Volume Shadow copy has saved my butt on file, exchange, and SQL servers. Typically, IT departments discourage previous versions on desktops mainly because it opens up issues with disk space and if it’s really worth saving or rescuing an MP3 or AVI.
Of course, if you have the space on your client machines to do it, you can enable VSS and grant users the chance to recover files right from their own desktop machines.
First, create a new GPO and give a give it an appropriate name.
1. Enable the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS):
Computer Configuration->Windows Settings->Security Settings->System Services->Volume Shadow Copy and set to Automatic.
2. Now give your users the ability to restore the files on their local PC’s:
User Configuration->Policies->Administrative Templates->Windows Components->Windows Explorer->Previous Versions->
Prevent restoring previous versions from backups – disabled
Prevent restoring local previous versions – disabled
3 thoughts on “GPO enable VSS in Win 7”
NC
Hi, I see that your Previous Versions shows multiple times of folders. How did you enable it to save every 2 hours?
Dexter
you can set the intervals to which Windows takes shadow copies right from Explorer – likely at root drive (C:, D:, etc). There’s a tab that says ‘previous versions’.
Dima Kantargi
The following still doesn’t enable the shadow copies for drive C for example.
Is there a way to do that as well from GPO?
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