Arctera™ System Recovery 24 User's Guide
- Introducing Arctera System Recovery
- Installing Arctera System Recovery
- System requirements for Arctera System Recovery
- Supported file systems, disk types, disk partition schemes, and removable media
- Feature availability in Arctera System Recovery
- About the trial version of Arctera System Recovery
- Installing Arctera System Recovery
- Uninstalling Arctera System Recovery
- System requirements for Arctera System Recovery Manager
- Installing Arctera System Recovery Manager
- Ensuring the recovery of your computer
- Creating a new Arctera System Recovery Disk
- Welcome Panel
- Creation Options
- Download and install Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK)
- Languages Options
- Arctera System Recovery Disk Storage Media/Destination Options
- Licensed Features Options
- Storage and Network Drivers Options
- Startup Options
- Network Options
- Setup LightsOut Restore Options
- Customizing an existing Arctera System Recovery Disk
- About restoring a computer from a remote location by using LightsOut Restore
- Testing the Arctera System Recovery Disk
- Creating a new Arctera System Recovery Disk
- Getting Started
- How to use Arctera System Recovery
- Starting Arctera System Recovery
- Configuring Arctera System Recovery default options
- Setting up default general backup options
- Improving your computer's performance during a backup
- Enabling network throttling
- Setting default options for the Windows notification area
- File types and file extension
- Removing or changing the unique name for an external drive
- Configuring default FTP settings for use with Offsite Copy
- Logging Arctera System Recovery messages
- Enabling email notifications for product (event) messages
- Setting up your first backup using Easy Setup
- Home page
- Status page
- Tasks page
- Tools page
- Advanced page
- Using Arctera System Recovery RESTful Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
- Best practices for backing up your data
- Backing up entire drives
- Backing up files and folders
- Running and managing backup jobs
- Running an existing backup job immediately
- Adjusting the speed of a backup
- Stopping a backup or a recovery task
- Verifying that a backup is successful
- Viewing the properties of a backup job
- Editing backup settings
- Enabling event-triggered backups
- Editing a backup schedule
- Disabling or enabling a backup job
- Deleting backup jobs
- Adding users who can back up your computer
- Configuring access rights for users or groups
- Backing up remote computers from your computer
- Monitoring the status of your backups
- About monitoring backups
- Icons on the Home page
- Icons on the Status page
- Configuring Arctera System Recovery to send SNMP traps
- Customizing the status reporting of a drive (or file and folder backups)
- Viewing drive details
- Improving the protection level of a drive
- About using event log information to troubleshoot problems
- Managing and Monitoring the backup status of remote computers using Arctera System Recovery Manager
- About
- Configuring Windows firewall exceptions for Arctera System Recovery Manager
- Starting Arctera System Recovery Manager
- Icons on the Arctera System Recovery Manager console
- Configuring Arctera System Recovery Manager default options
- Viewing Arctera System Recovery Dashboard
- Adding a remote computer to All Computers
- Searching a remote computer from All Computers
- Modifying the logon credentials for the remote computers
- Running or Deleting Backup Jobs for the Remote computers
- Removing a remote computer from the All Computers
- Viewing the backup protection status of a remote computer
- Viewing the backup protection status for a remote computer
- Viewing the Protection Status report
- About Backup Tasks
- Creating Backup Jobs
- Editing Backup Jobs
- Removing Backup Jobs
- Applying Backup Jobs
- Exploring the contents of a recovery point
- Managing backup destinations
- About backup destinations
- Differences between drive-based backups and file and folder backups
- Cleaning up old recovery points
- Deleting a recovery point set
- Deleting recovery points within a recovery point set
- Copying recovery points
- About managing file and folder backup data
- Automating the management of backup data
- Moving your backup destination
- About support of OneDrive for Business
- Managing virtual conversions
- Defining a virtual conversion job
- Running an existing virtual conversion job immediately
- Viewing the properties of a virtual conversion job
- Viewing the progress of a virtual conversion job
