Compare FDISR with MS shared computer toolkit for xp

Has anyone ever used MS shared computer toolkit? It sounds like it works like the "frozen snapshot" function of FDISR. It's nice that it's free. I might download it into a snapshot and see what happens. It will probably interfere with it as it freezes the computer also. We'll see who wins when I let fdisr and shared computer toolkit fight it out.

 

Do you have any experience with MS shared computer toolkit?

 

Well for someone who self professes to try out all sorts of software you sure don't seem too inquisitive for a free product that acts like power shadow. Although it doesn't have the backup features of FDISR it doesn't cost 70 dollars either. I'm currently writing this inside a snapshot of FDISR inside a power shadow session that is booted up inside a limited user account with avast Anti virus and comodo firewall all the while having almost all my services turned off. Nothing wrong with being inquisitive.

 

Right, but every user has his own plans/interests and does what feels right to him. I never expect that users will do the same like I do. I'm just telling them what I did and I don't care if they like it or not.

If you like to disable as many services as possible, do it, but don't be surprised that some day it will cause problems and don't expect any help either, because none of us will know what you did to Windows.

If you like to use MS Shared Computer Toolkit, do it and tell us all about it and inform us about advantages, disadvantages, differences, etc., but don't expect that everybody will do the same.

I don't use MS Shared Computer Toolkit, because it takes time to study this software and I'm not a big fan of the mediocre MS Applications either.
That's why I replaced MS Windows System Restore with FDISR, because FDISR saves me also when I can't even boot to Windows.
Another big advantage of FDISR is the very short time of recovery (= reboot-time). If I'm in serious trouble, I like to get rid of it as QUICK and as EASY as possible and without needing a deep knowledge of Windows.
Another big advantage of FDISR is that I can create different independent work environments without having the disadvantages of partitions.

Just proof to me, Peter and other members that the freeware MS Shared Computer Toolkit does a better job than FDISR.
Besides that I never use money as a parameter to make a choice between softwares.
Money is NOT a software feature/function, money is just paper.

 

As an old Coast Guard friend of mine used to say, "I don't have to slam my crank in the door to know I don't like it."

 

I've never known Pete to "self profess," as you put it.

Regarding your current system setup, I have two questions:

1) Based on the description of your current setup, it seems that you already own FDISR. If that is the case and you've already bought it, why are you interested in trying MS shared computer toolkit (especially if it offers less and it's from MS)?

2) Why would a person need to run a system that consists of a power shadow session that contains FDISR under a limited user account with all services turned off?

 

Well I can't use VMware workstation on my xphome laptop hence I'm getting xp pro installed into a blank snapshot in the near future. However, my point was that since you seem to test out alot of software I'm surprised you've never run across MS shared computer toolkit before. It's been out so long I thought surely all these people on these websites clamoring for the next new free cool security app would have heard and tried it. Guess not. No biggie. I've read enough about it but since I'm VM challenged at the moment it's hard to test as much as I'd like- ALAS all the questions. If I had my own VM I'd be testing instead of posting. FDISR isn't so great for testing software as the freeze function erases the install when you reboot. It's VM ware or nothing really.

 

If you want to test a software with FDISR for a few days, you use a test snapshot, not a frozen snapshot.

 

I don't really care if people like what I do or not either. As I've said before I don't have a VM ware setup yet so it's hard for me to test software. Hence since the MS product had been out for so long I'd figured that someone would have ran across it by now and had an opinion on it.

I do like FDISR but I'm not married to it. I find power shadow different and better than shadowuser. I find that FDISR still needs apps to be run concurrently with it to be secure if one surf with it in frozen mode. Better safe than sorry. And I refuse to believe you are against turning off services. If you don't want to answer questions don't. Just don't but in and tell us every time I post a question that you don't want to answer questions if people elect to turn off services. You sound like a broken record. I'm not directing questions to you anyways. If I was I'd PM you. We all are here to learn not subscribe to scare tactics.

