Some questions about Rollback RX

Hi. As of today, using a version of Rollback RX downloaded from their site 2 days ago, I can confirm that the chkdsk problem is indeed still present. I've just lost 2 days of work as a result of it. I consider myself lucky that it's just 2 days!

I do wish they would fix this problem soon though, as I'm not aware of any other product quite like Rollback RX (well, if it worked, that is. Some versions of Version 7 seemed to be to be problem free though - but unsure if they run on Vista).

 

I do think it's entirely fair to warn people to stay away when NOT EVERYONE has experienced problems with the product!!!

To suggest that EVERYONE needs to experience catastrophic data loss before it becomes reasonable to warn people against the product is, in my opinion, ludicrous!

 

Agreed! Have used the product for a while with not such issue manifesting itself and so would say that whilst a warning should be given it should be couched in reasonable terms...not potential scare potential users away.

 

What is the notorious chkdisk problem? How does it cause you to lose 2 days of work?

 

This is a Windows corruption issue that is known to occur with EF/RB and still remains a mystery (it has happened to me). After using EF for 2 years, here's what I consider to be sound rules when using EF/RB:

1. Don't use disk-defraggers unless you first uninstall EF/RB - just use the EF/RB snapshot defragger.

2. If you use a reg-cleaner be very aware of what it is about to remove! Never allow it to remove anything associated with EF/RB.

3. Only take snapshots when the system is in a consistent state (check-box in EF/RB System Settings).

4. Don't allow C: to get nearly full (btw, disk-defragging can bring about a false indication of that).

5. Be very wary of using certain 'low-level' programs that may conflict with EF/RB. In Fall 2008, I experienced chkdsk issues after installing Process Lasso.

6. Keep your data, docs, pics, etc on some other drive/partition.

7. Use a disk-imaging program to backup C: on a regular basis - no Instant Restore product is invincible!

 

Thank you for this list of do not do with Rollback installed. I have copied it and printed it so I can keep it close to hand. Why do you suggest keeping the OS and the data on separate partitions? I have read that folks do this and I suspect the reason why is that this makes restoring easier as you can restore one or the other if need be, but apart from time considerations in the restore process how is this a benefit over a full image?

 

Could you please elaborate on this ? what check-box are you referring to ?

I can't seem to find it :-(

 

Placing your personal files on another drive/partition reduces the size of your system partition (which reduces the time it takes to image your system). It also facilitates different backup schedules - I backup my personal folders more frequently than my system partition (I just 'zip' them to offline storage, whereas I 'image' my system partition to offline storage).

 

Settings > System Settings > Snapshot Integrity

 

I have eaz-fix 8.1 and i don't have them.

 

Hi Aaron

RB does not have "Settings > System Settings > Snapshot Integrity" but rather 'Program Settings > Advanced Settings (if ones discounts Program Appearance & Network Settings) > but then nothing remotely like 'Snapshot Integrity' so can only conclude that EF has a difference with RB (v8.1)...unless I am being really, really dumb

 

Sorry guys, but as I stated in another post I'm using EF 7.2.1 (which does have that under the Settings drop-down menu). Although I did use EF 8.1 briefly, I don't recall if it was different in that regard. Perhaps someone else can chime in on that.

 

Looks like there are subtle differences between EF & RB (would be interesting to understand why...from the respective seller I mean) and that some specific functions are not carried between the 'different' products.

Will be interesting to see what these differences are between EF v9 & RB v9

Also, I suspect that if EF v9 includes a drive image function that RB v9 is purported not to have then there could be a migration of some RB user to EF especially if what has been elsewhere, as to EF transferring licenses from RB, is correct.

 

If you are referring to my last couple of posts, I don't think that points to differences between EF and RB (of the same version), but rather to functional changes between different versions of the same software.

 

Great idea, thanks.

 

Just wanted to add my experience of Rollback Rx 8.1 here as it appears to be an appropriate thread.

Rollback Rx repeatedly corrupts my partition that it is protecting. Some time it happens while I am using the computer and when I try to save some file on my C Drive (one protected by Rx) I will receive a message that "unable to save - File system on drive is corrupt. Run chkdsk to correct error". I then have to reboot and run chkdsk which identifies and solves a multitude of problems.

Sometime when I restart my computer, right after rebooting, I get a warning that C drive is corrupt and run chkdsk to correct the problem.

I installed Rollback on 19th march and have it setup to take 3 snapshots per day at different hours and I have had to run chkdsk 5 times on my rx protected drive.

Is anyone else experiencing this problem? Before you ask I am fairly expert user in computers so I am sure the problem is caused by Rollback. I am using windows vista home premium.

