Ever tried re-installing a file/print server? And ever had to manually recreate a number of printers / print cue’s? Its a horrible way to spend an evening :-/
And actually its a total waste of good (Battlefield playing) time, if you use “Print Migrator” from Microsoft to export the printers in advance you can simply re-import all printers and cue’s in minutes. In order for this to work properly, you should export your printers from time to time (as a disaster recovery preemptive step).
Print Migrator is a Microsoft utility, and its free 😉
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overview/printmigrator3.1.mspx
Additional disaster recovery hints;
Be sure to backup;
DHCP scopes,
Printers,
Shared folder info (a reg key) – “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServiceslanmanserverShares” (you can once you have restored all data simply import this registry key and all shares are restored with correct NTFS).
Export data via commandline this way;
Create a C:ackup directory
use this commandline:
regedit /e c:ackupshares.reg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServiceslanmanservares
printmig -b c:ackup\%computername%-Printers.cab
Now you will have a dump of your printer cue’s and the setup of all your shares on this server/machine, these can be found in c:ackup.
This will reduce your recovery time tenfold.
I use a scheduled script like this to ensure I have a current backup of printers and shares;
@Echo off
cls
Echo *************************************************************************************
Echo * SYSTEMBACKUP SCRIPT V 20081104 *
Echo * This script will backup printers, dhcp and shares to c:systembackup directory *
Echo *************************************************************************************
Echo.
rem
rem To schedule at 12:00 /interactive /every:sa “c:systembackupsystembackup.cmd”
rem
mkdir c:systembackup
mkdir c:systembackupdhcp
mkdir c:systembackupprinters
mkdir c:systembackupshares
Echo System Backup Commencing… [SHARES]
regedit.exe /e c:systembackupshares\%computername%-shares.reg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServiceslanmanserver
Echo System Backup Commencing… [PRINTERS]
c:systembackup oolsprintmig.exe -b c:systembackupprinters\%computername%-Printers.cab
Echo System Backup Commencing… [DHCP]
del /F /Q c:systembackupdhcp*.*
copy %systemroot%system32dhcpBackup
ew c:systembackupdhcp
regedit.exe /e c:systembackupdhcp\%computername%-dhcp.reg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesDHCPServerParameters
netsh dhcp server dump > c:systembackupdhcpDHCPconfig.cfg
Echo Done.
exit
This stuff can be installed on any portable drive, i.e. USB thumbdrive, PDA or an iPod. You can use them at work, school, or any other place where you can plugin your device. Check them out, you can either scroll-down for relevant category, i.e office software, email tools, messengers, games, etc. or get a ‘all-in-one’ package (all essential tools) . While there are more apps for windows users, I tried to include a mac version for each essential tool. All free. Enjoy!