Use Endpoint Backup to Clone PCs

[y1008946]

Hi, I have been wondering if I could use Veeam Endpoint Free with our Backup and Replication v8 Server to solve some common everyday problems with managing PCs on our network.

One problem is the time spent installing operating systems and software onto new PCs.

We plan to update 10 older PCs with new SSD drives to improve the speed and make them last a bit longer.

I wondered if we could use Veeam Endpoint backup to backup a freshly installed operating system and software on the first SSD, and then restore it to the other 9 drives to save time spent installing the same operating systyem and software?

Thanks for any advice

[TroyResources]

Hi, when we were testing the software with bare metal recovery as part of that test I restored a Sony Viao onto an HP laptop.
Once few driver issues were sorted out it was fine.

Now I have stock of older HP DC9700e desktops that will be offered to staff rather than scraping them.
So I've installed one to standard I want, used backup to the server, then restored it to all the other desktops ensuring I use the windows key that came with each desktop.

Cheers,

[y1008946]

Thanks thats a great help!

After restoring how did you use the windows key that came with each desktop?

Does it prompt you to enter it after the restore?

Many Thanks

[spgsit5upport]

Use OEM key with HP certificate if OS is Windows 7 (if you had this in initial image there is no need for anything else)

[y1008946]

Thanks very much!

I came across this - http://helpcenter.veeam.com/endpoint/10 ... sprep.html

I think it would be worth setting up sysprep so that when restoring it prompts for a PC name etc.

What are the steps though, is it:

- install win 7 and software on the PC

- install veeam enpoint and configure backup

- enter the reg key

- run Sysprep with quit as the shut down option

- backup the PC before rebooting

I'm just a bit unsure as to when I do the backup

Many Thanks

[spgsit5upport]

No chance to make backup with VEB with Sysprep, at least not on same PC. maybe you could attach syspreped drive to another PC & chose that drive to be backed up

[Dima P.]

Hi guys,

We plan to update 10 older PCs with new SSD drives to improve the speed and make them last a bit longer.

Please keep in mind that there is no shrink functionality in the existing Endpoint release, so it’s impossible to make the system volume smaller during restore operation.

- run Sysprep with quit as the shut down option

The scenario looks good. You can create a full backup (standalone full backup even better) right after this step.

[marioarce]

Hi,

Has anyone made any progress on this topic?

I have two Dell PCs with similar hardware except for drive sizes and video cards. Not a big deal.

I installed Win 7 on the one with smallest drive and installed VEB. Backed it up to my Veeam B&R repo and then restored it (bare metal) on second PC, ran sysprep, resized partition to larger size, and installed correct video driver. All looks good.

The issue is that I want to preserve the second PC's configuration too. Once both PCs are released, they will be modified by users almost immediately. I want to be able to restore either one to the point of my recent backup. Don't waste your time suggesting how to lock up the PC. I can't. Users need full rights.

The problem I'm running into is that VEB continues to try to backup to a filename using the first computer's name not the new name.

Any one ran into this? Uninstalling reinstalling does not help. Additional cleanup is needed, but what?

Thanks,

MA

[Dima P.]

Hey Mario,

Any one ran into this? Uninstalling reinstalling does not help. Additional cleanup is needed, but what?

To clarify, have you reconfigured the Veeam Endpoint Backup job after BMR or you tried to continue the previously created backup? Thanks

[Toschwil]

Hi, i ran in the same Problem after cloning a PC via Veeam Endpoint. The Trick is simple, but was tricky to find. You have to deinstall veeam Endpoint and before you reinstall veeam endpoint you have to place an entry in the registry thats generate a fresh database. Thats the only Thing that worked for me. Do not Forget to delete the entry after reinstall.

Via regedit.exe add to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam Endpoint Backup key Name = Recreatedatabase Type = DWORD Value = 1

[Dima P.]

If the question was how to erase the previous Endpoint’s backup job configuration and session information, yes that should do it. However, I’d rather change the backup target in the backup job’s properties and start a new full backup – that’s a bit easier.

[Thanquol]

Hello everyone,

I'm backuping a PC (Win7 64Bit) to my B&R Repository - worked fine.
Than i restored the backup to a new computer - worked fine.
Than i powered on the computer (without network), did a sysprep, renamed the computer, rejoined the domain - worked fine.

But now the old one (SVC01) and the new one (SVC02) try to backup to the same directory on my repository, after a few tries neither SVC01 nor SVC02 is able to backup to my repository

Even after uninstalling & reinstalling Endpoint Backup, deleting %programdata%\Veeam and deleting the backup on my Repository the backup-configuration still exists in my endpoint console.


-> How can i completly reset the endpoint backup configuration on SVC01 and SVC02 to start over with a new & clean backup?


Thanks,
Florian

[Dima P.]

Hi Florian,

Kindly, check the solutions described above. Thanks!

[Thanquol]

Thanks a lot!

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Veeam\Veeam Endpoint Backup key Name = Recreatedatabase Type = DWORD Value = 1
Restart Service

-> Everything is fine

[Dima P.]

Florian,

Do not forget to remove the said key after the session info was erased – otherwise Endpoint will recreate the database after every service restart. Cheers!