What keeps users from using rollback/eazfix?

Just curious as a rollback user what keeps more users from using them? Seems very close to perfect to me besides the difficulty in making offline backups. i can use it like Erik Albert uses FDISR or I can use it as normal PC. Just curious here.

Here's what we have so far.

1. No defragging (No real proof to weather it matters or not but still people want the ability)
2. Must activate the software
3. Difficult to image
4. Have to revert to baseline to recover space of deleted snapshots
5. Losing snapshots in order to update program

Thanks,

Chris

 

Contrary to my former disappointment with RollbackRx, i find EAZ-FIX an extremely very stable and reliable app and have no complaints whatsoever with it at all.

For me it it's proven everything i ever expected from RX at the start and much more; in a word, i'm completely satisified with EAZ-FIX and totally satisfied with the results.

EASTER

 

Sounds good easter but can you think of why more people don't use more of these type of apps.. ex. FDISR/Rollback/Eazfix. Just seems like with one of these and maybe one more security software like anti-executable it would be pretty safe. Although I don't use anything other than the freeze type aspect of rollback.

Thanks,

Chris

EDIT: I used anti-exec as example because I think I saw you mention it in another thread and it seemed it would be a good addon

 

Would think to some extent in any case, the two classic issues-first the impression that a proper defrag cant be achieved whilst either are active.

Second is the issue of some incompatibility with imaging apps,but probably only TI.

If some deactivation switch could be written in,could help popularity ,but I understand this suggestion is anything but new.

 

Yes good points. I use only the built in rollback defrag and have not really seen any issues and I do some video editing. Not saying others haven't seen issues. As for the imaging that is a problem i really hope that gets resolved soon. I mean for me to restore to my first snapshot and then reinstall everything doesn't take long but I could see for some people it could be an issue.

Thanks,

Chris

 

I got one of the giveoftheday keys and was happy for a month or so (I was sooo close from buing it when the offer came ). Although EAZ-FIX seemed stable enpugh I decided that it didnt meet my demands.

1. I can not have more than one operating system in the snapshots (For the time being I want to have XP and Vista)
2. The imaging hassle. Maybe you can save all the snapshots but I didnt manage it with ShadowProtect, Driveimage (built into EF) or Norton Ghost 12. 2a.You have to reactivate EF everytime you restore a image. And if I remember right you can only do that so many times before it gets locked and you have to beg for them to open it again. Pirates or not, I have payed (not this time but usually) for that software I shouldnt have to beg to anyone to use it the way I want.*
3. To recover all the space you have to revert to the baseline now and then. I want to have several snapshots and different branches from the baseline, and those would be destroyed every time you have to recover space.
So basicly it is a matter of flexibility that makes me use FDISR instead.


*For example right now my Shadowprotect in windows is locked since a week back coz I dont have any de(?!)activations left and no one from storagecraft support feels like it is their business so I hate that.)

 

Another good point about activations. I do not like it but good for me so far support ticket gets it activated usually in one business day. You can also do it by phone. As far as the baseline goes maybe this is something I'm not familiar with what do you mean to get space back you have to revert to baseline?

Thanks,

Chris

 

Chris-actually the suggestion seems to be by EF/RB that the built in defragger is quite adequate,but this may be difficult to convince potential users

 

Your right wheather there is any difference or not people still want the option i guess.

Thanks,

Chris

 

I noticed that since I decided to keep my FDISR snasphots on the hard drive (after I uninstalled it) while I was testing EF. So I had about 7GB free on my C drive. After using EF for a couple of weeks I noticed that I suddenly only had 2GB left even though I had deleted snapshots with software that I wasnt using anymore.. So I read in the FAQ´s that in order to get it back I have to compile all the snapshots into the baseline so EF can recalculate the space. A simple EAZ-FIX defrag couldnt do that.
Maybe you havent experinced that, but I guess it is all about how you use your computer. I am the kind who tests massive amounts of software and different computer configurations. (well, compared to the average user ) I guess I am a bit extreme.

As for the question why "regular" users doesnt use snapshot software. I guess they dont know about them. And my experience is that they are not that interested either. They look at me with big blank eyes when I suggest EF or FDISR to them

 

I'll have to look into the baseline thing as far as recovering space. I as well install many softwares but lately since I am using a frozen snapshot it doesn't matter to much i guess. I noticed to people really don't seem to be interested in snapshot tech. Not sure but I think once they use them they would love them but getting them to use them is a different story..

Thanks,

Chris

 

Chris,

Actually, I suspect that there are a lot more users using RBx/EF than we know and they are satisfied and did not make any posts here, ie. the silent majority.

It is the minority few who had trialed RBX/EF and found issues and they are very vocal in this forum that create the perception that many shun RBx/EF as a backup solution.

