Backup of the MachineKeys folder

[BaR]

Hello,

I've been trying for the past days to backup the Machine Keys folder under C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA but without any success.
Been trying to look for solutions on the web and only got directed to messing with the clientoptionset on the TSM server or the client's inclexcl but sadly none of them worked.

I'll really appreciate and kind of support on this.

Bar

 

[marclant]

This is likely backed up as part of the systemstate, therefore cannot be backed up as part of regular filesystem backup.

When the TSM Client starts, it queries all the VSS writers to get the list of files that Windows needs backed up. That list becomes the systemstate backup, those files are automatically excluded of the filesystem backup since they are already included in the system state.

You can use this technote: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21699984 Follow the steps in the section "Obtain Writer Information:" and see if the files you are inquiring about are included in the list of files part of system state. Likely the writer metadata or details will include that info.

 

[BaR]

Thanks for your reply! I'll have a look asap

 

[marclant]

It's excluded by Windows, just do "dsmc query inclexcl", in the list you will see:


That means it's likely part of systemstate or completely excluded, diskshadow will tell you more depending on which list that path falls under.

 

[BaR]

Thanks again for your support, I've tried what you've said and I did see the folder in the diskshadow but had no success with backing it up using a SystemState backup.
I found out though that performing a selective backup on the c:\Users\All Users\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys folder (which is a symbolic link to the actual folder on ProgramData) has worked even though normal incremental backups refused to backup those folders.

Thanks and have a nice weekend

Bar

 

[BaR]

Correction:
The SystemState backup did work on these folders but I've found the selective backup to be much better for my needs of backing up specifically these keys rather than the whole SystemState.

 

[marclant]

You could always create a batch file that makes a copy of those files elsewhere, put the batch file in a preschedulecmd in the option file, and that way your file backup picks it up.