Backup and recovery are essential parts of managing any server, especially when your data, system settings, and applications need to stay available and protected. In this guide, you will learn how to handle Windows VPS backup and restore using VSS, System State, and file-level methods.

Whether you are hosting critical applications, databases, or trading platforms, having a reliable recovery plan for your Windows VPS ensures your infrastructure can quickly recover from any unexpected system failures.

Prerequisites for Windows VPS Backup and Restore

Before running any backup or restore commands, you need to ensure your server is properly configured with the right built-in tools. Whether you are using PerLod Hosting or another environment, follow this step to install the necessary backup utilities and prepare your system.

Run your PowerShell as an Administrator and use the command below to activate the built-in Windows Server Backup (WSB) utility:

Install-WindowsFeature -Name Windows-Server-Backup

Create a VSS Snapshot on Windows VPS

The Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) allows you to capture an instant snapshot of your active drive without taking the server offline. This provides a highly efficient and easy way to protect your server, which allows you to quickly roll back if a recent change or update goes wrong.

To generate a new VSS snapshot state for a drive, for example, drive C, you can run the command below:

vssadmin create shadow /for=C:

Restore a VSS Snapshot

When things go wrong or an update fails, you can easily restore your system using the VSS snapshot you created. This process reverts your entire drive to its saved state, undoing any recent changes.

To do this, you can list your available backups, find the unique snapshot ID, and run the restore command:

vssadmin list shadows
vssadmin revert shadow /shadow={ShadowID}

Perform a File-Level Backup on Windows VPS

Sometimes you do not need to back up your entire server. File-level backups let you target specific files and folders instead of copying the whole drive. This method saves storage space and makes the backup process much faster, which is perfect for protecting specific website directories, database exports, or important documents.

For example, to make a backup for a target file, you can run the command below:

wbadmin start backup -backupTarget:D: -include:C:\MyData -quiet

• wbadmin start backup initializes the Windows Server Backup engine to run a one-time operation.
• -backupTarget:D: sets the destination storage drive for the backup archive.
• -include:C:\MyData defines the exact directory path to be backed up.
• -quiet forces the command to run silently without manual confirmation prompts.

Restoring File-Level Backups

If you accidentally delete a file or need an older version of a document, a file-level restore is exactly what you need. Instead of rolling back your whole server, this process lets you extract specific files or folders directly from your backup archive.

Find the correct backup version date and run the recovery command:

wbadmin get versions

wbadmin start recovery -version:10/25/2026-14:00 -itemType:File -items:C:\MyData -recoveryTarget:C:\RestoredData -quiet

Run a System State Backup on Windows VPS

A System State backup is essential for protecting the core operating system of your Windows Server. Unlike a file-level backup, this process specifically captures your Windows Registry, boot files, and Active Directory databases without copying large user data files. This creates a dedicated recovery point specifically for your system configurations.

To run a system state backup, you can use the command below:

wbadmin start systemstatebackup -backupTarget:D: -quiet

Restore the System State Core Components

When your server’s core operating system becomes unstable, a System State restore can bring it back to normal. This process carefully overwrites your active registry and system files with your clean backup data.

Because it changes the core setup of your server, you should use it cautiously, and you will need to restart your server to finish the recovery process.

Find the backup version and run the recovery command:

wbadmin get versions
wbadmin start systemstaterecovery -version:10/25/2026-14:00 -quiet

That’s, you are done with Windows VPS backups and restore using VSS, System State, and File-level methods.

FAQs

Conclusion

Backups are the best way to keep your server safe from data loss and crashes. By using built-in tools, you can easily handle any Windows VPS backup and restore task without installing extra software. Whether you need a quick snapshot, a file backup, or a full system save, these commands give you full control. Just remember to test your backups regularly so you are always ready for the unexpected.

We hope you enjoy this guide on Windows VPS backup and restore methods. Subscribe to our X and Facebook channels to get the latest updates and articles.

For further reading:

Set up Remote Desktop Services on Windows

Install IIS on Windows VPS for ASP.NET Core Hosting