System State

I have created a new AD environment, NTDS.Dit is approx 13 MB and Sysvol is
10 MB, however when i take system state backup using wbadmin, the backup
file is over 9 GB. I wonder what all is getting backed up? Why is the backup
file so huge in size? Is there a way to reduce the resultant backup file
size? if yes how to do it?

Hello Bill,

Within Windows server 2008 the way of backup changes also for the system
state. During the backup lot more files are saved as before.
http://www.leedesmond.com/weblog/?p=337

You can't reduce the file as far as i know.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
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> I have created a new AD environment, NTDS.Dit is approx 13 MB and
> Sysvol is 10 MB, however when i take system state backup using
> wbadmin, the backup file is over 9 GB. I wonder what all is getting
> backed up? Why is the backup file so huge in size? Is there a way to
> reduce the resultant backup file size? if yes how to do it?
>

I agree with Meinolf, with one possible exception. Verify that you don't
have hibernation enabled. If you do disable and delete hiberfil.sys.

http://www.softwarepatch.com/tips/hiberfil-sys-xp.html

--
Paul Bergson
MVP - Directory Services
MCITP - Enterprise Administrator
MCTS, MCT, MCSE, MCSA, MCP, Security +, BS CSci
2008, Vista, 2003, 2000 (Early Achiever), NT4
Microsoft's Thrive IT Pro of the Month - June 2009

http://www.pbbergs.com Twitter - @pbbergs

Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewGroups. This
posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights.
"Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]" <meiweb@(nospam)gmx.de> wrote in message
news: .com...
> Hello Bill,
>
> Within Windows server 2008 the way of backup changes also for the system
> state. During the backup lot more files are saved as before.
> http://www.leedesmond.com/weblog/?p=337
>
> You can't reduce the file as far as i know.
>
> Best regards
>
> Meinolf Weber
> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
> confers no rights.
> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>
>> I have created a new AD environment, NTDS.Dit is approx 13 MB and
>> Sysvol is 10 MB, however when i take system state backup using
>> wbadmin, the backup file is over 9 GB. I wonder what all is getting
>> backed up? Why is the backup file so huge in size? Is there a way to
>> reduce the resultant backup file size? if yes how to do it?
>>
>
>

Hello Paul Bergson [MVP-DS],

So hiberfile is one of the lot's of files in the system state backup?

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm


> I agree with Meinolf, with one possible exception. Verify that you
> don't have hibernation enabled. If you do disable and delete
> hiberfil.sys.
>
> http://www.softwarepatch.com/tips/hiberfil-sys-xp.html
>
> http://www.pbbergs.com Twitter - @pbbergs
>
> Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewGroups.
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no
> rights. "Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]" <meiweb@(nospam)gmx.de> wrote in
> message news: .com...
>
>> Hello Bill,
>>
>> Within Windows server 2008 the way of backup changes also for the
>> system state. During the backup lot more files are saved as before.
>> http://www.leedesmond.com/weblog/?p=337
>>
>> You can't reduce the file as far as i know.
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>> Meinolf Weber
>> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
>> confers no rights.
>> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
>> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>>> I have created a new AD environment, NTDS.Dit is approx 13 MB and
>>> Sysvol is 10 MB, however when i take system state backup using
>>> wbadmin, the backup file is over 9 GB. I wonder what all is getting
>>> backed up? Why is the backup file so huge in size? Is there a way to
>>> reduce the resultant backup file size? if yes how to do it?
>>>

On Mon, 17 May 2010 23:12:38 +0530, Bill wrote:

> I have created a new AD environment, NTDS.Dit is approx 13 MB and Sysvol is
> 10 MB, however when i take system state backup using wbadmin, the backup
> file is over 9 GB. I wonder what all is getting backed up? Why is the backup
> file so huge in size? Is there a way to reduce the resultant backup file
> size? if yes how to do it?

