System Restore takes snapshots of Windows and can roll back changes made after a restore point. It does not affect personal files but will remove apps and updates installed after the restore point. The Windows Recovery Environment provides recovery options like system restore, image recovery, and uninstalling updates when Windows will not boot normally. Creating a recovery drive stores the Windows Recovery Environment and system files on a USB drive for recovery when needed.

1. Windows 11 Desktop
Administration :
System Maintenance
and Troubleshooting

2. System Restore Recovery Drive
• Takes snapshots of the Windows
system
• Generated when you install a new app
or driver
• Can be created manually
• Can adjust the maximum disk space
used
Won’t affect personal files, but will
remove apps, drivers, and updates
installed after the restore point was
made
- Not a file recovery solution
Create a USB bootable drive with the
Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)
and system files
Provides recovery options for the system
- System image recovery
- System restore
- Uninstall updates
Prerequisites :
• Fundamental IT concepts
• Administration tasks

3. Course Introduction
Pluralsight’s Windows 11 Desktop Administration Path

4. Course Overview
Windows 11 backup and recovery
Windows 11 updates
Windows 11 maintenance tools
Windows 11 troubleshooting

5. Windows 11 Backup and Recovery
Overview
• Images and file backups
• Understand and configure Windows backup
• OneDrive file recovery and versioning
• File history
• Windows Recovery Environment
• System restore
• Reset Windows 11
• Recovery drive

6. Image and File Backups
File-level backup Images-level backup
• Focuses on backing up individual
files and folder
• You select which files and folder to
include
• Won’t protect setting and apps
• Smaller and faster than an image-
level backup
• Doesn’t help recover the entire
machine working state in the event
of a disaster
• Focuses on backing up an image of
the entire disk drive
• Snapshots the system including
apps, setting, and data
• Larger and slower than file-based
backup
• Helps recover the entire machine
working state
• Can usually restore files and folders
from an image

7. Windows Backup
Older backup
mechanism
introduced in
Windows 7
Supports image
and file backup
and restore
Back up to another
drive or network
share
Schedule backups
Optionally include
system image

8. Demo :
Configure Windows
Backup

9. Demo :
Restore from Windows
Backup

10. Demo :
OneDrive File Recovery
and Versioning

11. File History Things to be aware of
• Snapshot based file backup solution
• Recommended to use an external
drive as the target. Can use other
internal drives or a network location
• Copies files from Windows Libraries
(documents, downloads, desktop,
ect)
• Can put in exclusions
• Provides the ability to control how
often to save copies for, and how
long to keep the saved versions
• Only makes copies if the file has changed
or is a new file
• If BitLocker is enabled on the Windows
drive, BitLocker to Go needs to be
enabled on the target drive
• Including folder outside of the Windows
Libraries is clunky, but achievable
• Has previously been marker for
deprecation
- Likely a push to store files in
OneDrive and use versioning
there

12. Demo :
Configure File History

13. Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)
Useful for troubleshooting
and recovery when
Windows is not
functioning or booting
WinRE gets used when
creating a recovery drive
WinRE is preloaded into
Windows 11
Based on the Windows
Preinstallation
Environment. You can boot
to WinRE

14. Accessing WinRE will start automatically if:
Accessed through the advanced
startup menu:
• At the login screen, click
shutdown, then hold shift while
clicking restart
• Use the advanced startup
option in Windows Setting
• Use the command shutdown /r
/o
• Use the “repair your computer”
option from the Windows 11
installation media
• Boot from a recovery drive
• There are two consecutive failed
attempts to start Windows
• There are two consecutive unexpected
shutdowns that occur within two
minutes of boot completion
• There are two consecutive system
reboots within two minutes of boot
completion
• There is a secure boot error
• There is a BitLocker error on touch-
only devices

15. Demo :
Explore the Windows
Recovery Environment

16. System Restore
• Takes snapshots of the Windows system
• Generated when you install a new app or driver
• Can be created manually
• Can adjust the maximum disk space used
• Won’t affect personal files, but will remove apps, drivers,
and updates installed after the restore point was made
- Not a file recovery solution

17. Demo :
System Restore

18. Reset Windows 11
Reinstalls Windows 11
to factory settings,
with options to keep or
remove your files
Can reset from
Windows Setting, the
sign-in screen, a
recovery drive, or
installation media
Option to restore apps
and settings that came
with the PC
Option to download
and reinstall windows,
or reinstall from the
image on the device
If resetting and
removing everything,
there is an option to
“clean the drive”
If BitLocker is enabled,
you’ll need the
recovery key to do a
reset

19. Demo :
Reset Windows 11

20. Recovery Drive
• Create a USB bootable drive with the Windows Recovery Environment
(WinRE) and system files
• Provides recovery options for the system
- System images recovery
- System restore
- Uninstall updates
• Useful for when the machine won’t boot
• Need a USB drive at least 16GB in size
• Create a new recovery drive regularly
• Can be more useful than a reset, as it includes a more up-to-date copy of
system files

21. Demo :
Create a Recovery Drive

22. Summary
• There are a lot of recovery and restore tools and methods!
- Spend some time getting familiar with which to use, at what
time
• Ensure you have methods in place that protect Windows,
applications, and data
• In the event of failure or a disaster, having multiple options is golden
• A backup is only as good as your recovery
• Third party tools do add value