Rollback RX v8

OK thanks i done that for now. Can you tell me where Rollback RX keeps it's snapshots and what are the file extensions?

FD-ISR's are .arx and are kept in the $ISR directory unless a user decides to move an archive off disk or soething similar.

I looked but i haven't found Rollback's snapshots anyplace yet. Thnx

 

Peter is correct.

Think of Rollback RX as a tuner, like TV or radio.
You switch stations and you get a different show.
You switch snapshots and you have a different configuration. But at the end all snapshots are spin-offs of the baseline.

 

Ok, thanks. But my chief concern is with my Defragger. I would like to for safety's sake EXCLUDE them where ever their concealed so i don't run into an issue afterwards. I suppose i could always just Exclude the folder for good measure then i'm not sure if the partition/drive would really benefit much from a defrag like you expect.

I am equally pleased with Rollback Rx so far in much the same way as FD-ISR because i can "at will" browse the snapshot files and if i want, also copy them over to another storage compartment. I like the idea of that clock too. I'm especially fond of the option to instantly restore individual files & folders. That was a great idea to include that feature in it.

Rollback Rx just saved my goose from a failed Image restore and for that it's just proven very beneficial for me.

 

Rollback RX is an extremely complex software solution. It doesn't create copies of data for different snapshots. It maintains a single copy and create a different reference for each snapshot.

For example, the file c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe is available in each and every snapshot. But the file exists only once. When you delete it in snapshot 5, only the reference is removed. The file is not available in #5. but all other snaphots still find the cmd.exe accessible.

This is different from FD-ISR, that creates duplicates of system configurations.

Anyway: Don't defrag. It won't work, since Windows only can determine which files are available. For example that deleted cmd.exe in #5 is still on disk, but Windows doesn't know where.

Easter, in this picture I demonstrate how you would be able to maintain conflicting configurations with Rollback RX:

 

Thanks wilbertnl,
I didn't know that could be done.
Quite interesting.

 

Thanks for that explaination wilbertnl. I see it is vastly different from the way FD-ISR fashions COMPLETE snapshots where Rollback Rx relies on referencing the files not duplicating/building them like FD-ISR. Interesting concept though that does seems to work and proves useful.

A little late on the Defrag warning though. I done one with Ultimate Defrag and ended up with icons over the top of existing icons that looked disgustingly weird. I just reverted to another Rx snapshot and got things back in order again. Oddly enough i like to play with fire though. I did another Defrag once again AFTER FIRST taking a snapshot for safety. Instead of choosing AUTO in UD i selected the RECENCY defrag and this time it turned out OK.

I dunno, but all this is really a fine balancing act that you really have to watch what you're doing.

Indeed is a very different concept but seems effective enough. I still favor how FD-ISR gives users the freedom to "MOVE" entire snapshot archives off disk or to another partition and that way you preserved important documents & programs.
I dunno if Rollback Rx could retain material for emergency purposes like that if it only references files from a SINGLE COPY if the drive bites the dust.
But i still like it nonetheless for what it can do in event of a system or program failure in the "active" snapshot.

I just wonder though if it was Rollback Rx itself that cause my image restore to choke in the middle of it's work or if it was symtomatic of something else in the Paragon program itself that caused it. Anyway, Rollback Rx recovered matters for me. I'm just glad i didn't delete the partition before attempting that restore or all would have been for naught.

 

Believe me Peter2150, i DID seriously consider doing so but hesitated at the last moment before beginning since i've suffered similar problems before with other Imaging apps and this time it certainly paid dividends in the conscience department. LoL

I have Paragon Drive Copy 8.5 plus this Special Edition 8.0 to try out yet. I'm expecting better results since i did use my old version 6.0 this time to see if it was up to task or not.

 

Ayghost is proven to preserve each and every snapshot that exist on your volume.
It's a DOS application and needs a FAT partition to store the archives.
I don't know any user who paid for this software.
Other imaging solutions might work too, but each user has their own procedure that works. In general imaging is more successful when performed offline (boot from CD).

 

Thanks wilbertnl.

I'll record the iso to plastic and see what it can do. Never seen this before so i'm always game for a mystery. I'm most suspicious of imaging programs over any others in this vast field of software programs because failed results can be fatal to your data and i been around that block too many times to count in the past, and now again most recently with the old v6 version of Paragon although i cannot in all honesty indict that program untill i redo an image & restore process again. One thing is for sure, the imaging app that proves itself to me i will cast a copy of it in gold.

