Vista Tutorial - VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service)

Hi,

I'm developing a backup application for Vista, and I'm using VSS.

I've read at Pul Thurrott's Supersite
(http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_02.asp) that nor Home Basic nor
Home Premium support ShadowCopy.

Can anybody confirm if the Volume Shadow Copy Service is usable in Vista
Home editions ?

TIA,
--
Jesús Guinda

According to page 17 of the Windows Vista Product Guide, shadow copies
(previous versions of files) are not available in the Home Basic and Home
Premium editions. The "Windows Shadow Copy" PT refers to is not synonymous
with VSS. It is the branding for the previous versions feature.

PT does not mean that VSS is not available in some editions of Vista because
all editions provide System Restore which relies on volsnap.sys for the
snapshots used in setting new RS points. It is the case that several
features that RELY on VSS are not enabled in all editions. To my knowledge,
VSS is integral to the platform.

"jesusg" <jesusg@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6F855778-D61E-4E3D-AD0B-E4A7553CD886@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
>
> I'm developing a backup application for Vista, and I'm using VSS.
>
> I've read at Pul Thurrott's Supersite
> (http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_02.asp) that nor Home Basic
> nor
> Home Premium support ShadowCopy.
>
> Can anybody confirm if the Volume Shadow Copy Service is usable in Vista
> Home editions ?
>
> TIA,
> --
> Jesús Guinda

Thanks, Colin
--
Jesús Guinda


"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> According to page 17 of the Windows Vista Product Guide, shadow copies
> (previous versions of files) are not available in the Home Basic and Home
> Premium editions. The "Windows Shadow Copy" PT refers to is not synonymous
> with VSS. It is the branding for the previous versions feature.
>
> PT does not mean that VSS is not available in some editions of Vista because
> all editions provide System Restore which relies on volsnap.sys for the
> snapshots used in setting new RS points. It is the case that several
> features that RELY on VSS are not enabled in all editions. To my knowledge,
> VSS is integral to the platform.
>
> "jesusg" <jesusg@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6F855778-D61E-4E3D-AD0B-E4A7553CD886@microsoft.com...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm developing a backup application for Vista, and I'm using VSS.
> >
> > I've read at Pul Thurrott's Supersite
> > (http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_02.asp) that nor Home Basic
> > nor
> > Home Premium support ShadowCopy.
> >
> > Can anybody confirm if the Volume Shadow Copy Service is usable in Vista
> > Home editions ?
> >
> > TIA,
> > --
> > Jesús Guinda
>

Hello,

I have done some research on this issue.

If I understand what you are asking I think you want to know about Volume
Shadow Copy where Vista keeps "shadow copies" of files. This is where the
previous versions of files are available to restore on a file by file basis.
If you make changes to a file Vista will keep a copy of the p-arts of the
file that were replaced, the differences from the new version to the old
version, not the entire old file.

You can then choose to restore one of the previous versions from the
properties tab of the file.

This feature is only available in Vista Business Basic, Business Premium
(Enterrprise) and Ultimate. It is not available in the Home Basic or Home
Premium versions.

If you want to know about VSS, it is available in all versions of Vista so
you can make a restore point.

I hope this helps.

- Michael

"jesusg" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm developing a backup application for Vista, and I'm using VSS.
>
> I've read at Pul Thurrott's Supersite
> (http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_02.asp) that nor Home Basic nor
> Home Premium support ShadowCopy.
>
> Can anybody confirm if the Volume Shadow Copy Service is usable in Vista
> Home editions ?
>
> TIA,
> --
> Jesús Guinda

Thanks, Michael
--
Jesús Guinda


"Vista Tech" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have done some research on this issue.
>
> If I understand what you are asking I think you want to know about Volume
> Shadow Copy where Vista keeps "shadow copies" of files. This is where the
> previous versions of files are available to restore on a file by file basis.
> If you make changes to a file Vista will keep a copy of the p-arts of the
> file that were replaced, the differences from the new version to the old
> version, not the entire old file.
>
> You can then choose to restore one of the previous versions from the
> properties tab of the file.
>
> This feature is only available in Vista Business Basic, Business Premium
> (Enterrprise) and Ultimate. It is not available in the Home Basic or Home
> Premium versions.
>
> If you want to know about VSS, it is available in all versions of Vista so
> you can make a restore point.
>
> I hope this helps.
>
> - Michael
>
> "jesusg" wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm developing a backup application for Vista, and I'm using VSS.
> >
> > I've read at Pul Thurrott's Supersite
> > (http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_02.asp) that nor Home Basic nor
> > Home Premium support ShadowCopy.
> >
> > Can anybody confirm if the Volume Shadow Copy Service is usable in Vista
> > Home editions ?
> >
> > TIA,
> > --
> > Jesús Guinda