Strange thing happend

[sukarof]

Today I had a strange thing. I have a snapshot where I do all my gaming and I have booted to and from it numerous times. I always chose "boot to snapshot" via the right click meny in FDISR.
But tonight when I was done with playing I booted to my primary. Everything loaded to the point where I insert my password to get into windows, but then it stuck. It did not load desktop just a green blank screen (green is my desktop colour) I rebooted twice with the same result. Then I booted to a backup copy of primary and it loaded as it should. Then I rebooted back to my primary, this time all went fine. Dont know what happend there.
All I can think of is that yesterday was patch tuesday at MS.. (I had not patched the backup of primary tho..) so it might not have anything to do with FDISR really, but thought I might post about it if anyone else had the same thing.

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by sukarof

Then I booted to a backup copy of primary and it loaded as it should. Then I rebooted back to my primary, this time all went fine. Dont know what happend there.

What do you exactly mean with "a backup copy of primary" ?
Does it mean you had your primary snapshot and another snapshot = primary snapshot. In other words you had two identical snapshots.

Or did you create a new snapshot and restored from an .arx-file (= primary snapshot).

[sukarof]

The snapshot that I call "primary" is the one I use every day. the backup copy (snapshot) of "primary" is 3 days old and almost identical to "primary". The only thing difference between those two snapshots should be the new patches from Microsoft that was released yesterday. Well of course there are some other minor differences since I´ve been using the "primary" snapshot since the last update of my backup snapshot of "primary" but I have not installed any new programs or so.

No I did not restore from an archive. Just rebooted from my "gaming snapshot" to "primary" snapshot when the problem appeared.

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by sukarof

The snapshot that I call "primary" is the one I use every day. the backup copy (snapshot) of "primary" is 3 days old and almost identical to "primary". The only thing difference between those two snapshots should be the new patches from Microsoft that was released yesterday. Well of course there are some other minor differences since I´ve been using the "primary" snapshot since the last update of my backup snapshot of "primary" but I have not installed any new programs or so.

No I did not restore from an archive. Just rebooted from my "gaming snapshot" to "primary" snapshot when the problem appeared.

OK. Sukarof. I got it and I understand the possible little differences between them, but that shouldn't be a problem.
So you rebooted from a second primary snapshot, that was a little older and that worked and then you rebooted back to the first primary snapshot (that didn't work several times) and that worked suddenly properly.

So the reboot to the second primary snapshot fixed in fact the problem of the first primary snapshot. Am I right about this ?

[Peter2150]

I've learned to wait at least a week and watch the forum before rushing to do a windows update. Besides if my security software is protecting me from a vulnerablity MS just fixed, I think I can wait a week or so before patching.

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by Peter2150

I've learned to wait at least a week and watch the forum before rushing to do a windows update. Besides if my security software is protecting me from a vulnerablity MS just fixed, I think I can wait a week or so before patching.

I don't understand why a Windows Update would cause a problem.
Each snapshot has its own version of Windows, fully patched, partially patched or even unpatched.
It shouldn't make any difference for FD-ISR.
A snapshot can even contain a different operating system.

[crofttk]

Sukarov, do you happen to have Office 2003 installed, specifically Excel 2003 ?

For some reason I haven't bothered to research, after installing about a half dozen Windows and Office updates today, one of the updates, a security update for Excel 2003 failed to install because Webroot Spysweeper wouldn't allow it based on its default blocking of BHOs (Browser Helper Objects). I had to temporarily disable that feature of Webroot to get the update installed, then I re-enabled it.

Why a BHO ? I don't know and I don't care. All I care is that my computer is fully Microsoft patched, as long as I have no further problems.

I don't understand why a Windows Update should crash a computer either but I do know it has happened before, I don't need to know why, and I'm sure it will happen again and it'll be Microsoft's fault. Since it happens so infrequently, however, if an update raises a flag in one of my security softwares, I am suspicious it will be an issue for many other people although it may manifest itself differently in different systems.

I have no reason to believe this is what caused your problem but I thought I'd ask because sometimes stumbling across an answer by luck is just as useful and sometimes quicker than using any deeply analytical technique.

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by ErikAlbert

I don't understand why a Windows Update would cause a problem.
Each snapshot has its own version of Windows, fully patched, partially patched or even unpatched.
It shouldn't make any difference for FD-ISR.
A snapshot can even contain a different operating system.

Erik, 6-9 months ago, I'd go and install MS updates immediately. BUt lately there have been problems with the updates, so I wait a while and watch to see if there are any issues, before I install them.

Pete

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by Peter2150

Erik, 6-9 months ago, I'd go and install MS updates immediately. BUt lately there have been problems with the updates, so I wait a while and watch to see if there are any issues, before I install them.

I don't exclude anything, but if Sukarof has winXPproSP2 like me and had his regular Windows Updates like me, I find it hard to believe that Windows Update was the cause of Sukarof's strange experience.
I didn't have any problems with Windows Updates since I bought it, including the last one.