 

wil~ Does Ayghost perform a disk-cloning process, disk-imaging process, or both? ~pv

 

In Blue: Please be more specific if you will wilbertn to clear up any misgivings, Ayghost will effectively preserve BOTH Fd-Isr & RollBack Rx snapshots to Image for successful restoring also, or one and not the other?

In Red: Is this a trial or promotional program? If it's really that good then it must possess some commercial value? No?

Thank You EASTER

 

AyGhost or eazClone (Horizon Datasys had an identical solution with a different name too) are basically all the same. I got eazClone free and although these disk imagers are able to recognize the Rollback RX snapshot structure and able to backup all these snapshots without problems, the price of ayGhost seems quite high.
ayRecovery, eazFix, Rollback RX are actually all the same code that is marketed by different resellers.

 

wil, any clue as to who is the actual developer?

 

AyRecovery ($40) + AyGhost ($100) cost $140 and FirstDefense-ISR ($70) + ShadowProtect ($70) cost also $140.
So no difference between both combinations. FirstDefense-ISR = BootBack = Peer-ISR (Leapfrog Softwares).

 

Good point Erik.
They do all seem to work out to the same.
I guess the big question would be who would be there with the best tech support if it was needed.

Also, you mentioned AyRecovery.
I've been to their site and basically it looks alot like Rollback rx.
Seems to have the same functions and GUI.
Are there any major differences in the two that you are aware of outside of their price structure?

Just curious, thanks.

 

Well, except for the functions and features, maybe Oh, and that very few people are likely to spend $100 on Ayghost in the first place when there are cheaper alternatives about.

Like Wilbert, I also picked up the heavily discounted (free!) EazClone when it was available. This is the same software but badged differently. I think its main drawback to me was that it would only image to FAT16 ot FAT32. As I'm getting a new external drive on Monday I might dust off my copy and give it another go.

One interesting (well, it was to me) possibility I hadn't considered with Rollback and an imaging program which preserves snapshots, is to create different snapshots for completely different hardware setups (ie a number of different PC's) so that you can just use one image to deploy installations to any number of different systems by selecting the appropriate snapshot when it boots up.

 

I was under the impression the people behind Rollback Rx were the originators.

 

Im using a Gigabyte MB with (bios) xpress Recovery 2 installed BUT! I did not make a partition for it when I formatted my HD. So because of that I can not use xpress Recovery 2. But its drivers are on and cant be removed.

Im trying to use ROLLBACK RX V8.

It seems Rollback itself works fine BUT when it is installed, WINDOWS WILL NOT BOOT.

I have to un-install Rollback to get windows to work.

The screen I get is Black with the blinking underscore at upper left corner. The PC says boot failure.

Any idea's of what I can do to use Rollback?

Some other techs have tried to help me but everyone is stumped.

 

That is one program that is a solid candidate for some real improvement. You might try FD-ISR which is much more efficient and dependable and certainly won't leave a user (or tech) in such a state of confusion.

Others can weigh in on it for you from their experiences which might be of some help but FD-ISR takes honors between them from this side of the bridge, if you know what i mean. Plus they have a forum to help you with Xtremely knowledgable specialists who will guide you on the straight & narrow features, facts, etc.

 

Now there's a line guaranteed to focus attention

I'm not familiar with xpress Recovery 2 but it wouldn't be surprising if it messed with the MBR. Do you have an external backup of your current system? If not, then I'd recommend doing that first before making any further changes.

If you really don't want to use the Gigabyte utility then, after backing up, my next step would be to re-write the MBR by booting into the recovery console and typing 'fixmbr' (no quotes). I would also then type 'fixboot' (no quotes) to restore any changes that may have been made to the partition table.

On quitting recovery console and re-booting, you should be able to boot into XP normally (usual disclaimers apply here ). If all seems ok then try installing RB8 now and see if the sub-console screen comes up on re-booting.

If it doesn't then I suppose it is possible that the Gigabyte code could be changing the MBR on-the-fly but that would be a bit of an anti-social thing for it to do.

One other thought, is there any option in your bios settings to turn off or modify xpress Recovery 2?

Graham

 

Out of interest, how are you uninstalling Rollback if you can't boot the PC when it is installed?

Graham

 

can you put your snapshots from FIrst defence on disc for saftey?? if so how where ? or is there no need too? thanks MD