FD-R: First Look

Discussion in 'FirstDefense-Rescue Forum' started by boonie, Mar 16, 2010.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    Have the trial on my machine. FD-R Workstation.
    Dual boot XP and Win7 on separate hard drives.
    FD-R is installed on Win7 drive.

    The install was very quick, a matter of seconds.
    I immediately launched the program, and was asked if I wanted to set up a Rescue Area.
    I clicked Yes, and FD-R proceeded to copy the files from C: to the Rescue area:

    001.jpg

    This took about 16 minutes for around 18 GBs of Data.

    All set up:
    007.jpg

    More to follow.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2010
  2. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    A few shots of the menus:

    002.jpg

    003.jpg

    004.jpg

    005.jpg

    006.jpg
     
  3. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    ...and the Options:

    008.jpg

    Boot Time-out:
    018.jpg

    Failed boot attempts:
    019.jpg

    009.jpg

    010.jpg
     
  4. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    The hidden $ISR folder, and a few shots of the sub directories:

    011.jpg

    012.jpg

    Apps folder:
    013.jpg

    Setup folder:
    014.jpg

    Access denied for the 0 and 1 folders:
    015.jpg
     
  5. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    Finally, memory usage, and an old, familiar icon in the tray:

    016.jpg

    017.jpg
     
  6. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    When you boot, you're presented with a pre-boot screen. A simple graphic of the Leapfrog logo, and a progress bar that gives you X seconds (1-20 as set in the options) to boot to the Rescue Area by pressing F1. For me, this came before my normal boot menu, letting me boot in to either Xp or Win7.

    I made some changes to my system, and then booted in to the Rescue area. The "Rescue Area" is the label given to whichever snapshot (or "build" as described in the manual) you are not currently logged in to. There are two individual snapshots, or builds. They are labeled "Original" and "Backup", to keep things simple. This process took no longer than a normal boot, and went very smoothly, no glitches.

    All in all, very impressed with FD-R. It is definitely a different app than the old FD-ISR, but taken and judged for what it is, at least at this early look, it seems like a solid recovery app. Besides recovery, I think it would be ideal for testing out software that required a reboot to install.

    Oh, and Todd, thanks for the discount for FD-ISR users.:thumb:
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2010
  7. ahriman

    ahriman Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2007
    Posts:
    126
    Really nice review, boonie!

    I just finished installing the trial. Good times. :)
     
  8. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    Thanks!
    Very happy that I can use this with a dual boot system.:D

    ...and man, this thing is fast, both updating and recovering.

    Trying to decide now between the Lite and the Workstation versions.

    from Todd's post:
    "and our road map includes adding new features and capabilities over time."

    I imagine some of those features and capabilities will depend on the version you own. It might be worth the 75 bucks for the Workstation version.

    Don't mind, FD-ISR was a little over $80 some years ago, so this looks like a good deal.
     
  9. beethoven

    beethoven Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2004
    Posts:
    1,386
    Does it allow for multiple snapshots or archives?
     
  10. Meriadoc

    Meriadoc Registered Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2006
    Posts:
    2,642
    Location:
    Cymru
    Nice one boonie:thumb:
     
  11. mrfargoreed

    mrfargoreed Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2006
    Posts:
    356
    Yep, would like to know this, too. Can't seem to make it out from the screenshots or website. Currently have the old Workstation version and wondering if the Lite version will be suitable for my home use. Bit worried about installing it at the moment over the old version as I don't want to lose anything and I'm assuming it needs to be installed in a nice clean system.

    I'm very excited about this, but the multiple snapshots would be a huge bonus.
     
  12. Acadia

    Acadia Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2002
    Posts:
    4,322
    Location:
    US
    No, according to Todd's initial announcement yesterday, this is NOT the classic FD-ISR: no multiple Snapshots or Archives.

    Acadia
     
  13. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2005
    Posts:
    4,186
    Location:
    USA
    So what do you get, the primary snapshot and one copy snapshot?
     
  14. Leapfrog Software

    Leapfrog Software Leapfrog Management

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2006
    Posts:
    251
    Location:
    Northern Nevada, USA
    WOW boonie. Great run through the product and I appreciate the kind comments. I am going to have to put you on staff :)

    Just a few behind-the-scenes comments. Windows 7 allows us to take advantage of some great performance boosts that Vista and XP did not have. In fact, I see well over 100MB/s on large files and bursts to 140MB/s. I typically average around 70MB/s on my desktop.

    How do I reduce backup times? To up the performance side, I make sure that system disk is defragged. I use Raxco's PerfectDisk and VERY happy with it. I also decrease the number of files to be copied, by turning off offline files, reducing the indexing entries, and the big one? - turning off System Restore. Ugg, still a pig after all these years. I also use CCleaner.

    I would like to comment on boonie's comment. "took no longer than a normal boot, and went very smoothly, no glitches.". We temporary intercept in the Boot Record, only to offer you the option to boot to the Rescue Area. After that we turn control back over to the booting operating system. We have NO background drivers intercepting disk reads/write. Nothing to slow you down. After the system boots, there is a service, but its purpose is to watch for your UI or CLI requests to make a copy plus make sure we have access to your OS files at the system level during a copy. Not much of a footprint at all.

