Data anchoring question

I am trying out data anchoring - as I boot between snapshots, I am tired of having to make sure that my browser application data is copied to a third partition beforehand so I can overwrite it in which ever snapshot i'm in, so my bookmarks etc will be current. I anchored my browser and a couple other things, but here is my question:

Say i'm on snapshot A, and from there I anchor program xx. Now, when i'm on snapshot B, and from there delete snapshot A, what happens to program xx and the data I anchored which originated on snapshot A? Is it still in existence and available for use from within my other snapshots?


Thanks,
Chrome

edit: I want to get this answered, because i'm about ready to sink this snapshot i'm on now, but i'd like to anchor some things out of it before I do so, if I can.

 

I keep all my data etc on a seperate disk on it's own partition, and have for years- there's no way on earth i'd ever keep anything even halfway important on the same disk or partition as an operating system-never. I wised up to that years ago.

What I do like the idea of though, is anchoring a few select programs, such as my browser, chat utility, email program, for example. This would allow me basic functionality regardless of what snapshot I might be in, not to mention keeping me from feeling disembodied within my own computer. If I install these seperately in each snapshot, it would be tough to keep them all up to date- i'd have to copy and paste application data folders around. I'm not concerned about security - i've got that covered. The few programs i'm trying anchored are working just fine - except, as I asked, I wonder if I delete the snapshot on which they originated, will they still exist....

Can someone answer this, or is this another one of those things I have to learn the hard way?

Thanks,
Chrome

 

Well, as with most things- I went ahead and tried it myself. I deleted the snapshot on which my anchored programs were originally installed. I rebooted, and did find that they were still intact and just as i'd set them up. Now i can leave that snapshot deleted, while carrying over the work i'd done setting up certain programs.

There are a couple reasons I wanted to do a little bit of anchoring:

A- a few days ago, I was talking to a girl on yahoo, and we discussing going out for a beer later that night. I had to do some partitioning work (then, because it was contigent on some other stuff I needed to do) So I told her i'd speak to her in a a few, and booted over to my system maintenance snapshot, where I keep my partitioning tools and other system work programs. I had the same chat program installed, but the settings didn't match those of the other snapshot, and I couldnt contact her- i'd already started partitioning, and by the time it was done and I booted back to my other snapshot, she was gone. The next day, she asked me what happened to me, that she would've been willing to meet out that night.... I now have that messaging program anchored, so the setting match across snapshots.

B- a couple weeks back, I was working with my foobar 2000, making some new playlists for some albums. Later, I was on another snapshot, and went to pull up that song file player (which I had installed on this snapshot too) so I could listen to my new playlists - only to remember that my settings on the media player didn't match those of the install on the other snapshot, so my playlists weren't there. Now I have that media player anchored, so settings are uniform across snapshots....

I hope this makes sense? I have yet to encounter any troubles, I guess I'll wait it out

Thanks,
Chrome

 

Btw, fdisr server build 205, windows server 2003 sp2, respectfully

thanks,
chrome

 

Greetings chrome_sturmen,

I tend to agree with Pete. You should really anchor the usual data folders only (My Documents, Favorites, etc.). Data Anchoring is a powerful feature and will anchor almost anything, but in the words of Peter Parker, “With great power comes with great responsibility”.

Anchoring an application may cause issues in the future. Let’s say you have anchored an application folder (or even just part of it). You update one snapshot, but forget about updating other snapshots. If the application updates entries in the registry, when you boot to another snapshot you have previous registry entries, but an updated application. Depending on the application, being out of sync between it and the registry can cause major pains with Windows. We had a user do this with their anti-virus application. Needless to say, it was not long before the system would not boot. I am not saying this is the case with all applications, just to be cautious with what you anchor.

I can’t believe I just posted using a Spiderman quote.