First Defence on Multi-boot system

[L Bainbridge]

Is it possible to use FR-ISR on a multi-boot system?
I'm currently using Acronis OSS to select between 2 different WinXP installations- 1 on a SATA and 1 on a IDE. All works well but I want to have a 'instant system restore' program on the primary (SATA) system together with ATI for imaging(which i'll then use only for 'bare-metal' restores) .
I tried Rollback Rx but this conflicted with Acronis OSS at the MBR level and I wondered whether I'd have any more luck with FD-ISR. Any advice much appreciated.

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by L Bainbridge

Is it possible to use FR-ISR on a multi-boot system?
I'm currently using Acronis OSS to select between 2 different WinXP installations- 1 on a SATA and 1 on a IDE. All works well but I want to have a 'instant system restore' program on the primary (SATA) system together with ATI for imaging(which i'll then use only for 'bare-metal' restores) .
I tried Rollback Rx but this conflicted with Acronis OSS at the MBR level and I wondered whether I'd have any more luck with FD-ISR. Any advice much appreciated.

Be interesting to see what Todd says, but my hunch is it won't work. Like Rollback, FDISR needs the mbr to do it's thing.

[L Bainbridge]

What about if I use the standard XP Bootloader with a multi-boot ( 2 XP installations on the same HD but 2 partitions)?
I'm keen to try FD-ISR but really need a separate boot system for my kids games to keep them out of my system- so a single patition with different snapshots for me and them is not really an option.

[tobacco]

What about adding 'ShadowUser' to your setup.Whenever your kids are going to use it, just set 'ShadowUser' to protect all volumes and then you won't have to worry.You can setup FD ISR the way you want and then protect your setup with 'ShadowUser'.

[L Bainbridge]

That sounds a good idea.
I've installed FD-ISR and its working fine on my main system and I can still boot to the other XP system (although its obviously not protected by FD-ISR), so I think I've answered my own question but I can always image that partition with True Image as required.
Just discovering how powerful FD-ISR is...
It's a fantastic program -just wish I'd discovered it a while ago, might have saved me many hours of full installs.
As an aside, is it worth disabling Process Guard during FD-ISR snapshots?
Thanks to all for the advice so far- i feel that I developing a pretty bullet proof system with Acronis TI , FD-ISR and AJC Active back up.

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by L Bainbridge

What about if I use the standard XP Bootloader with a multi-boot ( 2 XP installations on the same HD but 2 partitions)?
I'm keen to try FD-ISR but really need a separate boot system for my kids games to keep them out of my system- so a single patition with different snapshots for me and them is not really an option.

I assume using a separate boot system, that somehow, they or you can chose which system they boot up. In effect you can do that with FDISR. You boot to your snapshot, and they boot to theirs. They are two different system. Even if they trash theirs they can't affect yours. Only issue, might be password situation if you use passwords to control where they go.
If that doesn't work you might have to make a choice.

Re Shadowuser, I don't think it would solve your problem either, unless you are strictly controling when the use the computer.

[tobacco]

Hi Peter2150

Kids can be kids so you still have to worry especially if you have partitions with all your programs, music, etc, on them to decrease the size of the snapshots in order to give one room for more snapshots.And if they manage to re-boot into his snapshot- oh boy!.This is all i was adding and certainly not taking anything away from FD ISR.

[tobacco]

I should add that i'm not pushing shadowuser here, it could be any similiar program.Just trying to help the poster be at ease with FD ISR and worrying about what the kids might do!.

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by tobacco

Hi Peter2150

Kids can be kids so you still have to worry especially if you have partitions with all your programs, music, etc, on them to decrease the size of the snapshots in order to give one room for more snapshots.And if they manage to re-boot into his snapshot- oh boy!.This is all i was adding and certainly not taking anything away from FD ISR.

Not to worry, I understood. I think if I were him, I'd get the kids a $300 dell and that could suffice for their games. At least until they are responsible enough. Then he can use FDISR or any rollback type software.

[starfish_001]

Originally Posted by L Bainbridge

As an aside, is it worth disabling Process Guard during FD-ISR snapshots?
Thanks to all for the advice so far- i feel that I developing a pretty bullet proof system with Acronis TI , FD-ISR and AJC Active back up.

I alway disable PG when creating a snapshot - I use Mirrorfolder rather than AJC Backup

[L Bainbridge]

Thanks for your suggestions. I'm gonna to take a look at Shadow User anyway- it might be useful.
Starfish I've never heard of Mirror Folder- what are the advantages over AJC?
As regards my set up- it's true there is still the chance the kids can access my main system if they hit the right keys after FD-ISR pre-boot and I guess getting them their own PC is the ultimate answer but my set up will do for now.
I think with a degree of redundancy (with FD-ISR and ATI plus AJC) in my back ups it should give me enough to recover fairly easily if the worst comes to happen.
Lee

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by L Bainbridge

Thanks for your suggestions. I'm gonna to take a look at Shadow User anyway- it might be useful.
Starfish I've never heard of Mirror Folder- what are the advantages over AJC?
As regards my set up- it's true there is still the chance the kids can access my main system if they hit the right keys after FD-ISR pre-boot and I guess getting them their own PC is the ultimate answer but my set up will do for now.
I think with a degree of redundancy (with FD-ISR and ATI plus AJC) in my back ups it should give me enough to recover fairly easily if the worst comes to happen.
Lee

Hi L Bainbridge

If they hit the right keys yes they can get to your system. But an effective user password should shut them down. That way they can only log into their system. You definitely should disable PG when you use First Defenses else the *.dat files won't copy and you will see errors.(I also uses AJC and don't disable anything when using it). I would note though I would occasionally see strange errors when using FD-ISR to archives. A second pass fixed that. Haven't seen them since dropping PG.

Pete

[Leapfrog Software]

Greetings L Bainbridge,

It can be quite a challenge to provide an MBR altering technology and be compatible with other MBR products. Some products alter the MBR drastically, some need to be loaded before, or after each other, etc. You get the idea.

We change just enough of the MBR, to launch our pre-boot menu, then “daisy-chain” back to the original boot record to allow the boot process to start the XP bootstrap process.

If I understand your setup correctly, why couldn’t you use your BIOS hotkey, if supported, to select the drive to boot.

btw: We have done some testing with ShadowUser. Here is the post:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=118977

[L Bainbridge]

Thanks Leapfrog

Basically my set up is 3 partitions on 1 SATA disk -2 for WinXP systems(one my main system and 1 for the kids games) plus 3rd partition on this disk for my data etc. - plus 2nd SATA as music/ back ups/ Acronis Secure Zone.
I'm not bothered about protecting the kids' system but image it sporadically with ATI to a DVD. My system I image regularly but now I've got FD-ISR I'll follow what I think a number of other posts have suggested and just keep a fairly recent ATI image with FD-ISR installed and take regular snapshots with FD-ISR instead, restoring pretty rapidly in the event of a crash. I still thinking about how to control access to my system for the kids and I'm certainly interested in others' ideas but maybe that needs to be on a different thread..
Great software by the way- just bought FD-ISR.

[Longboard]

Sorry, latecomer to this thread and have some questions.

If I am using Terabyte's BING for multi boot operations and reorder partitions for booting rather that fiddle with boot.ini or use direct boot menu in BING will that interfere with FD-ISR?

I imagine I would have to have FD-ISR installed in each partition that I boot to, to use it. How might multiple installs affect the preboot? or the ISR files?

Do I have to buy license per partition?

Can I archive to external drive from any booted partition without causing problems?

Just starting to feel my way into this.

Longboard