• Using Windows installation CD/DVD, install a basic windows installation.
• If you have a server with special hardware like SCSI or RAID cards, at the first blue installation screen be ready press F6 to install this drivers (the option is available for only few seconds, so be prepared).
• On the next “Welcome to Setup Screen” do not choose the “Repair” option, just hit enter to continue.
• Press F8 to accept the End User License Agreement.
• If you have replaced the hard disk, select the new disk, and create a new partition that has at least the same size as it used to be on the cashed system.
• Select to install Windows on the new partition
• Select formatting the new partition
• After format completes, the windows installation begins, and windows will load, and then reboot.
• Accept default settings for ‘Regional and Language Options”
• Fill the “Name” and “Organization”, and product key.
• Make sure you use the same? “computer name” as it use to be, otherwise, you will have to start all over.
• Cancel the setup wizard that appears at the end f the installation.
• Right click on “My Computer: and choose Manage.
• Recreate all partitions, with the same drive letters, as that were present on the system you are trying to restore. Failing to do so will result in unsuccessful restore!
• Install your Backup software and recover it settings form the backup disk.
• Select the System State pack, a restore it to its original location.
• Reboot the server, and hit F8 as soon as the BIOS screen appears.
• Choose “Directory Services Restore Mode”
• After windows starts > from the Start menu choose Run > NTBackup
• Choose Restore and Manage Media
• From the main menu Tools > Options > Restore Tab > set ” Always replace the files on my computer”
• Select the appropriate system state file, the one you recovered using Relative Rev Backup, and hit “Start Restore“.
• Acknowledge restoring the System State to its original location.?
• On the Confirm Restore form hit Advanced, and check all four checkboxes.
• Wait for the restore to complete
• You may have to reboot

No, it is always recommended to keep two or more versions. That way even if the last system state is corrupted you will be able to recover from a previous version.?

After each major system update, and regularly each weekend or so.

The Registry, boot files, as well as important system files. Then depending on their availability, the following services will be backed up as well:?

Active Directory directory service, Certificate Service database, COM+ Class Registration database, SYSVOL directory.

System state backup creates a backup file for critical system related components. This backup file can be used to recover the critical system components after a crash.

This is for external users, no need for internal users:

If you open the Company Web Site inside the company, you’ll notice an announcement that tells users how to obtain this package.

  They can browse to “\\your-domain\users\public downloads” on the server and obtain the zip file shown on the left.  This zip file can then be copied to a USB key or floppy drive and taken to the remote PC. 

 Alternatively, it can be run inside the network to install the certificate onto a Windows Mobile device that is connected to the user’s PC. 

It is not necessary to use this package on client computers that are joined to the domain because Group Policy will push the certificate to these client computers, for the case of a laptop that leaves the domain, it will already have the certificate installed in the trusted root store.

One thing to note, is that each time the Fix My Network wizard is run, it checks the validity of the certificate, if it’s invalid, it’ll go ahead and re-create the certificates and fix everything up for you.. including dropping a new package to the Public Downloads share.

Once you have the tool at the remote location, un-zip it, and run it.  The tool is very simple, and runs on XP SP2 or higher clients, including Vista.  When you run it, you will see the following UI:

As you can see from the screen shot, you can install the certificate on the remote PC, or any device running Windows Mobile 6.

While using self-issued certificates got easier with 2008, its still a pain to have to install the certificate every 5 years onto remote devices, it’s far easier to use a Trusted Certificate.