Windows 7 network backup forces me to re-create the backup when my domain credentials change
We heavily use ntbackup on our Windows XP clients. Looking forward on moving to Windows 7, I have started testing how it compares to ntbackup. Setting up a backup to a network share worked great, until I had to change my domain credentials, which is something that occurs several times a year. I got prompted from the action center that my credentials were invalid, and thus I want to update them. Simple enough. But, upon getting to the windows that says either "Re-enter your username and password" or "Try to run backup again", I click on the former, and am prompted to set up my network location all over again. The path is blank, and it as if I am setting it all up again as the first time. There is no link to simply update my credentials. Okay - no big deal - I'll just go to the task scheduler like in XP and update the password there. But, I cannot seem to find a place to update the credentials. I see my username, but not "update password" field. This will not work at all! How can we expect our domain users to set their backups again every time their passwords change? Please let me know the best way to backup to a network location that is behind authentication, and when those authentication credentials change often?
April 6th, 2010 8:12pm

That is because your credential is not updated on the server side. You need to log on again with the new credential to avoid this behavior.Arthur Xie - MSFT
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April 8th, 2010 12:01pm

Sorry Arthur, but I don't understand. My credentials are up to date on the DC, and I've been logging in with the updated credentials for about a month now, and still the windows 7 backup tells me to update my credentials, which I cannot do unless I recreate the backup. Unless I am shown differently, Windows 7 backup and restore is not a good solution for a domain computer. Instead, I started using wbadmin to a UNC path with no credentials. Wbadmin takes my domain credentials and connects to the network. When I update my password, I login to the domain computer with my new credentials, and the unc path is still available to wbadmin.
May 7th, 2010 8:37am

I agree with Tim. Windows 7 on a domain is not recommended since passwords change all the time. The backup system must have an option to "run as logged on user". Don't expect me to have local user access on the network share, in most cases I will only have domain user access. PS: going to try out wbadmin, thanks for the pointer.
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July 12th, 2010 10:07am

I agree totally with TimGary. Arthur is not understanding the problem. I set my PC to backup to a network share, and use my domain ID and password to authenticate to the share. After 60 days, my password expires and I change it. Now *the task* can no longer access the share. I can access it just fine. Previously in XP you could go to Task Scheduler and update your credentials there, but I don't see any way to update credentials in the new Windows 7 task scheduler. The only option I can find is to follow the wizard to recreate your backup job and re-enter your credentials with the new password. There must be some way to change the user credentials on a scheduled task? Gotta restate that the whole Windows 7 backup procedure really sucks. Unfriendly, hard to use, hard to select a subset of files, just a pain all over. I don't want my entire drive, and I don't want Windows to guess. I want my profile, and a handful of data folders off of C:, and I want to be able to open the job and add new folders and uncheck old folders occasionally. My password is going to change every 60 days, Corp security isn't going to allow me to change that. Please, give me back the ntbackup interface
February 11th, 2011 3:52pm

I don't know if I'd call this "solved" but I changed the task to run under my domain credentials rather than SYSTEM, and it prompts me for credentials when I save it. the XP task was set up under my ID, and I'm local admin, so shouldn't be a problem. My biggest gripe is they dumbed down the interface to make it un-customizable, and there's no "advanced" view.
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February 11th, 2011 4:05pm

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