ISR-software for directories

Been looking at threads about ISR-software and I was wanting to try some. Was moving data to my backup drive cause I was gonna format and install windows again. I moved all my data over and was double checking to make sure it was all there. Somehow I do not know how but a whole folder just disapeared on me. No recover program can find the directory or any of the files that was in that directory. I cannot explain what happened and cannot figure it out. Was looking around this section and seen about ISR-software and was wondering if anyone knew of any ISR-software that would work just for certain directories. I have 4 other directories that if that happened to would like to be able to get back.

 

Hi dread,
ISR means "Immediate System Recovery", not "Immediate Data Recovery".
So ISR-softwares are designed to recover your SYSTEM, not your DATA and you are talking about your personal data.

To backup/restore my personal documents, spreadsheets, emails, email-address-books, ... I use this freeware :
Karen’s Replicator v3.5.3
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp
It's a FILE backup software, fast and very reliable.
It only backups the files that were changed on your harddisk.
There are enough members here to help you with configuring Karen's Replicator.
If you don't like KR, you can always replace it later with another one, that is just a small detail.

The next step is your system "Windows and all your applications".
If you are planning to use an ISR-software you better separate your personal data from your system,
which means 2 partitions :
1. System Partition [C:] = Windows + All Applications.
2. Data Partition [D:] = personal data, emails, email-address-books.
Once you decided what to do, members can assist you too.
I learned everything from Wilders and how to do it.

 

That does seem very odd indeed, since even if you had accidentally hit delete instead of move your data would still be there on your drive and should be easily recoverable using something like Restoration or PC Inspector recovery utilities.

 

ISR like app. such as FDISR will backup any data on your Windows part.as long as there's no data excluded,some don't use anchoring at all !

 

I know, but I would never backup my data with FDISR. That is only good if you have a small and stable volume of data.
Besides that, I've a hard time to recommend FDISR at this moment, since HDS is changing FDISR into something, that doesn't even allow data backup/restore.

 

Rollback RX would have saved you as it allows you to recover lost files/directories. If you lose something in your current snapshot you can easily recover it from a previous snapshot (while still in your current snapshot).

 

I am trying the demo of Rollback RX and I like it so far. I like that I can pick which files and directories I can pick to restore. Is there any other ISR software that will let you choose what files or directories you want to restore instead of the whole system.

ErikAlbert, I know what you mean but from my experience the backup programs like that usually take awhile to make a backup and does not have good compression. I am going to try it though. I already have my setup like you are talking about
1. System Partition [C:] = Windows + All Applications.
2. Data Partition [D:] = personal data, emails, email-address-books.

I do not care what really happens to my system partition. What counts is my data partition which holds everything import. And the folder on my data partition is the one that went poof into nowhere which is why I am not a very happy camper lol. Never thought any files or directories would just disapear like that.

 

Well, you already separated your data from your system and that opens the door for using any kind of ISR-software, there are so many of them. This separation will also simplify your Image/File Backup.
The rest is a matter of choosing reliable softwares that meet your wishes and you better do this yourself, because YOU and nobody else, has to live and work with these softwares day in, day out.

 

Acronis trueimage (although not an ISR) also allows you to easily recover files/directories from backup images.

 

Try PC Inspector, it's freeware does a pretty good job at finding things, lost or deleted. Files just don't disappear, that's why people with a penchant for privacy spend money on products to erase them.

 

Rollback RX screwed up my whole system even my data partition. Fount a review on download.com that had the same problem as me. Took hours to uninstall it and I got 2 errors then it said it was uninstalled and bam everything was gone. It is a POS imo. I got most of my data partition back though.

 

Sorry. I know the feeling after suffering the same experience with it too many times. It's been a data eater for my units, very large appetite with a mean streak of taking control away from me of my own PC whereas FD-ISR not only gives me FULL CONTROL but does what's requested of it and 100% accurate 100% of the time.

The problem now is that since HDS (aka RollbackRx) has assumed distribution of it now, they seen fit to butcher Leapfrog's innovation creation to shreds omitting out it's most useful features, archives, freeze storage, and who knows what all else.

For that i can never trust in them.
In fact, since their RollbackRx destroyed my data/system on several units i tried it on and now they've ripped FD-ISR, their OUT! as in finished AFAIK. And good riddance to them.

 

What do you recommend and what is being used since FD-ISR is history now?

 

Not a surprise to me, I've read such disaster posts several times. That's how it goes with RBRx : everything runs fine for awhile and suddenly "BANG" and this software calls itself a "robust system restore utility" You can imagine, if that happens in a work environment.
There is always something wrong with RBRx, even the latest version 8.1 has now a freeze function, that doesn't work properly. You can't depend on this software and such software is not a game to me anymore. RBRx is supposed to save my computer, not the other way.
<snip>

 

I can't in all honesty point to any other ISR app aside from Leapfrog's/Raxco's releases and since it's now distributed by the butcher HDS, it's a foregone conclusion how that ripped version is destined for failure and better yet the scrap heap of forgottens.

IMO it was a devastating decision to turn over control and distribution to the likes of a company whos own products are suspect at best and always unstable at some point making it totally useless and a waste of money & effort.

