BitDisk - anybody heard about it?

[TheMozart]

Originally Posted by King of Rapture

Dear friend TheMozart,

During install BitDisk takes 30% of disk space for it use. However, it gives you an option to reduce it to whatever you want. ..

Not in the free version it doesn't. When I tried to slide it to lower, BD says I need the PRO version to do that. So the FREE BD only allows 30% and nothing else, so in my case that's 60GB file. Even if I shrink the C: to 60GB, BD will still create a 18GB file, and that's WAY too big for my liking and imaging purposes.

[TheMozart]

Originally Posted by King of Rapture

..given you advice to reduce your Drive C to 60gb-80gb. He is an expert on imaging software and he has given you some very good advice.

Hey KOR, haven't you read my posts? My W7 C: partition is around 200GB, BUT ONLY CONTAINS around 35GB of DATA, and only contains bare W7 and some programs. I run all my main programs completely separate from C:, as Portableapps on a virtual TrueCrypt partition.

[TheMozart]

I used Toolwiz and then installed Spysearch&Destroy and then rebooted and toolwiz seems to have removed all files in C:\Programs and desktop. Or were the files never there to begin with and only installed into the 4GB file?

[Arcanez]

interesting program. So did I understand it correctly?? You can keep up a virtual state even if you rebooted your computer? And if you really want to leave the virtual state you have to do that in the software? That would be awesome actually. I don't know any other program out there that can do that. Also I think the three protection methods are nice to have although you have to kinda setup your computer and sacrifice a failry high amount of space to use the journal / mirror method. From a point of security is it really necessary to store the virtual state in a hidden partition?? Shadow Defender only offers the File method and works perfectly fine.

I actually have the same questions as another user here in this thread already asked:

-Does it support SSD's?
-Can it commit single files to the real system or is there only the steamroller tactic which is "Commit everything or nothing"??
-Can it protect the MBR from being changed by malware etc??
-Can it protect several partitions at once or only the system partiton?
-Are version 7 and Pro exactly the same besides the GUI because on some screens I saw the Pro version was version 6.02..
-If you buy the more expensive version 7 of BitDisk can you use the Pro version with it?

[pegr]

Originally Posted by Arcanez

interesting program. So did I understand it correctly?? You can keep up a virtual state even if you rebooted your computer? And if you really want to leave the virtual state you have to do that in the software? That would be awesome actually. I don't know any other program out there that can do that.

Actually, I doubt that it works any differently to Shadow Defender and Returnil, both of which have the option to maintain a virtual state on reboot.

It appears to be a limitation of disk sector virtualization technology that you get a new virtual session each time so you can't carry across changes from one virtual session to the next. That means that you can't use this type of software to test software that requires a reboot to install. I haven't tried BitDisk myself but I would be very surprised if the BitDisk developers had managed to find a way round this.

[JoeBlack40]

Originally Posted by Kees1958

@TheMozart,

On second thoughts I do no think Bitdisk, TimeFreeze or Returnil are an answer to your problems. It is better to tackle the root of your problems, better to reformat and re-install

Regards Kees

LOL
I agree though that the free version is pretty useless,at least for me.I'm using Toolwiz TF with confidence and without any issues.

[Tsast42]

Originally Posted by pegr

Actually, I doubt that it works any differently to Shadow Defender and Returnil, both of which have the option to maintain a virtual state on reboot.

It appears to be a limitation of disk sector virtualization technology that you get a new virtual session each time so you can't carry across changes from one virtual session to the next. That means that you can't use this type of software to test software that requires a reboot to install. I haven't tried BitDisk myself but I would be very surprised if the BitDisk developers had managed to find a way round this.

Windows Steadystate does allow changes to be carried across until a pre-set date so it clearly is doable.

[pegr]

Originally Posted by Tsast42

Windows Steadystate does allow changes to be carried across until a pre-set date so it clearly is doable.

My understanding is that the limitation applies to programs that implement system-wide virtualization by tracking changes to the disk, below the level of the file system. If the virtualization is implemented by tracking changes to the file system, the limitation doesn't apply.

From other conversations I have had, it appears that developers who implement virtualization by tracking changes to the disk do so because they consider it to be technically superior to tracking changes to the file system. It sacrifices some functionality and convenience in exchange for additional stability and security.

The ability to carry changes over from one virtual session to another, and to be able to selectively save registry changes while in the virtual mode, is usually an indicator that the virtualization has been implemented by tracking changes at the file system level, not the disk level.

If Windows SteadyState does use disk sector tracking though, it would be interesting to know how the developers managed to allow the same virtual session to continue across a restart, because this is not possible with Shadow Defender or Returnil.

[aladdin]

Originally Posted by pegr

If Windows SteadyState does use disk sector tracking though, it would be interesting to know how the developers managed to allow the same virtual session to continue across a restart, because this is not possible with Shadow Defender or Returnil.

Nor it is possible with BitDisk. As far as Windows Steadystate is concerned, it doesn't even work with Windows 7.

Best regards,

KOR!

[pegr]

Originally Posted by King of Rapture

Nor it is possible with BitDisk. As far as Windows Steadystate is concerned, it doesn't even work with Windows 7.

Thanks for confirming that. From the description of how BitDisk works, I expected that would be the case.

Regards

[TheMozart]

Originally Posted by JoeBlack40

LOL
I agree though that the free version is pretty useless,at least for me.I'm using Toolwiz TF with confidence and without any issues.

Same here!

