HowTos:Restore files from snapshots on Windows from home directory on Math file server
From CompudocWiki
These directions describe how to restore recently deleted files or older copies of recently modified files located on the Math/PACM fileserver, e.g. in your home directory. These instructions do not apply if you are trying to restore files located on your own laptop or desktop.
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Snapshot description
In order to restore files deleted or changed within last few days you can use snapshots, as long as the file you are looking for is located somewhere under your home directory. A snapshot is a read-only image of the entire file system (home directories) that reflects the state of the file system at the time the snapshot was created.
Currently, there are four daily and eleven hourly snapshots. Daily snapshots are created at midnight of every day and four of them are kept, e.g. if you are looking at snapshots at 3pm of Friday you will find daily snapshots created at midnight of previous Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - called, respectively, nightly.3, nightly.2, nightly.1 and nightly.0.
Hourly snapshots are created every two hours, except at midnight, and up to 11 are kept. Hourly snapshots are taken at 2am, 4am, 6am, 8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm and 10pm. E.g. if you are looking at hourly snapshots at 3pm of Friday you will find hourly snapshots from 2pm Friday, 12pm Friday, 10am Friday, 8am Friday, 6am Friday, 4am Friday, 2am Friday, 10pm Thursday, 8pm Thursday, 6pm Thursday and 4pm Thursday (called hourly.0, hourly.1, ..., hourly.10 respectively).
Note that your deleted or changed file will be in one of the snapshots only if it was on the file system at one of the times when snapshots were taken. E.g. if you create a file at 2:15pm but delete it at 3:40pm then you will not be able to find it and restore it from any of the snapshots (as they were created at 2pm and 4pm and file was not there at either of those times).
Two ways to restore files on Windows
In Windows operating systems you have two choices on how to restore files from snapshots. The first approach is quite simple but it uses a new feature of Microsoft Windows operating systems, called Microsoft Shadow Copy client, which is found only on newer Windows XP installations and Server 2003. You should try this method first and if it doesn't work consider installing the Shadow Copy client or proceed to 2nd approach - the direct use of .snapshot directories - which will work for all versions of Windows.
The following instructions assume that you have already connected to your home directory on the Math/PACM file server. If you don't know already how to connect to the Math/PACM file server in Windows then please first follow appropriate instructions on HowTo webpage for connecting via cifs/samba or follow snapshot restore instructions for Linux.
Restore files on windows by using MS Shadow Copy client
If you are trying to restore a recently deleted file then browse with Windows Explorer to the directory that used to contain the file, right click on that directory (1) and choose "Properties" from the popup menu (2):
A new windows with Properties of that directory will appear, click on the "Previous Versions" tab (1), choose the snapshot from the time and date that should contain your deleted file (2) and then choose "View" (3). You can also choose "Copy" and "Restore" if you want to copy or restore the whole directory as it was at the chosen time:
If you have clicked on "View" you will be shown a Windows Explorer window showing the contents of the directory in question as it was at the time of the snapshot that you chose. You can then copy and paste the file that you want to restore:
If you are trying to retrieve an older revision of a file you are working on, for example if by mistake a part of it was deleted, then you can right click on the file itself (1) and choose "Properties" (2):
In the Properties window of the file choose the "Previous Versions" tab (1). Select from available snapshot copies the one you are interested in (2) and proceed to either "View", "Copy" or "Restore" (3) this version of the file:
View will open the file, copy allows you to copy it with a new name and leave the original in place. Restore will overwrite the original with the chosen older version. Note that there might be only a few different versions of the file as the operating system tries to show you only the different versions from various snapshots.
Restore files on windows via direct access to snapshots
First click on "Start" button (1), then "Run" (2):
A new windows, called "Run" will appear, there in the field called "Open" type \\fs\mathusername\~snapshot (1) where, of course, replace mathusername with your own username, and then click on "OK" (2):
This will bring up windows explorer window listing all available snapshot directories (1):
Every nightly.* and hourly.* directory contains an older copy of your home directory, as described above. You should choose an appropriate directory and look for your file. E.g. if you know you deleted the file today and it was there yesterday then check first under nightly.0. If you find your file you can copy and paste it.
Installing the Microsoft Shadow Copy client
If you do not have the Microsoft Shadow Client installed please go to:
and follow instructions on that page for download and install. After installing the client you can follow above instructions to restore files easily.
