New FD-ISR user - Can anyone help with these questions?

DeepFreeze6 worked fine for me with FD-ISR but making a system image with DeepFreeze6 installed requires more steps (set the flag etc) than when using Returnil.

 

Erik, have you ever tested or played with Sandboxie? Thanks.

Acadia

 

Yes I did, but stuff on my computer DISAPPEARED and I don't like that.
I use now DefenseWall without problems, which works with untrusted applications, like my browser.

Since I have an almost 100% removal of malware solution, I use only security softwares that prevent installation or stop the execution of malware.
DefenseWall and Anti-Executable do that.

I only wished that the removal of malware happened faster than just on reboot, but that software doesn't exist yet.

 

You can TRY it with an empty snapshot, but don't expect anything then.
If Linux was possible, it would certainly have been mentioned in the manual or help. But sometimes you can do unexpected things with software.
FDISR also says in the manual, I can't boot in an archive, but I can boot in an archive when I fool FDISR a little bit.

 

FDISR is NOT a security software and it doesn't see the difference between good and bad objects, but the copy/update from rollback snapshot removes all changes, the good changes and the bad changes.
FDISR cleans your computer better than any AV-scanner, because AV-scanners can have missing signatures and false positives.
FDISR doesn't have these problems, because it removes CHANGES.

 

So far, there is no proof that an infection can jump from one snapshot to another snapshot.

As long experts don't test FDISR, like they do with scanners over and over again, we will never know how good FDISR really is.
The BBC honeypot would have been a beautiful test for FDISR : a work snapshot as honeypot and then clean it up with a rollback archive.

 

Hi Zoril,
I can only add my applause for FD-ISR, have been using the software for a few months now and really like it. Have no stories of how it has saved me I'm afraid, (afterall it has only been a few months ) but I did have a niggling little problem with my system that a copy/update from the secondary snapshot stopped, no idea what the problem was, other than my AV throwing up an error on boot but no indication that anything else was amiss, and the AV seemed to be functioning fine on cancellation of the error message. Whether it would have been temporary or something more complicated, I can't say and to be honest don't much care since it is gone.

It takes a little time to get used to, for me anyway, as I have never used this type of app b4, but seems well worth the effort. Probably I am missing something, but I don't feel the need for any other recovery software besides this (if anyone knows different please correct my misunderstanding).

I use the program in the standard basic fashion (if there is such a thing) that is to say, primary snapshot and 2 backups. I also use it to facilitate a kind of multi-boot system. That is to say I have a play setup with backups, and a working setup with backups which I only use for work as the name suggests. I also have an archived copy of each setup on another computer on my network.

As for other forms of protection, I'm afraid I am neither as computer knowledgeable as Peter or Eric or as brave, and do feel the need to have a few apps such as AV, Sandboxie and HIPS. Am currently testing Returnil

 

Never heard about that sweety !

 

Indeed FD-ISR exhibits great potential. It continues unabated on my units for months now as one of only a choice few apps that prove invaluable to preserving data safely. Much of that confidence & virtual fail-proof capability from my own observations from experience, lies in the archival feature which serves as the building blocks for complete restores.

Given the always present possibility that some clever coder might one day decide to fashion an exploit to corrupt images/archives on the system drive, the wise route is to ALWAYS keep some (important or all) archives to alternative storage media as suggested. Takes no time at all really to transfer via copy snapshots and/or archives over to a SAFE PLACE completely free from your working system as an emergency apparatus in event of such an occurance.

This is been my practice ever since i first discovered this wonderfully safe and reliable feature FD-ISR affords us dedicated users. However and in retrospect, i still have yet to experience a single serious corruption in either operation of this great program or interuption from any invader malware.

ErikAlbert continues to point out as always a virtual list of possibilities as well as a variety of actions that can be taken to make the very most of FD-ISR in a working environment.

This program for me is been as routine as notepad and is not let my units down in all these months. Excellent creation. Hope all goes well 4 you with it and proves to be just as invaluable for you as many other loyal supporters of it.

EASTER

 

If you google with the words "BBC Honeypot", you will find some articles about it and it was also mentioned at Wilders.

 

Erik, what do you mean by "disappeared"? You mean to the extent that even FirstDefense or your imaging program could not recover the stuff? Thanks.

