

Backup Image Testing

2 How ShadowProtect Works

2.1 Create a Backup Image

Manages VSS-aware applications to achieve best quality

VSS-aware applications are managed automatically to achieve

Uses script files (before and after the snapshot) to manage

The ShadowProtect Backup Scheduler

The Image Conversion Tool

2.2 Restore a Backup Image

Recover individual files and folders

Restore entire volumes

2.3 Backup Image Files

Backup Images Description

File Naming Conventions

NETGEAR ReadyDATA File Naming

SPDiagnostic Installs a tool that gathers detailed information about a

© 2017 StorageCraft Technology Corporation StorageCraft Support Center Page 12 of 78

Backup Destination Requirements

Supported Operating Systems

Supported Operating Systems License Types

Server Small Business Desktop Virtual

Windows Server 2012 R2 x64

Windows Server 2012 x64

Windows Server 2008 R2 x64

Windows Server 2008 x86/x64 (Service Pack 2 or higher)

Windows Server 2003 R2 x86/x64

Windows Server 2003 x86/x64 (Service Pack 2 or higher)

Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 x64 Essentials

Windows Server 2012 R2 x64 Essentials

Windows Server 2012 R2 x64 Foundation

Windows Server 2012 x64 Essentials

Windows Server 2012 x64 Foundation

Windows Small Business Server 2011 x64

Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 x64 Essentials

Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Foundation Limited

Windows Server 2008 x86/x64 Foundation (Service Pack 2 or higher) Limited

Windows Small Business Server 2008 x86/x64

Windows Small Business Server 2003 x86/x64

Windows 8.1 x86/x64

Windows Vista x86/x64 (Service Pack 2 or higher)

Windows XP x86/x64 (Service Pack 3 or higher)

Windows 2000 x86 Professional (Service Pack 4 or higher) Limited Limited

Supported File Systems

ShadowProtect does not support:

Supported Storage Media

Supported Sector Sizes