- Editing a virtual conversion job
- Deleting a virtual conversion job
- Running a one-time conversion of a physical recovery point to a virtual disk
- Managing cloud storage
- Direct to cloud
- Downloading OpenStorage Files
- How Offsite Copy works for cloud storage
- About creation of Amazon Machine Image (AMI) in Amazon from Arctera System Recovery backups
- About S3-Compatible Cloud Storage
- About Arctera System Recovery supporting Arctera Access
- About the Cloud Instance Creator Utility
- Recovering files, folders, or entire drives
- About recovering lost data
- Recovering files and folders by using file and folder backup data
- Recovering files and folders
- Recovering a secondary drive
- Recovering a drive
- Exploring files and folders on your computer by using Arctera System Recovery Disk
- Recovering files and folders by using Arctera System Recovery Disk
- Recovering a computer
- About recovering a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)-based computer
- Booting a computer by using the Arctera System Recovery Disk
- Preparing to recover a computer by checking the hard disk for errors
- Recovering a computer
- Recovering a computer from a virtual disk file
- Recovering a computer with different hardware
- About using the networking tools in Arctera System Recovery Disk
- Viewing the properties of a recovery point in the Arctera System Recovery Disk
- Viewing the properties of a drive within a recovery point in the Arctera System Recovery Disk
- About the Support Utilities
- Copying a hard drive
- Using the Arctera System Recovery Granular Restore Option
- About the Arctera System Recovery Granular Restore Option
- Best practices when you create recovery points for use with the Granular Restore Option
- Starting the Granular Restore Option
- Starting Granular Restore Option and opening a specific recovery point
- Restoring a Microsoft Exchange mailbox
- Restoring a Microsoft Exchange email folder
- Restoring a Microsoft Exchange email message
- Restoring files and folders using Granular Restore Option
- Appendix A. Backing up databases using Arctera System Recovery
- Appendix B. Backing up Active Directory
- Appendix C. Backing up Microsoft virtual environments
- Appendix D. Using Arctera System Recovery 24 and Windows Server Core
- Index
Creating a new Arctera System Recovery Disk
As Microsoft no longer allows redistribution of WinPE, Arctera System Recovery 24 does not include a Arctera System Recovery Disk on a DVD media or as an ISO downloadable from the web. Arctera System Recovery 24 provides a new utility that is called using which you can create a system recovery disk on your computer. As a recovery disk is required to restore images created with Arctera System Recovery 24, it is imperative that you create a recovery disk using this utility. To restore the system volume images that are created using Arctera System Recovery 24, you need to create a Arctera System Recovery Disk using this utility. Arctera recommends that you create a recovery disk using this utility at the earliest. By default this utility is installed with Arctera System Recovery 24. Arctera recommends that you test the recovery disk on the computer on which you want the use it.
The provides two options to create a Arctera System Recovery Disk based on the disaster recovery needs. Using the option, you can create a recovery disk on Windows 10 and later desktop operating systems, and Windows Server 2012 and later server operating systems. Using the option, you can create a recovery disk on Windows Server 2012 and later server operating system, and Windows 10 and later desktop operating systems. This option requires the download and installation of the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) to create the Arctera System Recovery Disk. The Windows ADK can only be installed on Windows Server 2012 and later server operating systems, and Windows 10 and later desktop operating systems.
Note:
The Arctera System Recovery Disk Creation Utility only runs on Windows 10 and later operating systems.
Arctera recommends that the recovery disk is created on the latest operating system available, such as Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows 2019, Windows Server 2022, or Windows Server 2025. The Arctera System Recovery Disk can then be used to recover images of that operating system and all previous operating systems. However, a recovery disk created on an older operating system cannot be used to recovery later operating systems. For example, a Arctera System Recovery Disk created on Windows 2012 cannot be used to recover Windows 2019 images.
