Shadow Protect: How do you use it?

[besafe]

Anyone that owns or has owned Shadow Protect, I would be interested to know:

1. how you use? Daily Backups? Weekly images? Did you make a bootable Image?

2. where do you store your backups? Another partition? External Hard Drve? External Media?

3. Do you find it convenient and easy to use?

4. How much did you pay?

[Acadia]

SP has an excellent manual that you can download and read. Others can come along with their actual experiences. Good luck.

Acadia

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by besafe

1. how you use? Daily Backups? Weekly images? Did you make a bootable Image?

1. System Partition[C:] : only when needed, always full backups.
2. Data Partition[D:] : daily, always full backups, but I'm considering to replace it with Karen's Replicator, when I have more time.

Originally Posted by besafe

2. where do you store your backups? Another partition? External Hard Drve? External Media?

On an external harddisk, which I keep OFF-LINE. Any other place is less safe or less convenient.

Originally Posted by besafe

3. Do you find it convenient and easy to use?

The slow loading Recovery CD (3m30s) is a bit inconvenient, but I only need it to restore my system partition[C:].
In other words, the Recovery CD isn't really a piece of art, but most image backup software don't do much better.
All the rest is convenient, I only need to start the approperiate schedule (system or data).
I find the activation also very inconvenient and it really scares me to (re-) install ShadowProtect on my ONLY VERY SAME computer.
My latest experience with the activation of WinXPproSP2 increased that fear. I paid €165 for WinXPproSP2 and I can't activate it anymore on the VERY SAME computer, because I reached the limit of activations.

Originally Posted by besafe

4. How much did you pay?

$70 maybe 5 dollarcents less.

[sukarof]

1. About once every fortnight. Mostly when I have done some significant changes to my setup.
2. I store in my second hard drive and a USB drive.
3. I find it easy and convenient, but mainly because it is reliable.
4. About 80 us dollars. With the option to upgrade to version three within the first year, so I hope it arrives before july next year

[grnxnm]

Originally Posted by ErikAlbert

The slow loading Recovery CD (3m30s) is a bit inconvenient

The 3.0 recovery environment CD has a Legacy flavor and a Recommended flavor. The Legacy flavor is similar to the 2.x environment. The Recommended flavor (you choose between the two at a menu that comes up when you first boot the CD) takes roughly half the time to boot (at least on my machine).

[grnxnm]

Originally Posted by sukarof

4. About 80 us dollars. With the option to upgrade to version three within the first year, so I hope it arrives before july next year

The scheduled release date for ShadowProtect Server and Desktop Editions 3.0 is August 21, 2007.

[ErikAlbert]

Extra warning for FirstDefense-ISR-users :
Never re-install ShadowProtect in another snapshot, because you can't activate it. StorageCraft thinks you are installing ShadowProtect on ANOTHER computer instead of another SNAPSHOT. They don't see the difference.
The only way to get it in another snapshot is COPY/UPDATE at least that's what I think (couldn't test this).

[lodore]

shadow protect desktop does have some very good sechuling options.
the best way is to image daily on to an internal drive and then do an image to external hard drive weekly.
im not a shadow protect user but i have trialed the product.
for my current pc i image to my external drive weekly.
but with my new pc i will have two internal drives and will image at least daily.
im not sure if i current backup solution which is paragon will allow installs on two computers.
if not i might buy shadow protect desktop for one of my machines.
lodore

[Huupi]

my imaging fever is almost over,at the start i did imaging 3 times a week just for the sheer fun of it,now at the moment i do a backup/restore once a month,so images always very outdated in case i have to restore.But then i have FDISR to the rescue so after a restore i update the system with an up to date archived FDISR snapshot and in approx 3 min. my system is already current again.

[tradetime]

Originally Posted by ErikAlbert

Extra warning for FirstDefense-ISR-users :
Never re-install ShadowProtect in another snapshot, because you can't activate it. StorageCraft thinks you are installing ShadowProtect on ANOTHER computer instead of another SNAPSHOT. They don't see the difference.
The only way to get it in another snapshot is COPY/UPDATE at least that's what I think (couldn't test this).

That's interesting, so you can't transfer SP to another computer?

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by tradetime

That's interesting, so you can't transfer SP to another computer?

I wasn't talking about another computer, I was talking about another snapshot on the SAME computer.
I have only ONE computer and without any hardware changes, except a printer and an external harddisk.

If you have TWO FDISR-snapshots and you install SP in the primary snapshot and you install SP in the secondary snapshot, than you can't activate SP anymore.
At this very moment, I have SP installed in my off-line snapshot, which can't be activated, so it doesn't work and I have SP installed in my on-line snapshot, which is activated.

If you have WinXPproSP2 (OEM), watch out, because your activations are counted and when you exceed the limit, you can't activate Windows anymore.

[tradetime]

Erik I realise you were referring to installing in another snapshot, my English is pretty good.

StorageCraft thinks you are installing ShadowProtect on ANOTHER computer instead of another SNAPSHOT. They don't see the difference.

This however would imply that you cannot install on another computer, which was my query. If I buy SP today and update my PC at the beginning of next year, then I will have to buy a new SP, no?

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by tradetime

Erik I realise you were referring to installing in another snapshot, my English is pretty good.

This however would imply that you cannot install on another computer, which was my query. If I buy SP today and update my PC at the beginning of next year, then I will have to buy a new SP, no?

