How to Start a System Image Backup from the Command Line

The simplest way to initiate a System Image backup is to follow the prompts in the Backup And Restore Center. If you want to automate or schedule System Image backups, however, you can use the WBAdmin.exe command-line tool.

For example, to initiate a System Image backup of the C drive to the L drive, you can run the following command line from an elevated command prompt.


Wbadmin start backup -backupTarget:L: -include:C: -quiet



  wbadmin 1.0 - Backup command-line tool

  (C) Copyright 2004 Microsoft Corp.



  Retrieving volume information...



  This will back up volume Local Disk(C:) to L:.



  The backup operation to L: is starting.



  Creating a shadow copy of the volumes specified for backup...

  Creating a backup of volume Local Disk(C:), copied (0%).

  Creating a backup of volume Local Disk(C:), copied (18%).

  Creating a backup of volume Local Disk(C:), copied (40%).

  Creating a backup of volume Local Disk(C:), copied (77%).

  Creating a backup of volume Local Disk(C:), copied (98%).

  The backup of volume Local Disk(C:) successfully completed.

  The backup operating successfully completed.

  Summary of the backup operation:

  ------------------



  Backup of volume Local Disk(C:) completed successfully.

The behavior is identical to the System Image backups initiated from the graphical Backup And Restore tool. The first time you initiate a System Image backup, it backs up every block on the system volume. Each subsequent time, it simply updates the previous backup.

You can use the same command to schedule a task from the command line. If you use Task Scheduler, you must configure the task to run with administrative privileges. You can do this by providing an administrative user account and selecting the Run With Highest Privileges check box on the General tab of the task's Properties dialog box.

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How to Start a System Image Backup from the Command Line

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