Using Shadow Copy to Recover Files on the Network Drives

We have recently installed Shadow Copy, which allows you to access previous versions of files and folders on the network drives (aka the P, N, and R drives). Shadow Copy isn't meant to totally replace making backups of your files in 2 different places (for example, My Documents and then the P or N drive), but it's a good supplement to what backups you should be making already.

The program will take snapshots of the network drives at 7:00am and 12:00pm daily, and it will make note of any changed files and folders.

Shadow Copy has a limit of 64 snapshots, so figuring that 2 are taken each weekday, you will be able to access previous versions of files and folders from the past month and a half at any given time.

Here is how you can use Shadow Copy:

1) Go to your P, N, or R drive.

2) Go to the directory where the file or folder you need is (or in some cases, was) stored.

3) Right click on the file you want a previous version of and choose Properties. If the file you need isn't there, right click inside the directory itself (in an empty area) and choose Properties.

Right click on a file or folder. OR Right click somewhere in the directory itself.

4) In the Properties box, click on the Previous Versions tab up toward the top.

Click on Previous Versions.

5) Choose one of the folder or file versions you would like to restore. You will then have 3 different choices on what to do with the particular file or folder you want:

View - This allows you to look at a read-only copy of the file or folder. If you want to save the older version you open up, you will have to save it in a new location

Viewing an earlier version of a directory.

Note the date that's listed -- P:\(Today, March 29, 2005, 12:00PM)

Copy - This allows you to make a copy of a particular older version of a file or folder. You can put this copy anywhere you want, such as your Desktop or My Documents.

This box comes up when you want to copy a file or directory.

This box comes up when you want to copy a file or directory.

Restore - You can go back to a previous version of a file or folder, but this will override any newer versions of the file or folder you have on the network drive. We recommend you use this option sparingly, as you may override current files or directories that you still want to keep.

This warning comes up if you decide to restore an earlier version of a file or directory. Use this option sparingly!

This warning comes up if you decide to restore an earlier version of a file or directory. Use this option sparingly!

Important notes about Shadow Copy:

  • Shadow Copy will only work for files on the P, N, and R drives. It won't work on files you save elsewhere. We still recommend that you save your files in at least 2 different places, though (for example, My Documents and then the P drive).
  • If you create a file after one snapshot time and then modify/delete it before the next snapshot, you won't be able to recover it. This happens because the file never had a chance to be part of a snapshot.
  • Make sure to save your files often, especially if you are working on them around the times the snapshots are taken. This way, the latest version of the file will be saved in the snapshot.
  • The snapshots go back approximately 45 days, so you won't be able to recover anything from before this time.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Service Desk.