What's a good replacement of ShadowDefender?

I'm having a few minor issues with Shadow Defender, & its support is nowhere to be found. Therefore, I want to start looking around for a replacement before I really REALLY need one.

Returnil --- I made an image with ShaDef uninstalled so I could try substitutes. I tried Returnil but it evidently doesn't get along with something on my computer -- perhaps OnlineArmor or my imaging program (Image for Windows). I would get right toward the end of Returnil's installer & it would go to a black screen (BLACK screen of death).

I tried shutting down (but not uninstalling) some of the possible conflicting software, but Returnil gave me a BSOD every time I tried installing it (3 times in all). The support forum had a similar case & asked the affected individual for various files & logs, but I am not yet desperate enough to get involved with that sort of bother.

ShadowUser -- SU looks really good but they haven't updated it beyond WinXP. Even though I still am using XP, I do not want to knowingly buy abandoned-ware.

PowerShadow -- Another candidate is Sino-based PowerShadow, but there is no trial. You must buy-it-first and (if you don't like it) you have 30-days to ask-for-your-money-back. Kind of spooky IMO but --- opinions would be appreciated.
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If anyone knows of any other ShaDef-similar software, please let me know.

 

Sorry no help from me as I am also looking for something similar for my Win7x64.

 

You will get more help there.

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=268989

 

Hi bellgamin,

Did you put OA in learning mode before trying to install Returnil? If you did not, give it a try and leave it in learning mode if it asks for a reboot. Just be sure to turn learning mode off after everything is finished. Learning mode can be found by right clicking OA's tray icon.

I use Returnil with OA but I'm using the older Returnil 2008 personal edition.

Take care

 

Can I ask what your issues with Shadow Defender are? I am running windows 7 x64 and I'm having no apparent issues with 326. I did have to manually delete the drivers left over from Kaspersky's AVPTool. Those were causing an occasional BSOD.

If you are intent on switching I would you suggest you check out the the RSS 2011 RC. I like it very much, and it seems to be very stable. A would also check out File Stream's SafeShield It is based on Returnil's RVS 2011 lite beta. It is licensed from Returnil. That would be the closest thing to Shadow Defender's simplicity that you're going to find.

 

I feel a bit uncomfortable and irritated by these "desaparecidos" of the security world: ProcessGuard, System Safety Monitor, RegDefender, ShadowUser (it has been officially discontinued), TDS, ProSecurity, FirstDefense ISR (officially discontinued), and now Shadow Defender(?).These are the ones that come to my mind.

I can understand that in most situations there must be a reasonable motive behind the cessation of these activities, but users are always left wondering about the future, not to mention the feeling of having wasted money. The life license business model has become a joke, and if it is true that 30-40 dollars isn't much of a loss, when one starts adding up all the licenses that went down the drain, we are talking about hundreds of dollars.
Sorry about my rant.

Back on topic

As I mentioned, it has been discontinued.

Time Freeze seems promising. For how long?

There's Drive Vaccine which looks interesting, unfortunately it is supported by HorizonDataSys, not the best team IMO.

http://www.drivevaccine.com/

I'm also contemplating using Sandboxie exclusively (Tzuk and his new business model should be around for a while!) and ShadowProtect Desktop as a System Restore if Shadow Defender should fail.

 

I want to know your issues with shadow defender please...
I´m using it too, and some personal experiences can come handy to me

 

I tried to install a trial version of Wonder Time Freeze (WTF). Like Returnil, WTF would not install. Unlike Returnil, WTF told me WHY it would not install. Namely, it told me I had to get rid of phylock.sys.

Phylock.sys is a component of Image for Windows (IFW). It runs as a service. IFW uses phylock to freeze Windows file activities while it makes an image thereof. So I thought the answer was simple -- uninstall IFW. No problem for me, because I use Image for DOS (IFD) anyway, & IFD makes no use of phylock.

But after I uninstalled IFW, phylock was still there. I found that if I did ANYthing to get rid of phylock or disable it. Windows would boot into a blue screen telling me that something was broken.

I have asked IFW's proponent (Terabyte) how to get rid of phylock. My bet is that phylock is also the source of instability with ShaDef.

Things are never easy, wot?

 

Try Unlocker, which can be used on both x86 and x64 now.

 

Try here Bill, may be of help.

 

Have been using Wondershare time freeze v1 since the give away .I found that after reboot the installed program is gone but a lot of junk in the registry remains ..how can that be safe?

 

Faronics Deep Freeze, perhaps?

 

Somewhere in knowledgebase of storagecraft there should be a procedure to uninstall an orphaned driver.
Simply deleting the thing will give you on next boot a BSOD.

 

Thanks to clues from Blackcat and from stapp (via PM) I have SAFELY expunged phylock.sys without a resultant blue screen. I had never before encountered anything like this. Phylock was a little 19K file that was so tightly wedged into my computer's groin area such that, if it was disturbed in any way, it threw a roadblock into the whole bootstrap process.

In any event it's gone now & good riddance! Thanks again to Blackcat & stapp for their decisive clues.

As to whether or not riddance of phylock will enable use of Returnil & such, &/or stabilize Shadow Defender, etc etc -- I will resume trialing software in 3-4 hours. I have some urgent chores to do at the moment.
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Frankly I am pleasantly surprised that there more than just a couple of substitutes for Shadow Defender, some of them quite new.

