Storage location ???

SOLVED=> FD-ISR Storage location

I searched for this info here but the most likely terms are too common...

So I ask:
Is there any way to make FD-ISR store its snapshots directly to a user-selected location (like a different partition) ??

If I recall correctly, I stopped using it because it insisted upon using C: as it's storage location - which I strenuously object to.

Thanks for any info !!

 

The Help file explains it all.
Snapshots vs. Archives

or

do you mean that you want to install and boot to the OS in a different partition such as K:?

 

Thanks.
I have checked the help file - several times, in case I missed anything...

Yes - I know there are snapshots as well as archives for them.
That is not what I am asking about at all.

I want it NOT to store ANYTHING on drive C:, period - nada - nothing.

Most likely it is hard-coded ONLY to store it's snapshots on C:, and without them being there it will not restore them.

My boot drive is C:, and it is kept very clean, always.
My apps are in either D: and/or F:.

If I had a choice (as I do in using Driveclone 5) I would direct it to store it's snapshots in V:, which is my local backup storage location.
(And that in turn is also copied off the local drive to cover it's possible failure at some point.)

I hope that explains my query better ?!?

 

TaaDaa - an exact reply - VERY APPRECIATED !!!

I keep C: small precisely to avoid winrot and to make imaging easy.
Storing snapshots in C: will quickly devour the free space.

Such a fine program - a shame that it has this limitation.

There are moments when I envy folks who have their entire data-life stored in C: (right along with the hungry & failure prone OS)...but then I remember all those countless hours re-installing everything, and that clinches it for me.

Thanks. FD-ISR will remain in storage now...likely forever.

 

Install the OS in C
Install hardware drivers in C
Install FD-ISR in C which will create two snapshots, named Primary and Secondary.
They are identical & 'very small' at this point.

Make an archive on D of the Primary named Archive_Primary_01.

Install all the OS upgrades to the Primary snapshot.

Make an archive on D of the Primary named Archive_Primary_02.

Install all your other apps on D/F (which also affects the Registry on C)

Make an archive on D of the Primary named Archive_Primary_03.

Make an image of C on a different physical drive named Image_C_01.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
when you want to run Windows Updates or
When you want to install a new app:
Update the Archive_Primary_03 archive
Install the app on D/F or
install Windows Updates on C.

You like the app or Windows Updates so you want to keep it/them:
Update the Archive_Primary_03 archive
if an app: make a copy of the D/F on a different physical drive as a backup.
-or-
You don't like the app or Windows Updates and you want to get rid of it/them:
uninstall the app which should remove it's stuff from D/F.
boot into the Secondary snapshot
restore the Archive_Primary_03 to the Primary snapshot
boot into the Primary snapshot, it's like the app or Windows Updates was/were never installed, except that there may be app stuff on D/F still to be deleted
-----------------------------------------
If the physical drive containing C fails:
get a new drive
restore the image Image_C_01.
boot into the Secondary snapshot
restore the archive Primary_03 to the Primary snapshot
boot into the Primary snapshot
-----------------------------------------

If you follow the instructions above you only ever need the Image_C_01, but if you feel better about having multiple images then go ahead. The key is really to keep the archives up-to-date as well as the backup of D/F.

In my system, I have 3 SSD drives inside the PC case.

On physical drive #1, I have one partition: C, containing two snapshots which contain the OS and the apps that have to be 'installed'.
I specify where possible that data for the apps is on physical drive #2

All apps that are 'portable', i.e. not 'installed' because they don't write to the registry, are on physical drive #2.

Before installing I copy(update) the Primary snapshot to the secondary snapshot. They're identical in size and larger than a 'bare bones' OS install.

Periodically I update archives kept on both drive #2 and drive #3.

I sync the data on physical drive #2 to physical drive #3 in case drive #2 fails.

I also have 4 hot swappable drives that are normally not connected.

They each contain copies of my FD archives, my image file and everything else on drive #2.

I would only need to use the image if drive #1 failed and had to be replaced, to avoid installing the OS.

But, if I didn't have an image, the worst case would be:
install the OS
install FD-ISR with the two small snapshots
boot into the Secondary snapshot
restore the archive Primary_03 to the Primary snapshot
boot into the Primary snapshot.


An image of C contains both snapshots and takes longer (25 minutes) to create.
An archive contains one snapshot and takes very little time (1.5 minutes) to update and very little disk space.

The above does not address your basic problems re: the hungry part of "hungry & failure prone OS" itself, since nothing will, the OS is the OS. Although you might try PrivaZer to keep it "cleaner".

And obviously the above describes starting from scratch with a fresh install of the OS, etc. If you already have FD installed, read down to the appropriate spot given your current status.

Regards,

J

 

JW Clements - Thank You Very Much for such a clear and complete reply !!!

This is valuable info, and as such I will like to keep a copy of it for future consideration (I will not be using FD-ISR this time around).

When I mentioned having a "hungry & failure prone OS", I was referring to windows categorically and in my very long time of using it I have learned great care in the keeping and feeding of it to avoid it's 'natural disasters'.
Usually.

No matter how much care is used however, every once in a while disaster does strike without warning even if the OS is being well behaved - as in recently when my previous system had some sort of hardware failure.

Rather than wasting alot of time tracking down the fault I just put it aside as I also had the PC I am using right now - needing completion.

XP was installed and 90% tweaked up to my standard with most of my preferred apps also ready to go as described previously.

Because you've been so very helpful and at such good length I will share with you some of my SOP that keeps the hungry beast at bay...

To start with I slenderize XP, removing all M$ internet krap and neutralizing useless stuff like the 'security center', remote access and 'system restore'.

I do much tweaking to minimize things which encourage problems and add on better replacements for the things I've torn out.

90% of my apps are portable - only those which MUST be installed to work at all, are ever installed on my PCs.

2 of my most important things to have are Uninstall Tool (NOT to be confused with that horrible 'Total Uninstall' thing !!!) and Universal Extractor.

Between those 2 things I can either portable-ize most any program I wish to try, or if it must be installed it can be tracked and then fully removed by Uninstall Tool.

I fully agree with Sandboxie's slogan=> "Trust No Program" - and if I suspect anything will go amiss I will only open it in a VM to avoid any permanent effects from it completely.

And finally, after all the above carefulness, I also keep on and off system images and snapshots to enable a full restore as well as easy roll back if needed.

I really dislike down-time...does it show ?!?

Thanks, and Best Wishes.