BitDisk free version is 100% useless to me and too crippled for me and my needs.

I am just using Toolwiz Time Freeze too and happy with it. But it only works as long as the program doesn't need a reboot, that's the only downside.

[Tsast42]

Originally Posted by King of Rapture

Nor it is possible with BitDisk. As far as Windows Steadystate is concerned, it doesn't even work with Windows 7.

Best regards,

KOR!

This is a prime example of the many deficiencies with Windows 7 not of Windows Steadystate.

My understanding is that the limitation applies to programs that implement system-wide virtualization by tracking changes to the disk, below the level of the file system. If the virtualization is implemented by tracking changes to the file system, the limitation doesn't apply.

From other conversations I have had, it appears that developers who implement virtualization by tracking changes to the disk do so because they consider it to be technically superior to tracking changes to the file system. It sacrifices some functionality and convenience in exchange for additional stability and security.

The ability to carry changes over from one virtual session to another, and to be able to selectively save registry changes while in the virtual mode, is usually an indicator that the virtualization has been implemented by tracking changes at the file system level, not the disk level.

That may well be it, the documentation doesn't really go into its design in enough detail to know for sure one way or the other. Either way I can imagine many users preferring the functionality of being able to carry changes across reboots. Regardless of the technology used I have only come across one real world intrusion protected against with differing efficacy by light virtualisation products, and that is TDL rootkits against which only one program provides protection at the virtualisation level, for reasons that as of yet appear to be unknown.

[pegr]

Originally Posted by Tsast42

Regardless of the technology used I have only come across one real world intrusion protected against with differing efficacy by light virtualisation products, and that is TDL rootkits against which only one program provides protection at the virtualisation level, for reasons that as of yet appear to be unknown.

It is the case that the only lightweight virtualization program that I know of which is fully hardened against TDL rootkits uses disk tracking; but whether the technology used has a bearing on the degree of system hardening that is possible, I don't know.

Most developers of lightweight virtualization programs who are serious about security seem to implement the disk sector approach though even though there are disadvantages: e.g. can't be used to test software requiring a reboot, can't exit a virtual session without a reboot, can't selectively save registry changes, etc.

[QuickTermWest]

Hello together,

sorry that I have not writte back so long time, at the moment is very much to do in the company.
I will try to read and answer your questions at the next days!
Im really sorry that couldnt do that now...


Best regards

Bastian Zweinig

[QuickTermWest]

Hello,
today i start to work up the questions i start with page 1, where KOR writte some questions:

1. How is the implementation of BitDisk in regards to SSD?
2. What is the activation method. Is it online or offline?
3. I have four computers, is the software licensed per user meaning that can I use it on all my four computers (not family member)?
4. What is the upgrade policy?
5. Does it protects the MBR?
6. See below?

1.It makes no difference for BitDisk whether is acts an HDD or a SSD
- BitDisk will do same work
- And will work at the same speed(or better speed because its SSD!)

2.You can choose online and offline activation - but online is faster (because by offline activation the install prozess generate a hash for your hdd, and this must be send to us that we could gernerate a offline code for that hash - and this we must send back)
so i prefer online activation.

3.The Software is licensed per PC, this means for your example that u must get 4 licenses for 4 PCs.

4.Upgrades are the first year for free, including support.

5.I have asked a programmer to answer this question 100% true - he told me that the MBR is included in the protection of BitDisk

6.I work Monday due Friday with this software, BitDisk in general is simple and has not many buttons..... BitDisk 7 has a big GUI which i dont need - i need a compact GUI which is smart but clever and this i get in BitDisk Pro. BitDisk 7 i would prefer for people who never worked with programms like BitDisk to learn the functions, but i dont need that because i work 5 of 7 days in the week with BitDisk.


At the last i insert here a hyperlink to test BitDisk free. http://www.bitdisk.de/files/setup_free.exe
Im sorry that other downloadlinks are down and dont work.....

Thank you very much KOR for anwering questions, at the time its to much work here and at our customers!



Best regards

Bastian Zweinig

[aladdin]

Originally Posted by QuickTermWest

Hello,
today i start to work up the questions i start with page 1, where KOR writte some questions:

......

3.The Software is licensed per PC, this means for your example that u must get 4 licenses for 4 PCs.

4.Upgrades are the first year for free, including support.

Bastian Zweinig

Thank you for your candid answers. I contacted sales sometime ago, and I got the same response as above. Basically, I got 10 euros discount, thus costing me about 69 euros per year for four computers. Too expansive for home use.

Maybe, it could be offered on Bitsdujour.com

Best regards,

KOR!

[Yanick]

Has anyone had any kinds of problems downloading BitDisk Free? For some reason i cant seem to download it, tried with IE and Chrome.
This is the link: -http://www.bitdisk.de/en/files/setup_free.exe- It just aint possible to start the DL
Could someone provide a direct link or something that would work

[aladdin]

Originally Posted by Yanick

Has anyone had any kinds of problems downloading BitDisk Free? For some reason i cant seem to download it, tried with IE and Chrome.
This is the link: -http://www.bitdisk.de/en/files/setup_free.exe- It just aint possible to start the DL
Could someone provide a direct link or something that would work

Here is the link that works:

-http://bitdisk.de/files/setup_free.exe

Best regards,

KOR!

[Yanick]

Originally Posted by King of Rapture

Here is the link that works:

-http://bitdisk.de/files/setup_free.exe

Best regards,

KOR!

Excellent

Thanks!