I wish we had a category name for Shadow Defender work-alikes. Within the "virtual genre", the FOUR categories I can think of are:
(1) "sandboxes", like SBIE
(2) "snapshot apps", like Rollback & Comodo's Time Machine
(3) "virtual PC apps", like Windows Virtual PC
(4) Shadow Defender-type apps, like Returnil.

Any ideas as to a generic category name for #4?
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EDIT- I just heard back from Terabyte (proponents of IFW). They gave same basic advice as Blackcat & stapp but also added something that might interest some few of you. Here is a paraphrase...

Upperfilters? Whuzzat (anybody know)?
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P.S. My unequivocal endorsement of Image for Windows/DOS/Linux -- I have used this app for years & it does the job faultlessly. PLUS the Terabyte folks are always there when I need them. They are still very much "in business" after all these years & they always provide fast, friendly, competent support. They answered my query about phylock within just a few hours. Grrrreat outfit! Grrreat imaging software!

 

I have always called them and heard others call them, Lite Virtual programs or Virtual Lite programs.

Acadia

 

Never had such annoyances. Can you list some installed app. that you noticed such problem? I would like to test that. Thanks.

 

My outside chores got postponed until later today, so I compiled some information. So far here is what this excellent thread has enabled me to learn about Lite Virtual Apps...

Shadow Defender http://www.shadowdefender.com/index.html
Website Created on: 25-Apr-07
$35 lifetime?
Forum is active - has active mods but owner absent; email address; no phone number

Wondershare Timefreeze http://www.disk-utilities.com/time-freeze/
Website Created on: 29-Aug-03
$39 & free version Duration?
Platform: 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 / XP / Vista / 2000
No forum; Multiple users manuals; support by email; no phone number
Also has imaging/back-up products

Returnil http://www.returnil.com/
Website Creation Date: 02-Aug-2006
$30-40 versions plus a free version & enterprise versions
Forum here at Wilders - very active mod; users manuals; email address; no phone number

PowerShadow http://www.shadownow.com/index.html
Website Creation Date: 08-Nov-2007
$39 lifetime?
No forum - support by email only. Beijing phone number & fax

Drive Vaccine http://www.drivevaccine.com/
Website Creation Date: 24-Feb-2004
$39 duration?
Many other products including Rollback
Very active, broad-based forum; email address; live chat; multiple phone numbers

Safe Shield http://www.filestream.com/safeshield/
Website Creation Date: 21-Mar-1999
$40
Many many other products
No forum; email address; mail address; fax number; no phone number
*Per n8chavez, it is based on Returnil's RVS 2011 lite beta. It is licensed from Returnil. That would be the closest thing to Shadow Defender's simplicity that you're going to find.
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Comments, suggestions, edits, additions, etc, concerning the above list will be VERY welcome!
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My problem has intensified. ShaDef seems to be working okay, now that phylock is gone. But there are soooo many nice options, & ShaDef's guru is missing. So...

 

PC Vaccine: http://www.fsn.com.my/
SysFreezer: http://cafesuite.net/sysfreezer or http://sysfreezer.com/
Magic Restore: http://eunisol.com/P_Magicrestore.htm
SmartShield (Centurion technology like DriveVaccine): http://www.smart-shield.biz/Home/ (download http://www.codework-systems.com/prod...download-page/ )

Instant Recovery: http://www.instantrecovery.net/overview.htm
SafeSpace: http://www.artificialdynamics.com/co...-personal.aspx
Virtual Protect: http://download.cnet.com/VirtualProt...-10902410.html (free)
Icore Virtual Account (security as a Service) : http://icoresoftware.com/
magicure: http://www.magicuresoft.com/


Some more for you to check out

 

@Boost - Thanks for the suggestions . . .

PC Vaccine -- the main page is an animated flash movie. No objective info.
It wants you to register before disclosing pricing info. I'll leave this for someone else to check out.

SysFreezer, Magic Restore, Instant Recovery, & Magicure -- all these appear to be snapshot apps, like Rollback.

Icore Virtual Account -- appears to be a sandbox app.

Smart Restart - seems to be a BufferZone-type app.

Safe Space - an isolation sandbox, along the lines of BufferZone

Virtual Protect http://download.cnet.com/VirtualProtect/3000-8022_4-10902410.html
Per CNET Editor's Note: There are more recent versions of this product, but the interface is in Chinese.

 

@ bellgamin, VirtualProtect has the v. 2.2.1 in english and you can use it for free:

http://www.vpcache.com/english/englishdn.html

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Plugins/VirtualProtect.shtml

 

Might give this one a try myself.

 

Please do, & let us know what you think. I am a bit concerned about the free nature of the offer. Perhaps I am misinterpreting?

 

@Bellgamin

Did you not like the free version of Bufferzone??

 

BZ did not like my computer. Now that I have killed phylock, it might be okay but I'm not all that interested in BZ-type security apps.

ShaDef is now working splendidly with phylock gone. Plus there are so many other virtualizing apps, much simpler than BZ in my opinion.

 

Installed LastPass when on freeze mode ,did not like it ,so rebooted.while cleaning with ccleaner's registry clean found some entries which i cleaned. I ran Aceutilities found some more.I am kind of new to these type of programs ...but isn't it suppose to remove everything on reboot...You can try it .