How does one know which is the latest build? I am using v8.1 and I do not want to upgrade to v9 right now but what is the latest build for v8.1 and where can I download it from?

I can upload the log file from the last chkdsk run but it is rather long.

Thanks.......

 

I was about to ask, what prevents an application suppose to allow it's users to rollback in time, in case of some sort of system disaster, not to be the cause of the disaster itself?

I mean, I install Rollback RX or any other similar application, which their roll is to allow us to rollback in time, but, what if are these tools the cause of disasters upon installation?

Hmmm...

 

Exactly!! I installed Rollback to prevent disasters not to be the cause of disasters itself.

I discontinued using Goback as it corrupted my MFT and now five years later I find Rollback doing the same thing

 

Raza007, just curious you're using the same PC when you experience the problem with GoBack and Rollback?

Btw, my rollback rx8.1 build is 2693111823. What build you're using?

 

Have you read my post #55?
(item 3 may not be applicable to v8.1)

Any other 'low-level' programs running?

What's in your startup?

 

Thats why you create images of the drive before you install such a program and image periodically once you have it (RX) installed. Many folks uninstall RX periodically and image and then reinstall. I have the version of RX that has the image function and I will periodically do images using this tool but I also periodically will uninstall RX and image with a different program. This way I am covered if something goes wrong.

PS: I have been using version 8.1 build 2693111823 since Feb 16 (on an XP system however) without any issues. I expect this is the last build as I purchased it just before version 9 was released.

 

No, of course not. I just mentioned this because it appears we are going in circles. I installed Goback on my previous winXP system and used it for a week before uninstalling it as it corrupted my MFT. I learned that this was a common complaint of GoBack. Now, five years later I have installed Rollback on my new Dell XPS M1530 running Vista and guess what, its corrupting my MFT. That is what Chkdsk appears to be correcting in its log.

Yes, this appears to be the version I am using as well. I just asked as I thought they might have corrected some bugs in an update and I was using a previous release. Rollback does not have "check for update" feature built in so only way to check for update is to go to Horizon website and I have noticed they have removed info about v8.1 from the site, it only lists the latest build of v9

 

Yes, I did. I do/did almost all of the points you mentioned in post 55. I do not have any low-level program running on my C: drive and have not installed any since march 19th. Only 1 entry in my startup for my webshot program and that could not be the cause of MFT corruption by rollback. After analyzing my situation further I have narrowed the problem down to the following three things

1- I am using Rollback on a laptop so I normally put my computer to sleep instead of shutdown. I only do a reboot if I install a new software or after 4-5 days. Could this be causing the corruption of file system in my root drive by rollback? Rollback is setup to take 3 snapshots a day. Before you ask I have been putting my comp to sleep whole last year and did not have any file system corruption issue till after 19th march of rollback install. perhaps rollback requires a reboot per day to remain happy.

2- I have my hard drive in three partitions. First partition is a hidden dell service partition 80 MB. Next is my 45 GB C: OS Partition and then comes my 105 GB D: partition. I have setup Rollback to protect only my C: OS partition. Could this be causing my problem? Is Rollback getting confused by the other two partitions?

3- When I initially installed Rollback I chose the default install thinking I will have an option to setup which partition to protect inside the program, so it setup to protect both my C: and D: partitions. I then uninstalled it and reinstalled it choosing my "C: drive only" the second time. Could this be responsible for my problem?

Now I have seen other users on various boards complaining about the chkdsk issue and hard drive corruption due to rollback so it appears to be a bug in rollback itself and not my unique problem. I usually run chkdsk twice a month on my c: drive and usually have the occasional 1 or 2 line saying that chkdsk has fixed some index entries etc. but the five times since installing rollback chkdsk now has a long list (2 pages in my opinion) of problems and corrections.

Waiting to hear back on the three points above.....otherwise I guess I will stop using rollback.

 

sorry to hear that man!....im using the same laptop you got (XPS1530 with Vista OS) and i don't experienced that kind of problem with RollbackRx. When i received my XPS1530 a year ago, i reformat it and remove all 3rd party software from Dell and install Rx.

goodluck.

 

Just curious what you mean by "corrupt the MBR". I used GoBack for years without too much complaint and as noted above I am now using RB without a problem now. I expect you know that both programs modify the MBR upon installation which is why Horizon recommends uninstalling RB if you are going to image the drive using software other than RBs own imaging tool (you would then reinstall it afterwards) but if you see this modification as corruption then ...........

Waiting to hear back on this point and no offence meant.

PS: have you created a support ticket with Horizon tech support? Did you get a maintenance package with your licence? Support is much faster if you did.