Q. How can I restore Windows XP or Windows 2003 backups on a Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 machine?

A. Microsoft released the Windows NT Backup – Restore Utility (available at www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7da725e2-8b69-4c65-afa3-2a53107d54a7&DisplayLang=en), which lets you restore XP and Windows 2003 backups to a Vista or Server 2008 machine.

Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions are available, and the only requirement is that you enable the Removable Storage Management feature. Instructions to enable the Removable Storage Management feature are on the utility Web site. For Vista, use the Control Panel’s Turn Windows Features On or Off applet and enable Removable Storage Management. For Server 2008, use the Add Features Wizard and enable the Removable Storage Management feature.