For EACH computer, you have to buy another SP. Quite expensive LOL.

BUT it looks like you have to buy another SP for EACH snapshot also. LOL.

If you buy another computer to replace your old computer, I don't know what is going to happen. I hope they believe you, otherwise you have to buy another license.

[tradetime]

Originally Posted by ErikAlbert

For EACH computer, you have to buy another SP. Quite expensive LOL.

Ok thanx Erik, that has really quite put me off for now, I will update my desktop, likely early next year, so I will not buy this now just to have to buy another one for the new desktop. Have never come across that before. OEM software I understand often associates itself with a mobo or such, but never came across it with retail software. Ho hum, guess I'll look at some other softwares.

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by tradetime

Ok thanx Erik, that has really quite put me off for now, I will update my desktop, likely early next year, so I will not buy this now just to have to buy another one for the new desktop. Have never come across that before. OEM software I understand often associates itself with a mobo or such, but never came across it with retail software. Ho hum, guess I'll look at some other softwares.

According my sources Microsoft verifies these components :

01. Processor Model
02. Processor Serial Number
03. RAM Size
04. Graphics Adapter
05. IDE Controller
06. SCSI Host Adapter
07. Harddrive
08. CD-ROM Drive
09. Volume Serial Number
10. MAC Address.

But none of these components changed on my computer and I can't activate WinXPproSP2 anymore, because I exceeded the limit of activations.
So there is :

11. Maximum Number of Activations (I don't know how much).

I don't know what StorageCraft verifies, but they don't do it right, otherwise I wouldn't have had any problems.

[tradetime]

Wow I had no idea MSFT were that thorough.
Yes not sure what storagecraft verifies, since it should all be the same, sounds like they only allow you to activate once, period.

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by tradetime

Wow I had no idea MSFT were that thorough.
Yes not sure what storagecraft verifies, since it should all be the same, sounds like they only allow you to activate once, period.

Automatically yes. However I'd bet if you call them, they'd work something out. If you want to switch computers, they could probably cancel your activation, and then let you activate on another computer. Just you will have to plan ahead.

Pete

[Huupi]

I know the installed SP is quite convenient......if it works for you.For me it does't work on my workstation,i guess something to do with SATA controller,with my other IDE systems no problems so far.So i image this rig with the rec.disk which i think is also safer to do.
You can use the recovery disk to image a million systems if you like without activation hassle !

[Huupi]

I suppose it was never the intent of the Vendor to give us opportunity to image as many rigs as you like with the Recovery Disk,but there is no activation check possible in the WIndows PE environment,so it is up to your own ethics what to do with this opportunity.

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by Huupi

I suppose it was never the intent of the Vendor to give us opportunity to image as many rigs as you like with the Recovery Disk,but there is no activation check possible in the WIndows PE environment,so it is up to your own ethics what to do with this opportunity.

That is correct. My SP under Windows was not activated, but I could use the Recovery CD to restore an image and I can also backup with this CD.

Why going through all that trouble to protect SP with activation, if the Recovery CD can be used without any activation and can most probably be used on other computers as well. What kind of software protection is that ? Pffft.

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by ErikAlbert

That is correct. My SP under Windows was not activated, but I could use the Recovery CD to restore an image and I can also backup with this CD.

Why going through all that trouble to protect SP with activation, if the Recovery CD can be used without any activation and can most probably be used on other computers as well. What kind of software protection is that ? Pffft.

Read the Acronis forum. How many people even try the recovery stuff until to late. Acronis protects the same way. I suspect they are quite safe.

Pete

[Huupi]

Originally Posted by Peter2150

Read the Acronis forum. How many people even try the recovery stuff until to late. Acronis protects the same way. I suspect they are quite safe.

Pete

I surmise that many people buy one SP license,make a recovery CD and thereafter image dosens or more systems with it.SP's strong point[high quality rec. env.] works also against it.

[Peter2150]

Originally Posted by Huupi

I surmise that many people buy one SP license,make a recovery CD and thereafter image dosens or more systems with it.SP's strong point[high quality rec. env.] works also against it.

I would hope not.

[ErikAlbert]

Originally Posted by Huupi

I surmise that many people buy one SP license,make a recovery CD and thereafter image dosens or more systems with it.SP's strong point[high quality rec. env.] works also against it.

I second that. If an average user, like me, is able to find out about this, the rest will follow.
In September I'm going to re-install my computer completely. If I have troubles with the activation of SP again, I'm going to ditch it.
If my tests with Karen's Replicator (KR) are good, I won't use SP anymore to backup my data partition, even when I keep SP.
My first test with KR proved that a full backup is as fast as SP and KR doesn't need to be activated. If the full backup is that fast, the rest of KR will be fast too.

If SP's activation causes problems again in September, I ditch it and go back to ATI.
In that case I will use ATI to backup/restore an image of Windows and FDISR only and restore the rest with FDISR-archives.

It's not my style to depend on other people to get my paid softwares activated. My freedom is more important, than my computer and nobody is going to dictate me how many times I can install a software on the SAME computer.

[grnxnm]

That re-activation limit is in there to prevent software piracy, and clearly doesn't affect most users (in fact you're the very first user to have actually reached that re-activation limit). If the user is legitimate, and their reactivation is legitimate (despite reaching their re-activation limit), they can always call or email us and we'll add another reactivation for them so that their re-install will work.