You probably be better off investing in a reliable imaging program than an ISR untill something useful surfaces again like FD-ISR did. But that's just my opinion, at least you can surf those image files and work with them if you need to and a full image restore is more dependable then whats out here now.

I know nothing of DeepFreeze although i came close recently to trying it but it can't match FD-ISR in my opinion, also Faronic's DriveClone is supposed to have snapshot feature plus allow burning image backups to DVD etc. but when i saw 4-5 of it's running processes while testing it, that threw up a red flag for me. I refuse to support any program that's a hog in any way beit space or resources.

It's hard to say just who is to fault for FD-ISRs's demise, Leapfrog passed over distribution to HDS and HDS proceeded to cut the heart out it's most protective features, for that HDS is completely endorsed itself as a company with a reputation as a software butcher AFAIK.

 

If I replace FDISR with one of these ISR-softwares :
- DeepFreeze
- PowerShadow
- Returnil
- ShadowDefender
- ShadowUser
that would be a serious step back for me in possibilities.
What these softwares do is just an option in FDISR, called "Freeze, Unfreeze, Freeze Previous".
All the main functions of FDISR don't even exist in these other ISR-softwares. So they never can be better than FDISR.
I don't need faster and less space, because that's not a problem on my computer.
If you want speed and more space, buy better hardware and don't blame the software for it.

 

Hi Easter,

They are completely different types of programs with different purposes. Deep Freeze does nothing more than reboot to previous state. It doesn't create snapshots.

DriveClone is a FarStone product.

----
rich

 

Well its not quite history yet, the current release is still the same without the freeze function, but who knows how much longer this version will be available....

 

As long you can get the actual FDISR, I would take that one, even without the freeze function. The freeze function can be replaced with a manual copy/update from archive to snapshot, which is less comfortable of course, but the result is the same. The missing Freeze function makes a boot-to-restore impossible, which is based on a frozen snapshot, that's why I'm so angry. HDS killed the freeze function already.

If you want it very simple, you better take one of the other ISR-softwares, which are faster and use less space. You can trial them all one-by-one and take the one you like. They all restore your system, only the method is different and some do it in a real environment and others do it in a virtual environment. FDISR does it in a real environment. Some restore more than one partition, others only one partition.
Returnil is the only one that is free and is a good start, my last readings indicate that Returnil has still bugs, but they are working on it.

 

Well contrary to a few users issues with Power Shadow! i still find it a completely stable/dependable & integral componant for my own boot-to-restore recovery, plus it CAN shadow "ALL" partitions and not just the C:\, a real plus. Dunno how this little gem found it's way into the mainstream for awhile but am glad it did since i trust i can still rely on it with confidence. Plus it passes the KillDisk attack as an added bonus. Thats enough for me.

The demise of FD-ISR is a sore spot and i'm equally furious another distributor is seen fit to rip extremely beneficial features for users. Whats that tell you about that company's interest in PC users preservation of their data?

 

In general, you always install a software to do something for you.
So the software offers a bunch of functions :
- some of these functions, I will use daily
- some of these functions, I will use rare, but other users world-wide might use them daily
- some of these functions, I will never use, but other users world-wide might use them daily or rare.
When a function isn't used by most users doesn't mean that the vendor has to ditch that function.

The freeze function of FDISR is a typical example, many users don't use it and the reason is obvious.
Nobody likes to freeze his whole harddisk and partition [C:] constantly, because that creates other problems, like keeping the good changes and updating data.
I can use the freeze function in an easy way, I only freeze Windows + Application, because I separated my system and data.
So I'm one of these few users at Wilders, who uses the freeze function, but world-wide there must be alot more users, than a few and that is enough to keep the freeze function in FDISR.

Suppose I never work with ISO files in a DVD-burner software. Does that mean that functions for ISO files need to be removed ? Of course not, because there are users enough that use these functions regularly.

Softwares like DeepFreeze, Returnil, PowerShadow, etc. are boot-to-restore solutions.
FDISR is not a boot-to-restore solution by default, because it starts with normal snapshots, but FDISR offers that possibility as well, when you decide to use a frozen snapshot and then you turn FDISR in to a boot-to-restore solution.
If you kill the freeze function, you can NOT use FDISR anymore as boot-to-restore solution and that is a serious handicap, because you took a main function of FDISR away.

If you want a boot-to-restore solution, using FDISR without freeze, you have to combine it with softwares like DeepFreeze, Returnil, PowerShadow, ...
If you don't like Returnil, you have to pay extra to get a boot-to-restore solution, because FDISR has no option for this anymore.

 

In perpertuity ? As long you stick to winXP/winVISTA? maybe and I consider this also as a restriction on long term.
If M$ launches a new Windows, you won't be able to use FDISR Workstation anymore and that will happen one day. Forget perpertuity, a number of years, yes, but nothing more than that.

 

And thats exactly what we are left with and at least some can consider themselves extremely fortunate to have gotten in on an authentic version before all this now.

They also have to accept that on this side of the fence though, customers/users of the Genuine FD-ISR with ALL it's beneficial features take the same offense if not more at being denied equal treatment in what HDS is done to the FD Workstation;

I find it hard to believe that an application of such stature, reliability, and innovation didn't prove profitable though. Theres no way they could ever convince me of that. Perhaps they should re-review their marketing strategy again and then they might see where matters went awry IMO.