 

Of course installing into a snapshot for a few days to test out but I don't have perfect disk 8 and these constant defrags I have to do leaves me a bit leary when constantly creating and destroying snapshots. I have about 7 snapshots right now as it is plus numberous archives. I really want VM ware for all this testing in addition to FDISR.

 

You seem to judge FDISR very quickly, learn first how to use it correctly.
No experienced user will use a frozen snapshot to test software for more than one day.
And FDISR is not a security software of any kind.

 

If you haven't heard Pete self profess to test out software you've missed the whole VM ware thread.

1. Yes I've got FDISR and If find that it's constant needs of defragging is a bit mind numbing and confusing as I've got 7 snapshots and many more archives on an external USB hdd. It's much faster to use a VM than FDISR. But I'm on xp home right now which limits my ability to use VM ware. I can use VMplayer but not workstation. And since alot of people here use VM workstation I figured somone might have tired this MS product already. It's alot of reading for that product. However it sounds like the freeze option of FDISR and it's free. I like testing out all the free software as I'm sure you do.

2. You ask WHY I would have such a setup on my computer? Well I don't think it's obsessively over the top on security setups. I've seen people on here with lots more security setups than mine. I think turning off unneeded services is prudent if you can manage to do so without disrupting your current security apps. Lots of people here do that. I did happen to catch a rootkit however and so ever since that happened I'm way more careful with my setup.

 

FDISR doesn't need constant defragging. I defrag as much as I did before using FDISR.
Frankly, I don't see any difference before or after defragging, maybe I have to wait alot longer with defragging to see the difference, which means less defragging instead of more defragging.

 

Very good advice. I still struggle with that and although it is not easy to do, most people can benefit by listeing to what you just said.

 

Horus,

A frozen snapshot removes all changes during the next reboot, but that doesn't mean you are safe during the period between TWO reboots.
When a malware is able to install itself during that period, it is possible that it will do its evil job during that period.
So even a frozen snapshot needs security softwares to prevent the installation and certainly the execution of malware.

The REMOVAL of malware is in theory complete in a frozen snapshot and that is much better and faster than any malware scanner.

A frozen snapshot doesn't see the difference between good and bad changes, so all changes are removed during the next reboot and the fact that it removes also good changes is a problem.
Security softwares need their regular updatings and those updatings are removed during the next reboot in a frozen snapshot and that requires a solution.

 

Yes I figured as much so I've never run FDISR in a frozen snapshot surfing without first having my comodo fw up and Avast AV going as well. I feel reasonably secure with that. However recently I've started using power shadow at bootup in a shapshot and it allows it to run under a limited user account which is great so that's what I currently do when not testing software. However I've been testing 3-5 programs a day lately so I've been getting a bit tired of all the creating and deleting of snapshots then defragging etc... I find that if you can find a program that doesn't require you to reboot after install then power shadow is the ideal inside a snapshot because when you reboot you don't need to defrag. When you install a product even in a frozen shapshot you end up needing a defrag after you reboot oddly. Since I have so many snapshots and archives I'm wishing I had bought perfect disk 8 now. I found a program called ccleaner that also works with perfect disk 8. Don't know what it cleans inside of perfect disk 8 but I'll wait till the new FDISR beta get out of beta then I'll buy it and perfect disk 8 then.

 

I use CCleaner myself. CCleaner is very good in history cleaning, but the registry cleaner of CCleaner is lesser good IMO.
I also use PerfectDisk, but I only defrag once a month and I never see the difference before or after the defragmentation.

My only problem is the combination "frozen snapshot & security softwares". It doesn't work like I expected.
Anchoring makes a frozen snapshot constantly vulnerable for malware.
Refreezing or Unfreeze/Freeze is good as long you don't freeze possible malwares and needs to be done right after reboot.
My experience with freezing is that it doesn't freeze all updatings of security softwares.
There is something wrong and I can't nail the problem.

 

I have learned a great deal from following the posts regarding Rollback RX and FDISR. Without the discussions by the various forum members, I wouldn't have been able to use any of these products. In fact, I think I would have gotten into a great deal of trouble.