FDISR Installed OK

Hi, I was able to install FD and made a primary and secondary snapshot. I checked the log and saw a note for 4 errors as follows:
16:33 0100 copied 11.30GB (66375 files,6029 dirs); errors 4; 59 minutes
16:33 0084 preboot check OK

Is this OK or should I be concerned about the 4 errors? I'd like to mention that when I do a backup of my system with my back up app, it always shows 6 or 7 errors from an app of mine that monitors my broadband IP which is nothing to be concerned about. Could the above 4 errors be related?
I'm reading the manual and it speaks of choosing between back up mode, or doing a recovery mode. I haven't seen any reference of those choices while using FD so far. I am assuming I'm doing a recovery snapshot. Is there a place where you choose which you want to do?
Thanks in advance,

 

Regarding the Errors, are you using Comodo Firewall by any chance?

 

twl845,
I don't accept snapshots with errors, mentioned in the upper part or bottom part of the processing screen.

These errors are probably caused by :
- automatic defragging, which is very logical
- running security softwares or other softwares that might disturb the copy/update of FDISR.
Disabling them temporarily is usually the cure.

Every new FDISR-user seems to have these problems in the beginning, which is normal, because you don't expect this to happen.
I don't like to remember which security softwares are causing errors, so I do most of my copy/updates in my off-line snapshot, which I needed anyway to work in a silent environment.

In your case I would try to find out, which software(s) cause(s) the problem exactly by using the elimination method and tell us about it.

 

Quite right. The errors may be insignificant, but the worry is you just dont know. Too late to find out when you need that snapshot.

 

You should view the logs. It will tell you which files cause the errors.

 

boot to the snapshot and test it ...

 

ErikAlbert, The only security software running is AVG antispyware, NOD32 AV,and Mailwasher. Should I delete the secondary snapshot and do a new one with the above turned off? Yes I'm using Comodo.

 

Yes I would delete the secondary snapshot and try copy/update again with Comodo OFF, because we know already that Comodo is a pain for FDISR. Keep us posted, because I like to know this for sure if it worked or not.
Maybe you can archive it first and then try to restore it with comodo off.

 

Turn off "protect own registry settings" in comodo before you do a snapshot, that should fix it. I have it always turned off nowdays, I just cant see me get infected with anything that would exploit that little breach in security anyway

 

ErikAlbert, Thanks for your help. Here's an update for my snapshots. I deleted my secondary snapshot, and turned off Comodo, AVG AS, and Mailwasher. I left the AV on. I installed another secondary snapshot and there were no errors. You probably guessed as much. So I'm good to go.
To refer to my original post, I asked the following:
"I'm reading the manual and it speaks of choosing between back up mode, or doing a recovery mode. I haven't seen any reference of those choices while using FD so far. I am assuming I'm doing a recovery snapshot. Is there a place where you choose which you want to do?" Can you advise on that?
Thanks again.

 

These are just suggestions of FDISR how to use your snapshots in practice, but FDISR has no backup or recovery mode setting or something like that. Nothing to worry about.
In FDISR you can use snapshots in many different ways, the standard method is :
- primary snapshot = WORK snapshot
- secondary snapshot = ROLLBACK snapshot
that is NOT a rule, you don't have to do it this way, but beginners have to start somewhere.

You can do it also like this :
- primary snapshot = ROLLBACK snapshot
- secondary snapshot = WORK snapshot
That's the way I did it in the past.

Now I do it totally different :
- primary snapshot = OFF-LINE snapshot
- secondary snapshot = ON-LINE snapshot

Peter has also two snapshots, but he uses them in a total different way than me. Acadia uses even 20 snapshots.
FDISR does NOT dictate the user how and for what to use these snapshots, FDISR just provides the tools to create/copy/update/... them.

There is only one important thing : you need at least ONE HEALTHY snapshot in which you can boot, when you are in trouble in one of the other snapshots (2 upto 10). If you don't have such a snapshot, you kill the Immediate System Recovery and that's why you need TWO snapshots MINIMUM. Only a FOOL uses only one snapshot in FDISR.

After installing FDISR, the rollback snapshot (secondary snapshot) is the healthy snapshot.
On my computer, the off-line snapshot is my healthy snapshot.
Peter's secondary snapshot, which is a stripped down snapshot is his healthy snapshot.
We all have and use this healthy snapshot to recover our system, which can be done in more than one way.

All the rest is at free will and you have to learn this gradually how to use these snapshots and the limit is your own imagination.

 

ErikAlbert, OK I guess I have the basic tools to work with, and I'll continue to study the manual and experiment while I watch the forum. Thanks again for all your help.

Peter2150, Thanks for that tip. I'll be sure to turn the AV off next time.

 

Hmmmm, interesting, I never turn off my NOD but updating a Snapshot still only takes a couple of minutes. You mean I can make it even faster?

Acadia

 

Acadia, I think he means while creating a snapshot.

 

I did once a test in my off-line and on-line snapshot with two identical snapshots of the same size :
- in my off-line snapshot, it took 26 seconds to delete one of these snapshots
- in my on-line snapshot, it took more than a minut longer to delete the same snapshot.

My off-line snapshot has no security softwares and no internet softwares.
I'm not saying that every activity of FDISR is so much faster, but there is always a difference in time for any activity of FDISR.

