Windows Server Backup is not installed on this computer

Error

This error appears in the backup log when running a bare metal, image or System State backup:

[error] [CloudBacko.ErrorStream] [hZ] Windows Server Backup is not installed on this computer.

The BOBcloud software uses the Windows Server Backup feature behind the scenes to back up at the system level.

Cause

Either:

• the Windows Server Backup feature isn’t installed, or
• it is installed, but the Windows account running the backup doesn’t have permission to use it.

Fix

1. Install Windows Server Backup

In Server Manager, click Manage → Add Roles and Features. Go through the wizard to the Features page, tick Windows Server Backup, and click Install. Or open PowerShell as administrator and run:

Install-WindowsFeature Windows-Server-Backup

2. If it’s already installed, check the account

1. Run the backup manually from the BOBcloud software.
2. If the manual backup works but the scheduled backup fails, the problem is the account the scheduler service runs as. The service is called Server Services.
3. Set Server Services to run as the same Windows account that ran the manual backup. The steps are in Scheduled backups don’t start.