 

I totally agree. i am just wandering mainly of the users that do not use this type of software only on this forum.

Thanks,

Chris

 

I see. I hope some of them answers. I would be interrested in that too.
EAZ-FIX concept is really good and gives great deal of peace of mind when using windows. Maybe it is because of "vocal" people like me that scares them away. I mean, I personally stay away from a certain software on this forum because of the complaints it gets.
So, now I will be quiet so people you are searching for gets a chance to answer

 

I've never tried it but I thought you could have a multi-boot as long as RB was installed on both OS's. Rules out Linux, of course .

I think that one of the problems is that, to get the best out of RB/EF you really need to set the system up to suit it in the first place. That rules out a lot of people who are not likely to be visitors to this forum.

I suspect, Chris, that you have seperated your data from your system software which means that you've had to set up a second partition. Most non-technicals that I know would have glazed over by the end of that last sentence .

I love the capabilities of RB/EF but I also know that it's not for everybody. For example, there's a family I help out with their PC's who know nothing about PC's and don't want to. They previously had GoBack, which served them well, and they now have RB/EF which serves them even better. But, a) I've set things up for them so that they are pretty much unaware of the RB/EF installation at all and b) I know that they are not going to be fiddling with the installation in a way that might break it.

On the other hand, a friend of mine who has a little bit of PC knowledge and likes to tweak things, installed EF a few weeks ago. He called me recently in a major panic to say that he seemed to have lost three weeks' worth of work on his PC (he does web design). It turned out that he was used to running Scandisk from a boot CD on a regular basis and when he did this with EF installed he had messed up the installation such that he was back at his baseline snapshot . Fortunately, I'd previously convinced him of the benefits of Drive Snapshot which I'd set up to do automated daily differentials to a non-RB/EF drive so we were able to get back all his data with no loss of work.

However, when I suggested that he shouldn't even be using his external defragger I could tell that he wasn't going to be comfortable with this concept and so I recommended that he did away with EF.

EF/RB are great but you have to have some other form of backup in place as well and have a slightly different approach to routine maintenance.

Graham

 

Now that you mention it I think you can dual boot. And yes I have my system and data seperated. it works out well and as you mentioned some people would have a hard time with it. Glad you saved your friends work. that coulda been bad

Thanks,

Chris

 

Hi Sukarof,

this happens when you use the option keep these files or folders unchanged when rollback system to another snapshot.

@Chris

For me the main reasons from keeping me from using it (until I decided to buy it) were:
1. It's price. Seems a bit expensive...
2. The inability to defrag. Since I had already paid for Perfect disk, seemed that I through my money away. 69 $ + the cost of an unused defragger = ouch!
3. The update procedure. Uninstalling => loosing all the snapshots => installing => recreating the snapshots = loosing all the advantages that Rollback RX offers.

Panagiotis

 

Yea the updating is another issue. Would be nice in the next release if they could get around this.

Thanks,

Chris

 

I have tried out both of them and favoured EF, seemed to be ahead of RB at the time. I was very taken with and was tempted to buy but the image restore for it would not work, probably because I was using 2k at the time (I know it should work with it). Then with using it and reading more here I felt a basic distrust of it. Fine if your system hangs together, but if the hd gets corrupted then you have lost your history.

If I use another image program then it cannot keep EF history either. I know some have used IFW to do this but then you are spending out for 2 programs to get over an issue. For the time being I have decided to save my money and stay with ATI (9) which has served me well. I like to keep baseline images which I increment when I find something I want to keep. It takes 2 mins to back up and 3 mins to restore once it has booted to linux. A bit longer but I feel safer and can keep them either on separate internal or external hds.

 

Hi
I didnt use that option (I have no need nor do I want to have any shared file/folders in all snapshots)
But if you guys havent had that issue, and it is not a natural thing in EF, where several GB is locked until you do a baseline, it obviously was something in my machine or behaviour that caused it.

 

I think this is probably the main reason why more people don't use such programs. I never heard or knew of FD-ISR until using these forums. Most of my friends/family don't have any of these nor even an imaging program. Some do a basic backup, some don't.

 

I've never felt the need for any rollback apps. I mostly use ShadowProtect Desktop and sometimes Image for DOS to make images 2 or 3 times a month and that's sufficient. When ran in it's normal configuration IFD is not installed. And by choice, I run SP solely from the recovery CD. So it's not installed either. IMO, less is more (meaning less things installed/running means better PC performance...)

 

Agree with most posters here that the regular user is not aware of this stuff,and probably not the right mindset to deal with technical issues[understandable its scary stuff],if it was different then they where already on Wilders i guess.

 

Please fill out a support ticket so that we (StorageCraft) can help you. Here's the form: http://forum.storagecraft.com/Community/web2case/ You may be able to make things happen faster if you also email support 'aht' storagecraft 'doht' com.