 

As long you keep your secondary snapshot (rollback snapshot) healthy, you don't have to worry anymore about what happens in your primary snapshot (work snapshot).
Each time when your work snapshot is in trouble :
1. Reboot and wait until you see the FDISR Splash Screen
2. Press the F1-key, select and reboot in the rollback snapshot
3. Refresh your work snapshot with your rollback snapshot (copy/update)
4. Reboot in your work snapshot and you are back in business.

Along with your Image Backup software, you are as good as invincible.
That's what all FDISR-users have in common, they stay out of trouble, even BSOD's are peanuts for FDISR.

 

I need help and some solid answers:

It's not suggested that FD-ISR is some magnificient replacement for a so-called genuine imaging program like ATI or other, "BUT", whats to stop you from exporting your good snapshots (externally) with all those cherished programs you paid for with razor-precise settings only to your own specifications, that have served you very well plus the many other myriad freewares that have made your computing experiences so addictive all this time? And to use those same snapshots AND archives to bring even a reinstalled system back exactly as you had it before?

I need to know this. I'm having a fit with Imaging programs again and it's beginning to eat into time better used IMO for just turning to such a technique if FD-ISR supports it. And from what i've seen so far, it could do just that.

Also i assume strickly from my own curiosity and nothing more that FD-ISR doesn't go to the lengths of Imaging programs in copying sector for sector of a drive platter, but whatever the magic is that it does, it certainly is showing me it can for all intensive purposes DUPLICATE or CLONE as well if not better then Imaging programs which consume more time without a doubt.

I got the Defrag down to a science and require nothing more in that area plus i can switch & replace drives at will, but imaging always throws me a curve ball i detest with a passion as well as leaves me gasping for something more efficient, if there is such a thing. And FD-ISR for me right now is proving just how STRONG it is and reliable in that department, in fact heads & shoulders above even my imaging programs which i fall sorely behind in understanding correctly how to image Partition A (Drive 0) to Partition (B) without suffering the needless confusion that i always run into when trying to work with those BEASTS

Suggestions? Comments? Opinions? Sorry if OT, but i gave it my best shot and so far come up empty. With FD-ISR, you never go thru such headaches and error possibilities.

 

Here are my solid answers :
I assume you have an external harddisk (or DVD/CD's ) for storing IMAGES and ARCHIVED SNAPSHOTS.

Situation #1 = most computers are in such situation.
If you have only ONE harddisk with ONE partition [C:] you can get your system back this way :
1. Recover an IMAGE with Windows + FDISR. If you don't have an IMAGE, you have to install Windows + FDISR manually.
2. Restore all your archived snapshots (personal data included) one by one in the system partition.
So in this situation, you don't really need an Image Backup software, because installing Windows + FDISR can be done in a reasonable time (about 1 hour).

Situation #2 = opposite of Situation #1
If you have one harddisk with MORE than one partition and/or MORE than one harddisk, you can get
your system back this way :
1. Recover an IMAGE of EACH partition and EACH additional harddisk.
2. Restore all your archived snapshots (personal data included) one by one in the system partition.
So in this situation, you will NEED an Image Backup software or else you will lose everything, EXCEPT your system partition.

My conclusion : keep your Image Backup software and FirstDefense-ISR, if you want to save some time.

 

Easter,
Since most computers are in situation #1, you have to make a decision : anchor or not anchor the folder "My Documents", which contains all your personal files, in other words your hard work.

Anchoring = NO
If you don't anchor, your personal files are included in your archived snapshots.
If your personal files have a stable volume and the volume is rather small, you won't have a problem.

If your personal files grow constantly, it will take longer and longer to restore your archived snapshots and also the other activities with snapshots will take more and more time.
In the end it won't be practical anymore and then you will have to make another decision :
1. Anchor "My Documents" OR
2. Create a system partition and data partition to separate your personal files from your system files.
There is no other way in situation #1, unless you do some hardware changes, but then you are in Situation #2.

Anchoring = YES
If you anchor, your personal files are NOT included in your archived snapshots.
Now you have another problem : how are you going to backup your personal files ?
Also this problem needs solid answers.

Another problem
There is also another problem with the backup of your personal files :
A responsible user makes a backup of his personal data EVERY DAY, let's say at 5:00 PM.
The next morning he works again from 9:00 AM, at 4:00 PM he has to restore his harddisk due to a destructive malware attack or destructive legitimate software attack.
Now all his personal files are from YESTERDAY 5:00 PM, which means that all his work of TODAY from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM is GONE and there is no way to recover it.
You can imagine how OLD his personal files will be after restoration, if he does not backup his personal files EVERY DAY.
This problem needs also solid answers.

I don't need the answers to all these problems, because I solved them already.
I could give the answers, but I like to hear from other members, how they solved all these problems. Maybe I can improve my backup system.

 

I don't bother with anchoring, unnecessary for my uses so thats a nill concern for me.

Time with FD-ISR is of no consequence either, from what i experience i can't even get up for coffee untill i hear a frog. That's exceptional in any respect for any program of this nature.

I notice when i run into difficulties where i'm required to use the boot menu to change snapshots, sometimes the GUI doesn't make it but another subsequent reboot and the selection of START WINDOWS NORMALLY corrects that and no further issues arise again unless i'm tinkering with programs designed to jockey my drives/partition.

In other words, i proved FD-ISR in this scenario and it performs to perfection! Nothing more to add.