Restoring a Backup of Windows NT to Another Computer

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0

SUMMARY

This article outlines how you can restore, from tape, one computer profile onto another computer. This procedure is intended for Intel-based (X86) computers.

The procedure can be used to transfer your basic operating system (OS) configuration from an Intel 486 computer to an Intel Pentium computer. This procedure assumes that the tape drives on the original and new computer have a compatible tape format.

NOTE: Windows NT backup is intended to be used as a disaster recovery utility to maintain your system by backing it up and restoring it to the SAME computer. When you restore to a different computer you may encounter problems, due to hardware differences between the two computers.

This is an unsupported use of Windows NT backup. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, that it will restore your system correctly.

MORE INFORMATION

If the HDD controller (either IDE or SCSI) on the new computer is the same type of controller used on the previous computer:

1. From the original computer, perform a backup of the complete OS and all other files that you wish to transfer.

   NOTE: If you are using Windows NT Backup, be sure you backup the registry (this requires administrator privileges).

2. Load Windows NT onto the new computer.

   Partition and drive information should be set up the same as the original computer. The partition sizes on the new computer should be at least as big as the partitions on the original computer.

3. Load the backup software for the tape drive that is attached to the new computer.

4. From tape, restore the complete OS and all necessary files into directories of the same name as the original computer. Be sure to restore the Registry.

5. Reboot the computer.

If the original computer has a SCSI controller and you want to restore Windows NT onto a computer with a different SCSI controller:

1. Before you make your complete back up of the original computer, load the driver for the SCSI controller that is in the new computer.

2. Reboot the computer.

3. An error appears stating "One or more services failed to load." Continue.

4. Perform a back up of the complete OS and all other files that you wish to transfer.

5. Load Windows NT onto the new computer.

   Partition and drive information should be set up the same as the original computer. The partition sizes on the new computer should be at least as big as the partitions on the original computer.

6. Load the backup software for the tape drive that is attached to the new computer.

7. From tape, restore the complete OS and all necessary files into directories of the same name as the original computer. Be sure to restore the Registry.

8. Reboot the computer

9. An error appears stating "One or more services failed to load." Continue.

10. Remove or rename the SCSI controller driver that was in the original

        computer. All drivers are located in the %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS
        directory. Removing the old driver will keep the computer from showing
        the "One or more services failed to load" message at boot. You can also
        remove reference to the old driver from the Registry.
    

11. Reboot the computer

NOTE: Both example one and two are intended as a guide that will allow transfer of the Windows NT OS from one similar computer to another. However, there may be instances that this procedure will not work. If the new computer has additional hardware that was not present in the original computer, it may be necessary to install drivers before the additional hardware will function properly.