Removing all Traces of Previous Windows Server Backup Information

Introduction

If you want to remove all traces of previous backups for example because you require swapping virtual disks you’re using for the Windows Server Backup then there is slightly more to figure out than should be necessary. The page I found which was incredibly helpful is:

http://www.open-a-socket.com/index.php/2009/05/21/how-to-remove-backups-created-by-windows-server-backup/

Fix

The steps which were needed in my case were as per the following:

1. Delete the virtual disk and create a new disk to use for backups in VMware

2. Delete the Backup Catalog using the CLI command

wbadmin delete catalog

3. Re-configure backups to use the newly provisioned disk

4. Purge the event log of Windows Backup events which will clear the GUI

Useful Commands

Some other useful commands which can be used to free disk space etc.

wbadmin delete backup -keepversions:5 -quiet

wbadmin /?

---- Commands Supported ----

ENABLE BACKUP -- Creates or modifies a daily backup schedule.
 DISABLE BACKUP -- Disables the scheduled backups.
 START BACKUP -- Runs a one-time backup.
 STOP JOB -- Stops the currently running backup or recovery
 operation.
 GET VERSIONS -- Lists details of backups that can be recovered
 from a specified location.
 GET ITEMS -- Lists items contained in a backup.
 START RECOVERY -- Runs a recovery.
 GET STATUS -- Reports the status of the currently running
 operation.
 GET DISKS -- Lists the disks that are currently online.
 GET VIRTUALMACHINES -- Lists current Hyper-V virtual machines.
 START SYSTEMSTATERECOVERY -- Runs a system state recovery.
 START SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP -- Runs a system state backup.
 DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP -- Deletes one or more system state backups.
 DELETE BACKUP -- Deletes one or more backups.