The Arctera System Recovery Disk Creation Utility allows creation of a 64-bit recovery disk on a USB thumb drive, as an ISO file, or in the LightsOut Restore format. If the option is used, Arctera recommends using the latest version of the Windows ADK that is available. A recovery disk created with an older version of the Windows ADK can only restore operating system supported by that ADK. For example, a Arctera System Recovery Disk created using Windows ADK for Windows 10 can be used to recover Windows 2016 and earlier operating systems. It cannot be used to recover later operating systems, such as Windows 11/2022/2025.
A license key is not required to create a Arctera System Recovery Disk. A license key is required if additional drivers need to be added, or if specifying the startup or network options.
To create a Arctera System Recovery Disk, you can launch the in the following ways:
Launch Arctera System Recovery 24, go to the Tasks menu and click .
On the Windows taskbar, click > > .
In the dialog box, click .
Note:
The button is displayed in the dialog box when you launch Arctera System Recovery 24 and is available only until you create the Arctera System Recovery Disk.
Note:
If you are connected to a remote computer, the is not available in Arctera System Recovery 24. You cannot create a Arctera System Recovery Disk.
To create a new Arctera System Recovery Disk
- On the Tasks menu, click Create New Recovery Disk.
The Arctera System Recovery Disk Creation Wizard is displayed.
- In the Welcome panel, review the information, and then click Next.
See Welcome Panel.
- In the Creation Options panel, select the disk creation option (Typical or Advanced) to create the Arctera System Recovery Disk and click Next.
Feature Description
Typical
Advanced
Uses Windows ADK for Windows Server 2022
No
Yes
You require an Internet connection to download Windows ADK.
See Download and install Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK).
Platform support
Creates a 64-bit recovery disk depending on the operating system installed on your computer.
To create a 64-bit recovery disk, use this option on a 64-bit computer.
Creates 64-bit recovery disks on the same computer.
Windows operating systems that can be recovered
The computer's operating system on which you create the Arctera System Recovery Disk and all earlier versions.
Use this option on the latest operating system to recover all Windows operating systems.
All versions of Windows supported by the product.
Languages available in the recovery environment
The language of your operating system.
One or more of the 6 supported languages selected during Arctera System Recovery creation.
Temporary disk space required on local system
Approximately 500 MB
Approximately 500 MB for each recovery disk that you create. More space is required for each additional language that you select.
An additional 3.5 to 5 GB disk space is required to install Windows ADK.
PowerShell Cmdlets support in recovery environment (for example, Storage Space Creation Cmdlets)
Not Available
Available
Time required for creation (approximately)
10 minutes
20 minutes
If you select more than one language, approximately 10 minutes are added for each language.
Can be customized on other operating systems
See Arctera System Recovery Disk customization support matrix.
Yes
Yes
See Creation Options.
- In the Languages panel, select the languages that should be available in the recovery environment, and then click Next.
See Languages Options.
Note:
The Languages panel is only available if you select the Advanced creation option.
- In the Arctera System Recovery Disk Storage Media/Destination panel, select the destination to save the recovery disk, and then click Next.
Disk label
Lets you specify the name that you want to use for the Arctera System Recovery Disk label.
Select the platform of the recovery disk
This option is only displayed if you select the Advanced option to create a Arctera System Recovery Disk.
Select the 64-bit platform for which you want to create the Arctera System Recovery Disk.
Select a drive to create a Arctera System Recovery Disk on a USB device
Lets you save your new Arctera System Recovery Disk to a USB device.
Select the media drive in which you have inserted in the USB device.
The existing data on the USB device is not formatted during Arctera System Recovery Disk creation. If you have a recovery disk created on the same USB drive, the new recovery disk overwrites the older recovery disk.
Note:
Arctera recommends that only privileged users or an administrator should have the rights to access the USB folder. Arctera also recommends that the recovery media files be managed only by trusted users. This is to ensure that the files are always safe and no one can tamper with them.
If you attach an unsupported volume to your computer, the Show Unsupported Devices link is displayed. When you click the link, the Unsupported Devices dialog box with a list of the unsupported volumes and the reason for the unsupported volume is displayed.
