About changing hardware in the computer to be recovered

During the creation of the *.dr files, IDR creates a device driver database on the media server running IDR. This database contains the drivers required for the various hard drives and network interface cards installed in each of the computers. If you experience a hard drive or network interface card failure in a particular computer and you replace either of the failed components with the same type found in your other computers, IDR automatically installs the correct device driver during the recovery.

You can also use IDR to recovery a computer that is no longer functioning. For example, if the computer’s main system board fails, you can restore the computer’s data after you replace the system board, even if the new board is a different model or contains multiple processors.

If you plan to change the hardware in the computer being recovered, note the following:

  • Hard drives. Any hard drives you replace should be the same size or larger than the original drives, and the number of hard drives you replace must equal or exceed the number of hard drives that were in the original computer configuration; otherwise repartitioning problems may occur.

  • System boards. After you replace a faulty system board and after you use IDR to recover the computer, you must use the system board manufacturer’s driver CD to re-install additional functionality such as onboard sound and video.

  • Network interface cards. If you change the network interface card in the computer you are recovering, you must install the necessary network drivers. Without the network drivers, you cannot access the network if you want to use a remote media server or remote backup-to-disk folders to recover the computer. After you complete the recovery, you must install new network interface card drivers that match the network card presently in the computer. The backup sets that you use to recover the computer contains the original network interface card drivers for the faulty network interface card that you replaced.

More Information

Recovering a computer by using the Intelligent Disaster Recovery Wizard

About encrypted backup sets and the Intelligent Disaster Recovery Wizard

Performing a manual restore by using the Intelligent Disaster Recovery Wizard

About changing hardware in the computer to be recovered