Some (or all) of the following gets backed up in system state:
(Note: this is info for W2k3)

Startable system state components include the following:

* Active Directory (domain controller only)
* System Volume (domain controller only)
* Certificate Server Database (domain controller only)
* COM+ database
* Windows Registry
* System and boot files

System services components include the following:

* Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)
* Event logs (2003 only)
* Removable Storage Management Database (RSM)
* Cluster Database (cluster node only)
* Remote Storage Service
* Terminal Server Licensing
* Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)
* Internet Information Services (IIS) metabase
* Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
* Windows Internet Name Service (WINS)

I can't seem to find info for W2k8 System State contents...
I guess system and boot files take up most of the backup size, and I don't
think you can 'shrink' it in any way...

You could try using 'wbadmin get items' command to see if there is some
information on what items are in the backup you made...

--
Pozdrav
===========

Paul,

I have read in one of the Articles that Windows Server Backup is a selective
backup and not a forensic clone. This means that blank space, the page file,
hibernate file etc are not backed up.

Would be interested to know what all is making up that huge size


"Paul Bergson [MVP-DS]" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I agree with Meinolf, with one possible exception. Verify that you don't
>have hibernation enabled. If you do disable and delete hiberfil.sys.
>
> http://www.softwarepatch.com/tips/hiberfil-sys-xp.html
>
> --
> Paul Bergson
> MVP - Directory Services
> MCITP - Enterprise Administrator
> MCTS, MCT, MCSE, MCSA, MCP, Security +, BS CSci
> 2008, Vista, 2003, 2000 (Early Achiever), NT4
> Microsoft's Thrive IT Pro of the Month - June 2009
>
> http://www.pbbergs.com Twitter - @pbbergs
>
> Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewGroups. This
> posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights.
> "Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]" <meiweb@(nospam)gmx.de> wrote in message
> news: .com...
>> Hello Bill,
>>
>> Within Windows server 2008 the way of backup changes also for the system
>> state. During the backup lot more files are saved as before.
>> http://www.leedesmond.com/weblog/?p=337
>>
>> You can't reduce the file as far as i know.
>>
>> Best regards
>>
>> Meinolf Weber
>> Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
>> confers no rights.
>> ** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
>> ** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>>
>>> I have created a new AD environment, NTDS.Dit is approx 13 MB and
>>> Sysvol is 10 MB, however when i take system state backup using
>>> wbadmin, the backup file is over 9 GB. I wonder what all is getting
>>> backed up? Why is the backup file so huge in size? Is there a way to
>>> reduce the resultant backup file size? if yes how to do it?
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

On Tue, 18 May 2010 13:05:38 +0000 (UTC), Meinolf Weber [MVP-DS]
<meiweb@(nospam)gmx.de> wrote:

>Hello Paul Bergson [MVP-DS],
>
>So hiberfile is one of the lot's of files in the system state backup?
>
>Best regards
>
>Meinolf Weber
>Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
>no rights.
>** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
>** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
>
>

I believe it does get backed up, because I believe it's considered a
system file.

It can be resized with the "POWERCFG -H -Size" command. Here's more on
it at this thread:

Need to resize Hiberfil.sys
http://forums.techarena.in/operating...ms/1187327.htm

However, I am curious. The original poster, Bill, stated it's a DC,
but didn't state if hibernation is enabled. I can't remember this or
not, but I believe that's disabled after promoting to a DC? Anyway,
another curious question would be if manually enabled, why would
hibernation be enabled on a domain controller?

Another link I found indicates the hiberfil and other data, can be
exclude from a System State or non-system state backup by setting it
in the reg.

Registry Keys and Values for Backup and Restore
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...59(VS.85).aspx

Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and confers no rights.

Please reply back to the newsgroup or forum for collaboration benefit among responding engineers, and to help others benefit from your resolution.

Ace Fekay, MVP, MCT, MCITP EA, MCTS Windows 2008 & Exchange 2007, MCSE & MCSA 2003/2000, MCSA Messaging 2003
Microsoft Certified Trainer
Microsoft MVP - Directory Services

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