Superguide: Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE

Posted by Paul Braren on Dec 17 2014 (updated on Nov 22 2016) in
  • Backup
  • HomeServer
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  • Windows

    • TinkerTry's tagline (since January 2013):

    TinkerTry IT @ home Efficient virtualization, storage, backup, and more...

    My writings are not done on a whim. This new Veeam beta obviously has my attention as the most interesting product in years, since bare metal restore software for Windows is rare. Rarer still is the versatility to use your USB hard drives, your NAS/network shares, and eventually your Veeam B&R v8 repository.

    Veeam-Endpoint-Backup-Beta-screenshot

    You may wonder about the Windows Backup that's built into recent versions of Windows. It's not nearly as simple to learn and use it, and not as versatile when it comes to handling the occasional need for 3rd party drivers. Particularly when restoring over the network. Think of Veeam Endpoint Backup as a slick UI for a backup scheduler, that also builds custom recovery media ISOs or USB flash drives for bad days when your system, or your family member's system, won't even boot. Oh, with easy single or multiple file restores too. Simple, effective, and NOT intended to be used in the enterprise, discussed at length under Veeam's Oct 08 2014 announcement here. I've written a lot of articles surrounding the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials product, and its ancestors, over the past several years. It has more features, but I've recently been realizing it's not always getting the basics done for my 14 extended family systems, like daily backups. I think you'll find it helpful to have a single article that can serve as a launching point for you, as you explore this option for your families home backup needs, or think about giving the beta a try.

    Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE Download

    go.veeam.com/endpoint

    All Veeam Endpoint Backup articles at TinkerTry.com

    TinkerTry.com/?s=Veeam+Endpoint

    All Veeam Endpoint Backup videos on YouTube

    youtube.com/TinkerTry/search?query=VEEAM

    TinkerTry Highlights

    and finally, for folks with a VMware vSphere or Microsoft Hyper-V lab they'd like to back up...

    Forum

    Feature requests and feedback, where Anton Gostev himself is very active, answering many of the questions that >30,000 forum members have.

    Tips

    1) WinPE is built from the OS of your client

    So if you build the recovery media from Windows 8.1, the boot environment is based on Windows 8.1.

    So if you build the recovery media from Windows 10 (currently in beta), the boot environment is based on Windows 10.

    2) Make a VM of it

    Perhaps your laptop broke. You may be able to run that laptop's OS in a VM while it's out for repair. Cool, no? I've done it many times in the last decade, and I've now developed a procedure for folks that happen to have a home virtualization lab.

    Even if it's likely an unsupported thing to do, you may be able to restore a Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE backup to a VMware ESXi 5.5 VM (likely similar steps for Hyper-V)

    Recover an Endpoint backup to a VM

    1. on a Windows 8.1 system, create restore media in ISO format, it'll create a VeeamRE-*.iso file
    2. upload that ISO to the ESXi datastore
    3. use Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE to backup this entire system to a network share
    4. use simple create new VM wizard, choosing "Windows 8" type, leave NIC at 1000E, set DVD to mount the uploaded ISO
    5. power the VM up, run the recovery wizard, restoring from the network share

    3) This is not an enterprise product...

    ...nevertheless, Veeam claims you can use this to backup a server variant of Windows, such as Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials. That's kind of a big deal, for the home lab who wants some protection. You see, even Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials client connector backup software cannot be installed on Windows server OSs. Interesting.

    Also worth noting the inclusion of some interesting files in the beta

    C:\Program Files\Veeam\EndPoint Backup\Veeam.VSS.SharePoint2013.exe C:\Program Files\Veeam\EndPoint Backup\Veeam.VSS.SharePoint2010.exe

    which hints that maybe some of their enterprise experience (crash consistent backup of SharePoint using VSS) has trickled into this home backup solution. No such claims for SQL Server or other more challenging physical server backups.

    4) A bunch more tips from Tim Smith here

    Twitter

    Anton-Gostevs-first-round
    Rick-Vanovers-tweet
    Veeam-Endpoint-Backup-FREE-works-with-Windows-10-works-restoring-to-an-ESXi-5.5-VM
    Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE works with Windows 10, works restoring to an ESXi 5.5 VM

    Rick Vanover

    Google+

    More Information

    TinkerTry Videos about Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE

    First look at Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE beta, including bare-metal laptop restore. So far, so good!
    Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE has been released, extensive testing going well
    Fastest backup in the world! 10GbE / Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE / Samsung 950 PRO NVMe SSDs
    Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE works well with Windows Server 2016 [beta] already, here's how

    TinkerTry Video archive (produced back when Endpoint was beta)

    How to set your computer to wake up for nightly Veeam Endpoint Backups.
    Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE beta - backup and restore of Windows 10 beta build 9879 works!

    Disclosure: Veeam has been an advertiser on many virtualization sites for years now, and Veeam is currently running a BuySellAds-purchased advertisement along the top of TinkerTry as well. All TinkerTry advertisement goes through third party BuySellAds. None of my articles are sponsored posts, and note that there are currently no affiliate links for Veeam Endpoint Backup FREE, or any of their other products. TinkerTry.com, LLC is not a Veeam Pro Partner. There are no commissions for any Veeam products folks buy after reading one of my articles.

    I reserve the right to freely write about topics that I choose, whenever I choose to, an essential part of what makes blogging about home virtualization labs, storage, and backup so much fun.

    TinkerTry - PCs, EVs, home tech, efficiency and more, including virtualization. My opinions here, not my employer's.

    Paul Braren, MCSE in 1998, VCP #2681 in 2005, vExpert 2014 to 2024, Veeam Vanguard Emeritus, 2015 to 2019.

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