Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (
More info?)
| "Sdruws" <sdruws@attglobal.net.INVALID> wrote in message
| news:uStW34kYEHA.2812@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl
| I run XP Pro in a notebook that has no diskette driver.
| When trying to make an Automated System Recovery Wizard, I
| noticed that this application requires an 3.5 diskette for keeping some
| details.
| Otherwise the program does not work.
| However, my notebook has no such driver neither I have a portable
| one.
| Is there any way to use another alternative, as to write these details in
| another hard drive or CD ROM ?
| Please assist for which I thank you very much in advance.
For Microsoft Windows XP Professional and Server 2003
users, to quote the following Microsoft Server 2003 Enterprise
Edition Documentation on the subject of ASR and the
need to have a floppy disk that stores system settings:
Microsoft Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Documentation
Disks and Data | Backing Up and Recovering Data | Backing
Up and Restoring Data: Troubleshooting
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/enterprise/proddocs/en-us/sag_BACKtrouble.asp
----- Begin Quote -----
I want to do an Automated System Recovery (ASR) backup,
but my computer does not have a floppy drive.
Cause: When you restore your system files in an ASR restore,
Backup requires that you insert a floppy disk containing the
ASR backup files.
Solution: Perform an ASR backup on the computer without the
floppy drive. Copy the asr.sif and asrpnp.sif files located in the
%systemroot%\repair directory to another computer with a
floppy drive, then copy those files onto a floppy disk.
Important
a. Before running the ASR restore, you must attach a floppy
drive to your computer.
----- End Quote -----
Additionally, the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article
describes how to create an Automated System Recovery (ASR)
floppy disk from the media that stores the ASR backup, in the
event that the ASR floppy disk is not available (or was not
created during the preparation procedure):
KB299526 - HOW TO: Re-Create a Missing Automated
System Recovery Floppy Disk in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;299526
Note: While I did not perform an ASR restore, I did test both
of the above procedures and was able to create the required
ASR floppy that contains the asr.sif and asrpnp.sif files.
That is, I used Windows Backup, and the Automated System
Recover Preparation Wizard on my Windows XP Professional
computer (that has a floppy drive attached) to create the ASR
media (*.bkf).
At the end of the procedure the Backup Utility dialog box
appeared with an OK button and the text: "Insert a blank, 1.44
MB, formatted diskette in drive A:, Recovery information will
be written to this diskette". I did *not* insert a floppy. I
clicked the OK button.
A Backup Utility dialog box appeared with a Retry and Cancel
button and the text: "The drive is not ready, or the diskette is not
inserted properly". I clicked the Cancel button.
Then a Backup Utility dialog box appeared with an OK button
and the text: "The ASR recover diskette was not created. You
will not be able to restore an ASR backup without the system
information stored on this diskette. Please refer to the on-line
help for further assistance". I clicked the OK button.
Then, I tested both procedures given in the documentation
above to create an ASR floppy that contains the asr.sif and
asrpnp.sif files. Both procedures worked as described.
Thus, I feel confident that an ASR restore would be successful
even if one is unable to insert the required floppy diskette during
the ASR preparation procedure. Of course, as stated in the
above documentation: "Before running the ASR restore,
you must attach a floppy drive to your computer."
More information about Automated System Recovery (ASR).
ASR is the Backup and Recovery procedure that backs up all
files on the system and boot partitions. It creates a Backup file
(*.bkf) that contains System State data, the
%SYSTEMROOT%\Repair folder and files, and all of the files
and folders on your System Partition (that is, directories such
as : C:\Documents and Settings, C:\Program Files,
C:\MyPrograms, C:\Windows, etc.). It does not backup any
files or folders from any other partition(s).
It also creates the two Microsoft Windows Automated System
Recovery State Information (*.sif) files that are to be stored on
a floppy and used in the recovery.
The ASR restore procedure automates the restoration of your
Operating System to the configuration that was present when
the ASR set was made. That is, it automatically formats your
hard drive, restores all of the disk signatures, etc., and restores
system settings and files on the system and boot partitions.
Because the ASR process formats the hard disk, it is considered
by Microsoft to be the last resort for solving a problem. It is to
be used only after trying Last Known Good Configuration, Device
Driver Roll Back, System Restore, and the Recovery Console.
To recover from a system failure using Automated System
Recovery you must have:
- Your previously created Automated System Recovery (ASR)
floppy disk.
- Your previously created backup file (*.bkf). This backup file
must be stored on a locally attached device such as a tape
backup drive, removable disks (including CDs), or another hard
disks. It is important to note that restoring from a network
share is not an ASR option.
- The original Operating System installation CD.
- If not available on the original Operating System installation
CD, a floppy containing the driver file for your mass storage
controller.
Most of the above information was gathered from the Microsoft
Knowledge Base articles referenced above, the following Microsoft
documentation, from performing the ASR preparation procedure,
and reviewing the *.bkf and *.sif files created by the procedure.
Windows XP Professional Resource Kit Documentation
Part II | Desktop Management: Backup and Restore
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prdg_dsm_htwo.asp
TechNet Home | Products & Technologies
Desktop Operating Systems | Windows XP Professional
Windows XP Product Documentation: Fixing A Problem
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/proddocs/12.mspx
"NOTE: ASR does not function and is not supported on
Windows XP Home edition."
For more information see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base
article that also explains the recovery process for Windows XP
Home Edition if catastrophic malfunctions result in the need for
total data recovery:
KB302700 - An Error Message Is Displayed When You
Attempt to Use the Automated System Recovery Wizard
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;302700
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