Freeze Version

But you can boot from one Returnil protected snapshot to another provided you reboot and use F1 to choose another snapshot

 

That is all correct and that's why I don't like the combination FDISR + Returnil.
My intention was to use Returnil in my off-line snapshot to keep that snapshot clean, not for malware, but to keep my registry and software folders clean. So Returnil would be always ON and that's not possible if you want to keep the function "Boot to Snapshot" working properly. The alternative is to wait for the "F1"-key, but that's not convenient either. I think that all these boot-to-restore ISR-softwares have this problem.

If FDISR had multiple frozen snapshots, my problem would be solved, but FDISR has only ONE frozen snapshot.
Instead of cutting functions in FDISR, HDS should better improve the existing functions of FDISR.
To keep my off-line snapshot clean, I use a copy/update from clean archive to off-line snapshot, which does the same thing, but I have to do this manually.

 

I thought it was about time I came out, so to speak

 

What i like about Power Shadow is that it serves as a secondary measure of data/system protection while any FD snapshot i'm in is shadowed. It's a piece of cake.

Like Eric, i don't favor wasting extra effort to use the F1 key. If i want to switch snapshots i just enter it and engage the FD manager from the tray icon and away we go!

The purpose of virtualization apps is to keep your system CONFINED for returning back again to point A of course after reboot. I dunno if this is a limitation or just the nature of current ISR virtual apps but it's no matter really. Just use your FREEZE snapshot if you need to switch over to another snapshot while in the FROZEN one. If i'm right, when you return again to THAT frozen snapshot, it will erase the disc of anything that wrote to it anyway.

 

The only difference between Returnil and PowerShadow is that Returnil works only for ONE partition, while PS works for more than ONE partition. Both are simple boot-to-restore ISR-softwares, use a virtual environment and cause problems in the function "Boot to Snapshot" of FDISR. The latest news of PS is that it isn't compatible anymore with FDISR and that means the combination of FDISR and PS is terminated. Returnil or PS on itself cannot level with FDISR.
The main reasons why users switch to Returnil, PowerShadow, etc. to replace FDISR :
- their hardware is too old, to handle FDISR and that causes a speed problem
- their harddisks are too small and that causes a space problem for snapshots, archives, freeze storage.
- they choosed a multiple snapshot solution, while they only needed a one snapshot solution
- learning Returnil, PS, etc. is peanuts, FDISR takes longer and even when you know FDISR's functions, you still have to learn how to use it efficiently.

What have all these ISR-softwares MORE than FDISR ?
1. Some of them can handle more than ONE partition.
At this moment I have only two partitions : SYSTEM and DATA.
The data partition is the only partition that is important to me and that's why I locked it in my on-line snapshot : surfing, trying stuff from unknown sources, ... are all 'dangerous' activities.
So I don't need an ISR-software that can handle more than one partition.

2. Some of them work with a virtual environment, which means that every change is done in a virtual system partition, while the real system partition isn't touched.
FDISR has no virtual system partition, which means that every change is done in the real system partition, but FDISR has a very strong copy/update function that UNDOES any change in the real system partition by comparing it with a rollback snapshot or an archived rollback snapshot or a freeze storage.

As long there is NO proof that the copy/update function is WEAKER than the virtual system partition, I don't see the virtual partition as an advantage, although a virtual system partition IS better in theory.

What have all these ISR-softwares LESS than FDISR ?
1. Everything, except the frozen mode, which is just an additional function of FDISR. All the main functions of FDISR are missing.
Even the frozen mode of these ISR-softwares is WEAKER than the frozen mode of FDISR, because FDISR has a PREVIOUS frozen mode, which doesn't exist in all these ISR-softwares.

2. Most of these ISR-softwares, except ShadowUser (maybe ShadowDefender also, dunno for sure) can't handle softwares that require a reboot during installation. This means that you have to try such a software in normal mode and when this software causes a frozen BSOD in your system, you are stucked and the only way to solve this is to restore an IMAGE.
So you better backup your system, before trying such softwares or else use something like VMware.

3. Once these ISR-softwares are in normal mode, they accept any change also unwanted good changes and once you go back in frozen mode, those unwanted good changes are also included.
Don't depend on cleaning tools, like registry cleaners, history cleaners, etc. because they only do standard cleanings and don't remove everything. I mentioned this already in other threads and proved it with one practical example.
The only way to solve this with these ISR-softwares is restoring an IMAGE and that isn't ISR anymore.
If you want a clean system partition all the way, only FDISR is able to do this and IMMEDIATELY and COMPLETE.