A Arctera System Recovery Disk does not support the super formatted USB disk.
Save the Arctera System Recovery Disk as an ISO file
Lets you save your new Arctera System Recovery Disk as an ISO file.
Click Browse and specify the path where you want to save the ISO file.
You can manually burn the saved ISO file to a CD/DVD/Blu-ray.
See Arctera System Recovery Disk Storage Media/Destination Options.
- In the Licensed Features panel, enter the license key of the product and then click Next.
Use the license file that is activated on this computer
Enables the cold backup feature in the recovery environment using the product license file that is provided.
Use the following license file
Enables the cold backup feature in the new Arctera System Recovery Disk by browsing to the product license file.
Prompt for a license file
Prompts you for a product license file at the time you want to enable features in the Arctera System Recovery Disk.
- In the Storage and Network Drivers panel, review the list of any storage or network drivers to be included, add, or remove storage and network drivers, and then click Next.
Storage and network drivers
Lets you review the list of any storage or network drivers to be included.
Add
Lets you add additional drivers. The location that you specify should contain the fully extracted installation package for the driver you add. If you have more than one missing storage or network driver, you can click Add for each missing driver.
Remove
Deletes the drivers from the driver list that is displayed on the wizard.
Reset
Resets the list to the original list of storage and network drivers that is detected on the computer on which the Arctera System Recovery Disk creation utility is run.
- In the Startup Options panel, select the time zone, display language, keyboard layout language for the Arctera System Recovery Disk, and then click Next.
Time zone
Sets the time zone to use for the Arctera System Recovery Disk.
Display language
Sets the default display language for the Arctera System Recovery Disk.
Keyboard layout
Lets you select the default keyboard layout to use when you boot from the Arctera System Recovery Disk.
See Startup Options.
- In the Network Options panel, select the dynamic or static IP, save the Windows firewall settings to the Arctera System Recovery Disk, and then click Next.
Automatically start network services
Automatically starts network services when you recover the computer through LightsOut Restore. Select this option if you want to enable network services in a recovery environment.
Dynamic IP
Connects to a network without the need for additional network configuration. You can click this option if you know there is a DHCP server available on the network at the time you restore.
Static IP
Connects to a network with a particular network adapter and specific address settings. You should select this option only if you know there is no DHCP server (or the DHCP server is unavailable) when you want to recover data.
Use Windows firewall settings
Applies the local computer's firewall settings to the recovery environment. For example, if you turn on the firewall for your local computer and then select this option, the firewall settings are applied for the recovery environment too.
See Network Options.
- In the Setup LightsOut Restore panel, select the Enable LightsOut Restore check box to enable the LightsOut Restore boot option and boot menu display time, and then click Next.
Boot menu label
Indicates the title that appears on the Windows boot menu for LightsOut Restore.
Display boot menu for seconds
Specifies how long you want the boot menu to display.
The default is 10 seconds.
- In the Summary panel, review all of the options that you selected, and then click Finish.
The Progress panel displays the progress status and the approximate time that is required to create theArctera System Recovery Disk. The Result panel displays a success result if the recovery disk is created successfully or a failed result if the recovery disk is not created successfully.
When a Arctera System Recovery Disk creation fails or is stopped, the recovery disk creation process is stopped. In some cases some files are left mounted in a temporary (folder name, SymSrdTemp) location and the files cannot be deleted. The WimCleaner.exe utility unmounts any such mounted system files and deletes the temporary folder (SymSrdTemp). Arctera System Recovery provides the 32-bit version of the WimCleaner.exe utility.
The utility is at the following location:
<VSRInstallPath>\Utility\WimCleaner.exe. You can double-click the exe file to run the utility or use the command prompt to run the utility.Note:
Arctera recommends that you test the recovery disk after it is created. It ensures that you can use the Arctera System Recovery Disk to start your computer and can access the drive that contains your recovery points.
- Click Close to close the wizard.