I know already that the MBR is very important for FD-ISR and rules over all snapshots.
Is there something else that rules over all snapshots, except the MBR and could cause any trouble ?

If not, there must be something inside a snapshot, that causes a change in another snapshot.
After all Sukarof rebooted in his second primary snapshot, that fixed the problem in his first primary snapshot and his first primary snapshot had a Windows Update yesterday, just like mine.

OR maybe one of his (new) games caused a change in the MBR and screwed up his first primary snapshot, but not the other snapshots.

[Peter2150]

You know I went back and reread Sukarof's posts. I'd be curious if after the first failed boot in primary he tried rebooting again in Primary before going to the copy. If not I'd almost bet if he had it would have booted.

Every now and then I've seen windows get confused and get a screwed up boot. Rebooting usually solves the problem. Also something might not have gone right on the shutdown in primary when he switched to gaming. Then the first boot might have messed up, but the 2nd was fine. Not FDISR if that's the case.

[crofttk]

Originally Posted by Peter2150

..Every now and then I've seen windows get confused and get a screwed up boot. Rebooting usually solves the problem. ...

I've seen the same thing once in a great while -- sunspots ?

[screamer]

I just re-booted to a frozen screen. This was after I deleted some apps from "start up" in msconfig. After spending the better part of yesterday re-installing XP my heart skipped a beat when this happened. A re-boot cleared everything up

[sukarof]

Originally Posted by ErikAlbert

OK.
So the reboot to the second primary snapshot fixed in fact the problem of the first primary snapshot. Am I right about this ?

That´s right.

Originally Posted by crofttk

Sukarov, do you happen to have Office 2003 installed, specifically Excel 2003 ?

No I dont have any of those.

After reading your discussions here I agree that this problem for sure is not a FDISR issue. Thanks for the feedback and reassurance

[ErikAlbert]

In this case FDISR recovered itself, so I can live with that, but that wasn't true in these recent threads :
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=138932
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=138379
I didn't find any good explanation, why FDISR failed in both threads, except comments on my harsh behaviour, which doesn't bother me, because I'm more interested in what went wrong with FDISR in both threads.
If nobody cares, I won't care either, because FDISR is working fine on my computer.

[aigle]

I wonder why for the last month or so I am reading few threads with ?failure of FDISR( if there is a real failure). This is the thing that I have never seem before with this software at least in this forum.
Is that points to the fact that FDISR can let u dwon too, though too rarely.

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by ErikAlbert

In this case FDISR recovered itself, so I can live with that, but that wasn't true in these recent threads :
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=138932
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=138379
I didn't find any good explanation, why FDISR failed in both threads, except comments on my harsh behaviour, which doesn't bother me, because I'm more interested in what went wrong with FDISR in both threads.
If nobody cares, I won't care either, because FDISR is working fine on my computer.

Hi Erik

First, I know there is a language issue, and that sometime translates(pardon the pun) into missunderstanding.

Second we all know Windows itself is full of quirks. At least in one of the threads, I don't think there was an FDISR issue, but just a windows fluke. I suspect the same in the other, but it isn't as clear cut.

I do know FDISR has never let me down. Even with the bug I found that ultimate rendered FDISR unusable after a reinstall, it stil wouldn't have let me down if I needed it.

Pete

[Acadia]

In my opinion, and I have nowhere near the technical prowess of many of you and that is the truth, not false humility, FD will only "let you down" if it is on a system that is not compatible with it. Put FD on a compatible system and you should NEVER have any problems, unless the user is new to this "not simple" program. Too many times I see folks get quite upset with a program when in reality they simply don't know how to use the program, but their egos will not allow them to admit that.

You are quite likely to run into problems if you use FD with any other program that demands control of the MBR, also, any program that creates ADS. Check the Raxco website, they will tell you the exceptions. And that's another thing: too many folks try to use this somewhat complicated program (only complicated until you get the hang of it) without reading the manual or Raxco website and then it's "Why won't this program do this, why won't it do that?". They're probably trying to do something that it wasn't even designed for ... DUH!

Acadia

[crofttk]

Originally Posted by Acadia

.... Too many times I see folks get quite upset with a program when in reality they simply don't know how to use the program, but their egos will not allow them to admit that....

BINGO !

[ErikAlbert]

My intention was to help these users in both threads, but if I don't get the links of the downloaded programs, I can't do anything.
I'm not going to beg on my knees to get these links, that's not my style.
For me, these threads don't even exist anymore.

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by ErikAlbert

My intention was to help these users in both threads, but if I don't get the links of the downloaded programs, I can't do anything.
I'm not going to beg on my knees to get these links, that's not my style.
For me, these threads don't even exist anymore.

Erik

I dig what you wanted to do. Hey I am getting a new box and will do some playing like you have done, before getting serious with it.

Pete

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by Peter2150

I dig what you wanted to do. Hey I am getting a new box and will do some playing like you have done, before getting serious with it.

That's good news. I need a break.