The Bare Metal Restore feature allows you to restore complete disk images (VHDs) to recover entire systems or drives. This feature is accessible through the Wholesale Backup web portal and provides a streamlined process for selecting and initiating bare metal restores.
Access the Remote Manager
Log into the Wholesale Backup web portal at dash.backupops.com and navigate to the Remote Manager tab in the top navigation bar. You can click on the Restore button for the any computer row that is showing as Connected.
⚠️ Note that to enable access to the Remote Restore GUI, you must first enable Multi-Factor Authentication on your account.
The Remote Restore GUI will open in a popup window, and in the left sidebar, click on the Disk Image Restore tab to open the Disk Image Restore Interface.
Select Target Computer
Use the dropdown menus to navigate to your desired restore target:
- Brand: Select the appropriate brand from the dropdown. (All of your available brands will be selectable from this dropdown menu, regardless of which computer row you clicked to access the Restore GUI.)
- Account: Choose the specific account under the selected brand
- Computer: Select the target computer that contains the backed up disk images you want to restore
Filter and Browse Available VHDs
Once you've selected a computer, it will fetch and display the most recent version of the available VHDs. You can filter the available Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) files by backup date using the date selector, and sort the available VHDs by size, name and backup date by clicking the arrows next to each header in the table.
Review the available VHDs and identify the one you want to restore. Click the blue "+" button to the right of the desired VHD and the VHD will be added to the restore queue (The blue + button will change to a green checkmark, indicating the VHD is selected.) You can click the red "-" button next to the selected VHD to remove it from the queue, or simply select another available VHD to replace it in the queue.
Generate Restore Code
Clicking on the Process Queue button will pop up a dialog box that generates a temporary restore code. This is a unique 10-character alphanumeric code that will be valid for 24 hours after it is generated. Copy the code to your clipboard or save it securely. An email containing the restore code will be sent to your registered email address for reference.
⚠️ Important: The restore code is valid for 24 hours from the time of generation.
Download the Preinstall Environment and Create Bootable USB Drive
Begin by downloading the Wholesale Backup Windows Preinstall Environment and saving the file to your computer. Once downloaded, insert a USB drive (with enough free space to fit your selected drive) into your computer. Warning: This process will erase all data on the USB drive, so ensure you have backed up any important files before proceeding. Copy the preinstall environment files to your USB drive, ensuring the drive is formatted as bootable and contains all necessary boot files.
Prepare the Target Computer
Connect your USB drive to the target computer and ensure a wired internet connection is available, as wireless is not supported during the restore process. Power on the computer and access the BIOS/UEFI settings by pressing the appropriate key during startup (commonly F2, F12, Del, or Esc). Configure the boot order to prioritize USB/removable media over the hard drive, then save your settings and restart the computer.
Boot from USB Drive
The computer should automatically boot from the USB drive once the BIOS/UEFI settings have been properly configured. Wait patiently for the Wholesale Backup Preinstall Environment to load completely, as this process may take several minutes depending on your hardware. The Wholesale Backup GUI will appear on screen once the loading process is complete and the environment is ready for use.
Enter Your Restore Code
When prompted by the system, carefully enter the temporary restore code you generated in Step 1, paying close attention to ensure the code is entered correctly as it is case-sensitive. Double-check your entry for any typos or missing characters, then click Continue or Submit to proceed with the validation process.
Begin Restore Process
Once your code is validated successfully, the restore process will begin automatically. Do not power off or disconnect the computer during this process, as doing so will corrupt the restore and require you to start over. The system will download and restore your disk image directly from the backup servers, with restore time varying significantly depending on your image size and internet connection speed.
Important Notes
- ⚠️ Keep the computer powered on throughout the entire restore process
- ⚠️ Maintain internet connection - the restore will fail without internet access
- ⚠️ Use wired connection only - wireless networks are not supported in the preinstall environment
- ⚠️ Temporary codes expire in 24 hours - generate a new code if yours has expired
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Computer won't boot from USB:
- Verify BIOS/UEFI settings are configured for USB boot
- Try different USB ports
- Recreate the bootable USB drive
Restore code not accepted:
- Verify the code was entered correctly (codes are case-sensitive)
- Check if the code has expired (24-hour limit)
- Generate a new code if needed
No internet connection:
- Ensure ethernet cable is properly connected
- Try a different ethernet port or cable
- Verify network settings in the preinstall environment
Restore process fails or stalls:
- Check internet connection stability
- Ensure sufficient disk space on target computer
- Contact support if the issue persists