Installing NTBackup in Windows Vista / 2008

Windows Vista includes a completely new backup solution called Backup and Restore Center. It doesn't support BKF-backups made with NTBackup, and it can only make backup of certain filetypes and folders.

Microsoft has released Windows NT Backup - Restore Utility, which allows Windows Vista to restore files saved in BKF-files.

There is a hotfix available to install Windows NT Backup - Restore Utility on Windows 7 / 2008 R2.

Installing NTBackup on Windows Vista / 2008

If having a Windows XP/2003 system around (or look for install cd file nt5backup.cab), then it is possible to copy certain NTBackup files into Windows Vista, which will allow Windows Vista to backup and restore files with NTBackup. Create a new folder on Windows Vista ex. C:\Program Files\NTBackup and copy the following files from Windows XP to the folder:

C:Windows\System32\Ntbackup.exe
C:Windows\System32\Ntmsapi.dll
C:Windows\System32\Vssapi.dll
C:Windows\Help\Ntbackup.chm
C:Windows\Help\Ntbackup.hlp

Note to run the Restore Utility or NTBackup on Windows Vista, then one has to enable Removable Storage Management, or else one will get an NTSMAPI.dll error.

Open Control Panel and under "Programs and Features" click "Turn Windows Features on or off"
Enable "Removable Storage Management" and press OK

Kevin Chappell says:

30 January 2009 at 19:49

I followed the instructions for adding NTBackup to my Vista system in the article "Installing Windows XP Ntbackup on Windows Vista". NTBackup starts up fine and the RSM service shows that it is started, however, It does not recognize any of my possible destination backup devices. I have both CDRW (2) and a HP DAT72 tape drive. Device manager shows them as working and installed. So I am puzzled as to why NTBackup will not recognize them.

StuTheItGuy says:

18 February 2009 at 19:55

Hi there,

I am reading your post a little late but for those of you reading this post I would suggest looking into the service credentials. I would suggest a domain service account with local admin rights on all devices concerned. Right-click the service, click the logOn tab and use a domain account with local admin rights. That way the serivice will see the tape drive and youll be able to backup.

I haven't tried it. just a suggestion.

Cheers,

sanny says:

29 December 2009 at 6:38

dose its support automatic backup sheduls in vindows vista

Snakefoot says:

29 December 2009 at 12:23

sanny wrote:
dose its support automatic backup sheduls in vindows vista

NtBackup includes a backup wizard that allows you to schedule a task. You can try an use this wizard to create a scheduled task on Vista.

If that fails then you can try to add a scheduled task manually in vista that launches NtBackup with the proper command line parameters. More Info MS KB814583