Regarding RollBack Rx

You are very welcome.
It is very reliable (nothing to do with system restore on Me or XP). Is sector based when creating the snapshots and file based when restoring (it performs a synchronization during the restore). Sometimes it does fail but most of the times when this happens is caused by the antivirus/firewall/hips that lock some folders/files or by defraggers when they are configured to constantly defrag in the background and they mess up the shadow copies.

When used with windows defragger and MSE antivirus I have never seen it fail a restore.

For me, Windows SystemRestore is the successor and an enhanced version of goback.

Panagiotis

 

Mohamed, I have been thinking about your problem and I don't know if this is advisable or even possible but would reinstalling Windows over Windows be something you could try? Perhaps (likely?) something in Windows has been messed up and this could possibly correct it.

 

Thanks again, I am looking forward to upgrading to a new OS, I have seen reports that W8 is looking very good so hopefully I can hold off upgrading my PC until it has been released. XP has worked very well for me but its def a tad long in the tooth these days.

 

I am not sure if Windows 7 allows one to install itself. Maybe, Panagiotis can give some advise on this. It will be nice to keep all that settings and customizations, and get rid of all these anomalies.

Best regards,

 

I will keep my fingers crossed for you, best of luck wishes for sure.

 

Hi aladdin,

I have read your different posts about your corrupt registry entries affecting task scheduler and Microsoft does have a kb article concerning how to fix this problem. I have used this fix several times with success and maybe it may help you also. Here is the link: -http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2305420

I hope that it might help you in your situation also.

 

I couldn’t find any info on Roxio backontrack. Do you know how it works?

 

Dear puff-m-d,

Thanks for the link. I briefly looked at it and I think it may help my situation. When I working with the developers of Total Uninstall, the Task Scheduler was completely turned off. So I had to go into the registry and delete the complete "cache". Now, the Task Scheduler works, but I don't know what things should be scheduled?

Best regards,

 

I don't think that it is being offered anymore!

Best regards,

 

I did find a website here and was curious as to what type of technology it used. If it is no longer being offered then never mind.

 

They still sell it, but I believe it is an obsolete program by now.

 

You can try the upgrade install.
It will leave most of your files, settings and products intact but is a bit different than the repair install of xp.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/win7s-no-reformat-nondestructive-reinstall/

Panagiotis

 

Thanks Pangiotis for the links. In the past I have tried to upgrade but it stops and informs to use anytime upgrade after checking online.

I will read the links properly, which you have posted. Prepare for the upgrade, download the needed files/Windows 7, then image the drive before upgrading. Will come back and let you and other know how it went. It might be couples of days before I report back.

Best regards,

 

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1704402&postcount=2
If you are interested only in the ISR of the suite you can download the OEM version of hp. (it works fine on other brands too.)
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1708299&postcount=34

Actually works pretty well. Sometimes has problems restoring locked folders like the one of adobe flash player (has no owner) but if you take ownership of the file/folder has no problem restoring.
If combined with the script that I wrote sometime back is a very valid ISR and the only one (besides FD-ISR) that has no problem with defrags.
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1706013&postcount=1

 

Thank again Panagiotis,

I have learned so much from this site, it is mind boggling. I remember modifying my Win7 boot files with Vista files with your instructions to use FD-ISR. Never heard of this program before, but used it for a while and didn't understand much.

I am now downloading HP Roxio BackonTrack. Will it work with SSDs?

Which is better, FD-ISR or BackonTrack?

What are the advantages of each. BTW, I have Windows 7 x64.

Best regards,

 

Also, would FD-ISR work on the SSDs?

I am not sure about the technologies involved?

Best regards,

 

Also, Roxio Creator PRO 2012 has BackonTrack 4, is this the newest version of BackonTrack 3?

 

You are welcome Mohamed.

- I don't own an ssd so I can't tell. But I'm curious for both FD-ISR and BackonTrack and their combatibilities with ssds.

- For me FD-ISR workstation is the king of ISR's but unfortuantly is dead... It's only drawback is that consumes lots of space. It is an ISR, a multiboot system and a backup system all in one. Plus is only on demand isr so even though in the first snapshot is the slowest on the long run is the fastest. since it consumes zero resources and it does not monitor/track anything. If it works with ssds it will continue to be my favorite.

Panagiotis

 

FD-ISR is simply a file synchronization tool that uses windows vss to create the snapshots and the archives (off line snapshots ready to be restored). When it reverts to another snapshot it simple moves all the files/folders of the OS inside a hidden folder and then restores the files/folders of the other snapshot from its hidden folder to the root of the drive. FD-ISR restores a snapshot in 1-2 seconds max.

An update version of the imaging and backup engine but does not contain the isr.

Panagiotis

 

Thanks Panagiotis,

The way which makes Rollback Rx and Deep Freeze to work with SSDs, is that both of them make the SSD a software Array RAID. This makes the TRIM to work in SSD. Basically, an Intel Driver called, iaStor.sys which makes SSDs work in RAID Array, making the TRIM to work.

If I remember correctly (been long time), that FD-ISR kept everything for me on a different partition and not on the "System Partition. My whole SSD 120GB is dedicated to "System Drive".

Would FD-ISR keep everything on a separate partition on a non-SSD disk?

Or, it has to be on the same disk?

Best regards,

 

In the above case than it should work with SSDs, as all imaging programs work with SSD and they use VSS to lock the disk.

Best regards,

 

Maybe, but I know for sure that has problems with the drivers of perfectdisk and diskeeper that defrag on the fly and with clusters other than 4k.
I hope that it works because sooner or later I'll jump on the ssd market too.

Panagiotis

 

FD-ISR must keep at least 2 snapshots (by default named primary and secondary on the OS partition. The archives (offline snapshots) can be placed on other partition or better on another disk.

Panagiotis

 

Dear Panagiotis,

My SSD is 111GB formatted, with 60GB used for operating system and programs. Pagefile is 8GB and no hibernation. How big would be these two snapshots?

Best regards,

 

Around 52gb each.
But there is another option (What I would do):
you can use a striped down snapshot (only the OS with the drivers and FD-ISR= 16-18gb) used to update from and to your main snapshot (52gb) and the archive/s (with export and import options).
So in total you won't exceed the 80gb on your ssd.

It can be achieved with two methods:

1. Install FD-ISR and then install windows 7 to an empty snapshot
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1641585&postcount=4

2. Install FD-ISR select export snapshot and export your OS snapshot to an archive.
then either restore a striped/basic image of your OS if you have one, install FD-ISR and select import snapshot so that you can import your current full OS+programs to an empty snapshot.

Panagiotis