Which virtualization software?

Hi

Couldn't you just use image backup software?

 

Maybe I should.
Which image backup software can do that?
Thanks.

 

I've been using Returnil FREE version for awhile now and really like it.

It's stable,does what it's supposed to do, and is free,cant beat that

 

Greetings.

Have you looked at Clean Slate?

As with all the others, when you reboot your computer is set back to its base-line state.

But you can disable this without rebooting! All you do is to right-click on the systray icon to disable Clean Slate. Then you can update your viral signatures, create a new document that you want to keep etc. etc. When you are frinished, you simply enable Clean Slate again ... and again, no reboot is needed.

Clean Slate also allows you to permanently select any folder or file which you do not want to be restored. So for example, you could select to have folders like My Documents left alone, so any new documents you created in there would still be around after a reboot.

Also, you can tell Clean Slate to leave certain registry values alone. For example, my Nod32 antiviral program not only updates its sig. files but also updates its values in the registry. I can tell Clean Slate to leave the Eset (Nod32) values alone.

I've looked at several of these virtualization programs and Clean Slate is by far the most convenient to use (because no reboots are needed to make changes) and it has a very comprehensive set of options that one can configure.

Unfortunately, it's not free ... but if you want to take a look the link is :

http://www.fortresgrand.com/products/cls/cls.htm

Best wishes,

Dr. Mac

P.S. Clean Slate will run on Win 2000, XP etc. but it is also running perfectly on my Win98 box - one of the very few virtualization programs that will (Deep Freeze runs fine on Win98 as well, but it's a pain in the (you know what) to have to conitnually reboot when you want to make a change from retoring to not restoring. It also has virtually no options to leave selected files, folders and registry strings alone)

 

If something is installed in Clean Slate and software ask for reboot to finish install,how do you go about that ?? To exclude if at all possible the whole registry and systemfolders would by an serious security risk,its almost installing on your real system.

 

You will find that is a problem with just about all the virtualization programs.

If a new program you install needs a reboot to install correctly and completely then it cannot if you have your virtualization program turned on, because when your PC reboots then that new program will be nuked!

The free Windows virtualization program Steady State claims to allow you to install a new program and then reboot ... and the new program will still be there but everything else will be restored back to its orihinal state. Personally I don't believe that! (but I've never had the Microsoft Steady State on my PC)

The best way around this new program install problem is not to use virtualization software but to use "snap-shot" programs. You can take a snapshot of your whole computer just before you install a new program. Then you can reboot etc. and try the new program out. If things are not what you want, then you can simply "go back" ... "roll back" ... to the snapshot of how your computer was just before the new program was installed.

In my opinion, the roll-back type programs are far more useful than virtualization programs. Unfortunately, very few "snap-shot/roll-back" programs work on Win98. Two programs that do are Ayrecovery and GoBack.

Also, I don't know of any snap-shot/roll-back programs that are free (like some virtualization programs are free) Some of the posts on Page 1 of this thread had information about several snap-shot/roll-back programs (like Rollback Rx and EAZ-Fix

Dr. Mac

 

I am using Comodo Diskshield beta,which currently also cannot retain any specific changes after a reboot,but it seems Comodo are working on solving this problem,though progress is slow.


As mentioned in a previous post,Altiris will run selected apps. in isolation from the main system-to be used or discarded when required.

The whole system isnt "virtualized" only the selected bits.

In practice this is fine, except it's more work than a regular virtualizer


EDIT: Thanks to CogitoErgoSum for the current links,I reinstalled this and it's tremendous for application testing.

An app. is d/loaded as usual,then registered in an Altiris virtual layer and installed normally.

In fact the newly-created layer is monitoring the install,saving it in the layer and blocking any attempts the installer makes to write to the system.

Thereafter the app. appears in all areas,menus program files etc if activated,but disappears completely on deactivation,from the main GUI.

To get rid of the app,just delete and its all gone.

From memory,can handle apps that need rebooting.

 

Rollback rx and those similar to it can all do this. You can go back with a simple reboot and then even go forward again if you want.

 

Just remember that altiris is not a security app so i wouldn't recommend using it for dodgy software or malware related testing.

 

Why did none of you mention VMWare ?

You can install applications and reboot and do whatever you want within the virtual machine, and no harm to the base system.

 

... and ... you know this?...Remote desktop ...

NOMACHINE : the Desktop Virtualization. NX Client for Windows :

# Screenshot : http://www.nomachine.com/screenshot/windows-client-install.php


# Download : http://www.nomachine.com/select-package-client.php


# http://www.nomachine.com/documents/configuration/client-guide.php


" Just a few seconds and NX Client is installed on your machine. "

Mind-boggling!... Oh!...?...

 

It will isolate any specific app and "dodgy software" (after installation) or data so any malware is similarly isolated-however its not suitable for web browsing as it doesnt give blanket isolation.

 

Yes, I know from VMWare/NoMachine (Infrastructure 3/NX) remote access to VMWare VMs.

 

Hello Hairy Coo,

You are very welcome.


Peace & Gratitude,

CogitoErgoSum

 

On my machine Windows Steady State takes two long drawn out reboots to turn the disk protection off.

In their forums, many users have complained that it is difficult to remove, so a testing partition/hard drive seems prudent if you are going to try out Windows steady state.

 

Oups!...
Look to thread : " Windows SteadyState- with Windows Disk Protection- For FREE! " - Forum "other anti- malware " - last post July 27th, 2008 ( Page 10 ).

Thanks, PROROOTECT ( Beta )

 

re my previous post about Altiris and software that requires rebooting and its testing inside a virtual layer;

Success.

The app. was installed inside the layer prior to reboot,enabling full virtual testing

So the reboot factor isnt of concern-a first for virtualizers,I believe.

 

A similar application, VMWare ThinApp which I have been using since before VMWare bought and took over development when called Thinstall.

 

So this creates an exe that is totally self-contained and saves all registry and file system changes in that exe?

 

When you have a Maxtor or Seagate, you can use free image backup of Acronis rebranded to Maxxblast. Combine it with an intelligent data backup (on a seperate partition or external drive) with Syncback SE free (but there are many more). Your Image and Data backup/recover plan should help you out when you should become infected.

You should have some confidence in your security setup, but could use Returnil for risky dodgy browsing (and you do not already have a sandbox installed).

 

Yes,..you can package and run your application with its own files and reg entries, ThinApp is a very very nice software!..and a very nice price from the view of a home user although it can be evaluated for 60days which I would encourage anyone to have a look at. The package we have cost over $6k and Thinstall originally cost the business $3k although that money is well recuperated in just time alone.

 

Can I just buy a single user license for around 45 USD and use virtualbox create a clean OS for which it can build the exes?

 

I'm unsure, a client license is $39 but you still have to have a suite license.

While we are on the subject here's some links...

Application virtualization

here's another, Application streaming.

edit :

A VMWare Workstation 6 license comes with the ThinApp suite but a clean pc (virtual machine) made with virtualbox is a great idea - I like your thinking getting the cost down, some proprietary and different licensing in the above links.

 

Why do you need a suite license for? What is and isnt included in the client?

 

On this page here. A client license only works with the ThinApp suite - in other words you can add extra client licenses.

ThinApp Datasheet(PDF)