Virtual Disk Z becomes a clone of partition C

Windows XP pro.
Windows 7 Pro.

Virtual Disk Z [3GB capacity] was created on both Windows XP Pro. and Windows 7 Pro.
Four folders containing many files were stored on Virtual Disk Z.
The next day, the Virtual Disk Z became a clone of partition C
with the full storing capacity as partition C and all the folders and files on partition C.
The folders and files I stored on Virtual Disk Z on the day before disappeared.
Nowhere could I find any trace of them.

This happened on both Windows XP Pro. and Windows 7 Pro. where Virtual Disks had been created.

Is this intended to be this way or something wrong?

Any idea where I can find the disappeared folders?

How to prevent this from happening again in the future?

Thank you!

 

Hi,
Did you mount the VD? Open Virtual Mode > Tools > Virtual Disk and then use the link to the right to mount the VD. Does this "recover" your Virtual Disk and its contents?

To check whether you still have the Virtual Disk file, look in the following (default) location for the VD:

C:\ProgramData\Returnil\Rvsystem.img

If you installed the VD to an alternate partition, please check that location for the Rvsystem.img file.

Mike

 

Mr. Coldmoon

Thank you for taking time to help!

Did you mount the VD? Open Virtual Mode > Tools > Virtual Disk and then use the link to the right to mount the VD. Does this "recover" your Virtual Disk and its contents?
Yes. This was tried many times prior to posting the thread.
1. The VD originally created was Z but now it has been changed to Y.
2. The recovered VD is empty.
3. The Z is now the clone of the C which now co-exists with Y.

To check whether you still have the Virtual Disk file, look in the following (default) location for the VD:
C:\ProgramData\Returnil\Rvsystem.img
Yes. This was also checked many times prior to posting the thread.
Checked all the folders in there but could not find anything that I saved on the originally created VD Z.

If you installed the VD to an alternate partition, please check that location for the Rvsystem.img file.
No. I did not install the VD anywhere else but the default location.

Is it possible that thr RSS I have installed has been tampered or infected?

Thank you.

 

When you placed content within the VD, did you simply place that content within it or did you create a folder inside of the VD and then save that content inside the nested folder?

I ask this because the VD has a limitation on access and saving of content. The ROOT of the VD is only available/accessible for write operations by a computer Administrator. For limited users, you need to create a folder that these users can access.

EX:

1. John is a Limited User and logs into the computer
2. He opens the VD by using the Start > Computer > "Returnil Y:\" approach
3. He tries to save a file in the root but is blocked until he creates a folder (Ex: "John" ) and then saves his document within the folder "John"

Does this explanation help?

What you are seeing is Windows simply automatically assigning a new drive letter designation for the VD when there is an assignment conflict. There is a known issue for some where the Virtual System is shown within the "My Computer" directory. In your case, you are seeing both a C:\ and a new Z:\ drive where the C:\ is the real system and the Z:\ is the Virtual System.

This is a display bug we are still researching to: 1. reproduce in the lab and, 2. fix as soon as possible. What you can be certain of though is that this display bug has no effect whatsoever on the functionality of the Virtual Mode protection as RSS/RVS control access to the real system regardless of whether you can see it listed or attempt to make changes to one or the other listed drives. IOWs, whatever you do is still within the virtual system and those changes are dropped at restart of the computer as expected.

RSS/RVS are the only programs that can mount (open) that file. This does not mean however that the file itself could not be damaged unintentionally or even intentionally when the Virtual Mode is off and the VD is dismounted (closed). It is after all just a very large, empty file with special properties that make Windows believe it is a real physical drive attached within your computer when mounted.

This is why I simply suspect some form of unintentional damage for whatever reason and not a compromise of your system and why I always suggest that user consider creating a real data drive or partition for long term storage or backup of data and files rather than always relying on the convenience of the VD.

Mike

 

Mr. Coldmoon

This was what and how I did.

Wink 2.0 was adopted for making aminations.
Once a part [unit] of a project was done,
it contained 4 files:
Wink Project File [named MaskFrame 1]
Shockwave Flash Object [named MaskFrame 1]
Java Script [named MaskFrame 1]
HTML Document [named MaskFrame 1]
Then, all 4 files were put into a folder [named MaskFrame 1]
The above process was carried out on desktop.
Then, the folder was copied or clipped and pasted onto the VD Z.

Four folders were handled this way to Z.

I did this all the time when RVS 2010 virtualized my OS of XP.


There is no other user of these computers.

=======================================================================
A test as the following was tried and the result was even more
confusing to me.
1. RVsystem. img file in every machine was deleted.
2. No VD was created.
3. There is Z drive, a clone of C drive, when the machine is restarted into virtual mode.

This is confusing to me.
========================================================================

It is very kind of you, Mr. Coldmoon, to spend so much time for helping me. I am very grateful to you.
Thank you very, very much!

Thank you very, very much!

 

The same problem here, i am using the latest version:
Returnil System Safe 2011 Version 3.2.12471.5765-REL13
The Z: drive gets exactly the same volume name as c:\ has.
For me this is very annoying because z:\ normally is a network drive
and now that network drive is gone.
To make things worse the Y letter as in Y: drive was all ready in use,
and has kept the (other) network drive connected as it normally should.
The Q and X etc. are also all in use.
So the network drive normally connected as Z: can't be used or accessed.
This makes my automatic backups fail etc.
Of course i can disable virtual mode to work around that,
but i prefer another and better work around.
Please keep me up to date here in this thread.

Tuatara

 

Same problem here (win 7 x64).

 

This sounds like the same problem that was previously reported in this thread: Z:\ drive bug?.

If so, it is a known issue.