    Hope this helps.
     
  15. tobacco

    tobacco Frequent Poster

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Posts:
    1,531
    Location:
    British Columbia
    Very sad day, sad indeed. This dumbed down version of the old FD-ISR is not worth the effort/expense and i personally have given up hoping and following FD now.

    So long Buddy :'(

    Edit: To voice further displeasure with the stripped Rescue version - "I wouldn't use it even if it was Free"!
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2010
  16. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    Edit: Yes, they are called "Original" and "Backup", but they can not be copied to archives or renamed.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2010
  17. zach

    zach Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2003
    Posts:
    273
    Location:
    Wisconsin,USA
    There's nothing wrong with the rescue version. It has saved my butt on a few occasions
     
  18. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    As long as I can start a softball team.:D

    Seriously, it's good to see you guys up and running.

    Exactly the utilities and measures that I use.

    One question: Like FD-ISR, I have excluded $ISR Bin from Perfect Disk, is this still necessary? Are there any other files to exclude?
     
  19. boonie

    boonie Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2007
    Posts:
    238
    I would really prefer to keep any "A vs B" judgements out of this thread.
    FD-R is, in my eyes, a new product.
    Let's review it as such.
     
  20. Acadia

    Acadia Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2002
    Posts:
    4,322
    Location:
    US
    Boonie, I have never excluded any ISR file from Perfect Disk and I have been using ISR for over 5 years; is the exclusion something that is recommended that I did not know about?

    This new version means that we don't even have two separate Snapshots to play with, making FD-ISR similar to the old GoBack program. Still, I swore by GoBack in its day and I shall probably continue to swear by FD-ISR whenever I make the switch to Win7.

    Acadia
     
  21. tobacco

    tobacco Frequent Poster

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2005
    Posts:
    1,531
    Location:
    British Columbia
    Fair enough. Now i want to ask you a question which requires referencing the old version which had the ability to save your arse if your C drive/partition became unstable/hosed/unbootable - whatever. Can you tell me how Rescue will "Rescue You" at this time??
     
  22. mrfargoreed

    mrfargoreed Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2006
    Posts:
    356
    Thanks Acadia. Have tried the Lite version and found it a little complicated but think I now understand how it works. It's a shame there are no snapshots to speak of - that to me is what made FD-ISR such a unique product. Sadly, now I'm wondering to myself why I should use the new version over something like Comodo Time Machine? I've been a fan of FD-ISR for years and still think it's the best bit of software ever made, but I'm just not sure about the new version yet.

    Don't get me wrong here - I'm not slating off FD-R, I guess I'm just looking for a reason to pay for it (and, strange as it sounds, I want to) when I could use CTM instead. Before, the difference in the products was vast, but now I'm not really sure what they are?
     
  23. Acadia

    Acadia Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2002
    Posts:
    4,322
    Location:
    US
    Boonie states above that there is still the pre-Boot screen for such situations.

    Acadia
     
  24. Leapfrog Software

    Leapfrog Software Leapfrog Management

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2006
    Posts:
    251
    Location:
    Northern Nevada, USA
    Thanks Boonie. Yes, let's try to leave the past in the past on FD-ISR.

    On to the questions:

    Q: "I have excluded $ISR Bin from Perfect Disk, is this still necessary? Are there any other files to exclude?"
    A: $isr.bin is the only file recommended, but not as critical as it was before. $isr.bin is the lightweight boot menu that you see at the pre-OS screen. If a defrag application moves to a more optimal location, our service simply updates the Boot Record to point to it's new location. As a safety measure in FDR, we have implemented the following: If you defrag, and the file is moved, and you boot your system immediately, and the boot record has not been updated (lots of specific conditions have to occur), your system will still boot, but without our pre-OS menu. As soon as the service loads, the pre-OS routines will re-route to the new location. This is just one of our self-healing conditions and we are pretty proud of it.

    Q: "Sadly, now I'm wondering to myself why I should use the new version over something like Comodo Time Machine?"
    A: Of course, I would love for you to purchase our solution, but not at the expense of you not being happy with what we have provided. There are many recovery products out there. I really encourage folks to find the one that fits their needs.

    Q: What about the "ability to save your arse if your C drive/partition became unstable/hosed/unbootable?"
    A: The ISR technology is wrapped around the concept or providing high availability for the 87% of the time a software failure occurs (MS statistic). We address that condition with an immediate recovery. Since we are not intending to be the end-all DR product, we have tried our best to play well with others DR solutions that provide bare-metal-restore capability.

    Q: There was mention of GoBack.
    A: GoBack uses a low-level write intercept driver to perform it's magic. We do not use any low-level or intercept drivers.

    I hope this helps.
     
  25. mrfargoreed

    mrfargoreed Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2006
    Posts:
    356
    Sad thing is, Todd, that I don't want to use anything else. I fully accept that the new FD-R has moved on and things change and I'm all for progress, but I guess what I'm asking for is why would I use the new FD-R over something like Rolback and CTM (your own customer service has always been faultless, Todd - I'm strictly talking about the products here :thumb: ).
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.