Conclusion
I will use FDISR as long as possible, until I find a better alternative, but the actual alternatives are all weaker solutions.
Giving FDISR to Horizon DataSys was a very bad move, because it competes with RollbackRx and no company is going to kill its own software for a strange software.
"FDISR Rescue" will be a weak shadow of the real FDISR, I even wonder why HDS would spend time on it to create it, after all "Drive Vaccine" of HDS is also a boot-to-restore solution.
If users have already a problem with seeing the difference between RollbackRx and FDISR (= weak excuse of HDS), they will have the same problem with "FDISR Rescue" and "Drive Vaccine".
I will certainly not use "FDISR Rescue", it would make me angry every time I use it and remind me of the real FDISR.

RollbackRx as substitute for FDISR is an adventure, that requires alot of testings and it has a long history of failures.
Member "Markymoo" did a good job on finding a backup/restore solution for all RBRx-snapshots, but not a very attractive one, at least not to me.
According Markymoo RBRx can be used as substitute for FDISR, but I'm not sure about this until I've tested this myself. If I ever use RBRx it will be a desperate decision, because I can't find a better alternative.
Well, alot can happen in 5-10 years.

 

Sorry I don't see a problem here. Isn't this what you would expect/want ? I'm in frozen mode and a program requires an update. So I unfreeze, make the change, and freeze again. what is the problem with that ? In practice most required changes are very unimportant and can all be done at the same time
say once a week. Are you saying that to make changes in FD-ISR you don't have to unfreeze a snap short ? and that "unwanted good changes are also not included" ?

Everytime a system is run unfrozen or unprotected clutter builds up. A clean instaall of Office or Nero leaves large amounts of junk. Opinions are divided as to the need to clean this junk. Anyway none of this has anything to do with FD-ISR v the rest. There is no way that an FD-ISR system can be "cleaner" . Either the user uses reg cleaners or he doesn't. In all cases reg cleaners have no effect in any frozen mode. So again what is your point ?

 

I wasn't talking about new softwares and updating of installed softwares and installing of new softwares that create unused registries. I already explained this in other threads.
As long it doesn't cost me extra work, I go as far as possible in cleaning my system partition. I can't do it with Returnil or DeepFreeze, but I certainly can with FDISR. It's OK with me, if you don't agree. My thinking never stops and I know I'm right and I don't need to prove myself either.

 

Erik its not a question of agreeing or disagreeing. You are saying that it is not possible to clean a system partition if you use Returnil or Deepfreeze BUT you can clean a system partition if you use FDISR ? Is this what you are really saying ?

 

Yes, FDISR does a better cleaning than Returnil, DeepFreeze, PowerShadow, ShadowDefender or ShadowUser and I'm still working on this cleaning problem, because it is still not good enough to my standards, but I have to do some tests first to verify if it is possible or not without causing other problems.
My total setup is ready, but I never took care of the DETAILS, because they weren't priority #1.
Cleaning up my system partition is one of these details and all these existing cleaning tools don't satisfy me. I'm trying to do better and I'm doing better already, but it might be possible that I can improve my cleaning even more.
If I wasn't such a newbie and full of lack of knowledge, I would have the answers already. I only have theoretical ideas and I can't sell these ideas, because Wilders wants FACTS.

 

I think we have a different understanding of the word "cleaning" ? None of the programs mentioned above clean anything. They may use different methods but
they all restore a system to its previous state. If your understanding of the word "cleaning" means that you are saying that (a) you get C: the way you want it and then (b) freeze C: so that each time you reboot FD-ISR cleans C: then I will go along with you but point out that the other programs can and do "clean"
making your claim that "I can't do it with Returnil or DeepFreeze, but I certainly can with FDISR" factually incorrect.

 

These programs clean indeed your system partition otherwise they would give you a changed system partition instead of a previous system partition, but I'm not going to start word games in a language that isn't mine.

 

Lest we forget remember that POWER SHADOW conquers the notorious KillDisk Trojan and FD-ISR is vulnerable to that attack.

With that being said, aside from just that one destructive malware FD-ISR rules! In fact, you could even reconstruct your entire hard drive again as long as you practice presence of mind to store "Clean" snapshots archives to another disk off-box.

 

KillDisk Trojan is terminated by AE, if it does its job and when AE fails to do so, it is still not a problem, because I can fix it. I explained this several times already.

The cleaning I was talking about has nothing to do with KillDisk Trojan.
I was talking about an archive, that cleans my system partition BETTER than :
- any existing registry cleaner
- any existing history cleaner
- any other cleaning tool.
FDISR does it safe without human mistakes and COMPLETE.
No cleaning tool is able to do this, because they don't know what to clean for EACH existing software world-wide. A FDISR-archive knows exactly what to clean.
If users like to believe that CCleaner cleans everything, well I believed that too a while ago, just like I believed that R-Wipe&Clean did a better job than CCleaner until I realized that it wasn't true.