Acadia

 

From what I see reading the many posts about "virtual programs" - Sandboxie, Returnil Shadow Surfer etc, while most people feel that they are a really good form of protection, the number one thing on the wish list especially for software testers, is for the program to be able to re-boot without losing everything good and bad alike...

I seem to vaguely recall some time ago reading a write up about one "virtual type program" where it may be possible to reboot without losing everything. It is called "Windows Steady State" and is for people using genuine versions of Microsoft Windows.

Have any of you ever heard of or tried out this software program, which to the best of my knowledge is freeware?

I have not tried it out myself, n'or am I even certain that you can re boot without losing all, as I can't remember much about the article, or even about the program. If it is possible to reboot without losing all, it would be very handy for software testers and many others also...

The enthusiasm expressed by Easter and tradetime for FD-ISR matches my own feelings exactly. It is an incredibly stable useful program. I have not experienced any problems yet with this software. Mind you I do feel that the manual should be updated and simplified. The FD-ISR technicians if they read this complete thread should use ErikAlbert's explanations as the basis for any such revision (with his permission naturally), as they are clear, concise, and written in such a way that even a newbie like me can fully understand them.


Howard

 

Hi there Peter

I was thinking about trying out both Sandboxie and Returnil. Although having read Erik's earlier comment re Sandboxie in this thread, I am a little hesitant to try it out.

I may also try out SteadyState, but would first love to hear comments from anyone else who has used the program...


Howard

 

Howard,

Sandboxie works great. I have been using it for sometime now and I never had the problems that Erik had even though I have partitioned my disks pretty much the same as he has.

Silver

 

I have been using Sandboxie for a little over a year now on three different machines and have experienced no significant problems. Am still using version 2.64 though so would not like to speak for other versions. Am now running Returnil alongside it for two days, so far so good.

 

The folder "My Documents" disappeared, while I was working with Sandboxie.
I think Sandboxie doesn't like my separation of system files and personal files, which are stored on two different harddisks : system partition [C:] and data partition [D:].

Just like users ditch certain softwares to keep FDISR, I ditch also softwares that don't like my separation of system and data.
If the software is important to me, I do more effort to nail and solve the problem, if not, I ditch the software and replace it with something else and without spending time on looking for the cause of the problem.
Sandboxie wasn't that important to me and I replaced it with DefenseWall, which doesn't have any problem with my separation.

I spend already enough time on my computer and sometimes I like to have fun with my computer also. I'm getting old, I don't have the same energy anymore as when I was young. So I'm not so idealistic anymore like I used to be.
If software developers want me to test their software and report problems and the software isn't important to me, I like to get paid. I only work for free, if the software is important to me.

P.S.: I can't restore my personal data with FDISR, because my data is stored on another partition [D:] and FDISR works only on the system partition [C:].
The only way for me to restore my personal data is ShadowProtect.

 

Thanks, Erik, that all makes sense.

Acadia

 

I didn't USE Sandboxie, I TESTED Sandboxie and that's when it happened.
There is a big difference between USING and TESTING softwares.
If you only USE softwares, you only use the stuff that you need. If you TEST softwares, you don't only use the stuff you need, you also use or try stuff that you don't need. When I test software, I have only one goal : break the software.
I just didn't look for the cause of the problem, because I didn't have the time and I already had a replacement for Sandboxie.
I'm used to test softwares, that is a part of my job, but at work I'm getting paid.
Besides, DefenseWall is more userfriendly than Sandboxie.

 

I have my System and Data on separate partitions. I USE Sandboxie with no problems. I TESTED DefenseWall and found Sandboxie much more user friendly and switched back to Sandboxie. I am currently running the latest version, 3.07.

"To each his own."

 

P.S.: I can't restore my personal data with FDISR, because my data is stored on another partition [D:] and FDISR works only on the system partition [C:].
The only way for me to restore my personal data is ShadowProtect.

 

I'm trying the very latest Sandboxie program again and expect much better results than before. It was always one of those apps i simply couldn't make work well enough to keep but i never quit, i just keep holding out for that one version improvement that finally makes the grade.

FD-ISR trumps anything Returnil in my book simply because it is one of those rare finds that i don't have any problems with plus works for me like a storage facility that i can always depend on to 110% restore my system(s) thanks in part to the archival feature to alternative media.

I yet to find any other rollback app of such efficiency that is even remotely close to living up to it.