How does backup work?

When you install the Windows Home Server Connector software on your home computers, the computers are configured to be automatically backed up every day during the Backup Time. To be automatically backed up, your computers must be turned on or must be in sleep or hibernate mode, and Wake This Computer for Backup in the tray icon menu must be checked. If a computer is in sleep or hibernate mode and Wake This Computer for Backup in thetray icon menu is checked, the computer wakes up and runs backup. An attempt is then made to return your computer to sleep or hibernate mode. Some computers will not return to either mode which may result in overheating. If this is the case with your computer, you may not want to use this option.

Important

Laptops and other battery-powered computers must be plugged in to AC power to be automatically backed up. A battery-powered computer cannot start an automatic backup.

If you have multiple home computers, they back up one at a time. Therefore, backups can potentially happen during the entire Backup Time. If a backup is still in progress when the Backup Time ends, it finishes but no new backups can start. Any computer that has not yet started its backup tries again during the next Backup Time. The Backup Time is limited so that your computers aren't busy doing backups when you want to use them.

See Also

Concepts

Learn more about what happens during the Backup Time
Changing the Backup Time