How Can Proxmox Backup Physical Windows Machines?

Proxmox VE is an open source virtualization platform that provides virtualization services based on KVM and LXC. Proxmox Backup Server is a backup solution developed by the Proxmox VE team for backing up and restoring virtual machines and containers.

Is it possible to back up a physical Windows machine to Proxmox Backup Server?

There may currently be some limitations when backing up directly to a Proxmox backup server on a Windows machine. Although it is possible to install a backup client on Linux, many employees still use Windows machines, which introduces some complexity to backups.

However, it is important to note that there currently does not appear to be a Windows client specifically designed for PBS. An alternative is to share a drive on Windows, mount the shared drive on a Linux machine, and then use the Proxmox backup client to back up data from the shared drive. While this method may require some additional setup and configuration, it can serve as a solution for backing up physical Windows machines to PBS.

Another possible solution is to utilize Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in conjunction with the Proxmox backup client for backup. In this way, users can use WSL to run a backup client on a Windows machine to back up specific paths and folders instead of the entire operating system, which can work very well in some cases.

Without a Windows backup client available, some users might consider abandoning PBS as a backup solution and looking for other, more direct and efficient backup methods.

Virtualize a Windows machine on Proxmox and let PBS back up the VM

Using Proxmox Backup Server to back up a virtualized Windows machine running on Proxmox VE is a valid and effective method.

Preparation:

Back up your data: Before you start, be sure to back up all important data on your physical machine in case something unexpected happens.

Get a conversion tool: Download and install a tool suitable for physical-to-virtual (P2V) conversion.

1. Convert physical machine disk

Run the conversion tool on the physical machine and follow the tool’s guidance to convert the physical machine’s disk into a format usable by the virtual machine (such as VMDK, QCOW2, etc.).

2. Upload the converted disk file to Proxmox

Upload the converted disk file to the appropriate location on the Proxmox server.

3. Create a new virtual machine

Create a new virtual machine in Proxmox and select the appropriate operating system type and version.

Associate the uploaded disk file to the newly created virtual machine.

4. Configure the virtual machine

Configure the hardware settings of the virtual machine, such as the number of CPU cores, memory size, etc. Make sure the virtual machine’s network settings are correct, including network adapter and IP address settings.

5. Start the virtual machine and test

Make adjustments and optimizations as needed, such as installing VirtIO drivers to improve performance.

6. Use PBS to back up virtual machines

In the Proxmox VE interface, select Storage and install Proxmox Backup Server.

Log in to the Proxmox Backup Server interface, and in the “Backup” tab, click “Create Backup Task”. Select the virtual machines to back up, set the backup schedule and other related options.

You can monitor the status and logs of backup tasks to ensure that backup tasks are running normally.

If you need to restore a virtual machine, you can select the corresponding backup point in Proxmox Backup Server and perform the restore operation.

Professional solution for Windows backup

Proxmox Backup Server is more suitable for backing up virtual machines and containers in a virtualized environment rather than directly backing up Windows clients. If you want to back up Windows clients, it is usually recommended to use specialized backup software, such as Vinchin Backup & Recovery.

Vinchin Backup & Recovery is a professional enterprise backup and disaster recovery solution, supporting backing up Windows/Linux server (like Windows 2022/2019/2016/2012/2012 R2/2008/2008 R2/2003/ 2003 R2), virtual machine, file server, NAS , database, etc. providing easy protection for complex IT environment.

Vinchin’s physical server backup solution incorporates the VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service) technique for Windows Server Backup, enabling the creation of application-aware snapshots of NTFS volumes. Furthermore, a custom snapshot mechanism is included for Linux server users to maintain the coherence of backup data.

Except for os-level backup, file-level backup is also supported in Vinchin Backup & Recovery to help protect files and folders regularly.

A user-friendly web console will help easily perform bare metal backup and restore on Windows server. To backup your Windows server, just follow the steps below:

1. Select the Windows server

2. Select the backup destination

3. Select backup strategies

4. Submit the job

The bare metal backup will include the operating system and the other data and then you can use it to perform a bare metal recovery process.

You can start a 60-day full-featured free trial here. Also, contact us, leave your requirements, and then you will receive your tailored solution.

FAQs

1. Q: Does Proxmox Backup Server support cross-platform backup and recovery?

A: Proxmox Backup Server is mainly used to back up and restore virtual machines and containers in the Proxmox VE environment. While it may not directly support backup and restore from other platforms such as VMware or Hyper-V, virtual machines can be imported into a Proxmox VE environment via conversion tools and then backed up and restored using PBS. And Vinchin Backup & Recovery will be a better choice for V2V migration without additional conversion process.

2. Q：What is the relationship between Proxmox Backup Server and Proxmox Backup Client?

A: The Proxmox Backup Server and Proxmox Backup Client work together in a client-server relationship to facilitate data backup and recovery. The client is installed on the systems that need to be backed up and is responsible for preparing and sending the data to the server. The PBS, installed on a dedicated machine, is tasked with managing, storing, and allowing for the restoration of these backups. It provides a web interface for administration, while the client operates on the command line or through scripts, ensuring users can efficiently secure their data across different operating systems.

Conclusion

Backing up a physical Windows machine to a Proxmox backup server may require some extra work and adjustments, but you can try using WSL in combination with a Proxmox backup client or a shared drive to achieve backup. If a Windows backup client is not available, you may want to consider other backup solutions like Vinchin Backup & Recovery to ensure the security and reliability of your data.