FirstDefense - Xp Repair install

As there are quite a few FD users here and I'm a new fan of this great product.

I would like to know if anyone has installed or repaired an O/S on a snapshot is it as straight foreward as the link below suggests or a bit risky?



http://www.raxco.com/support/windows/fdisr/fdisr_faqs.cfm#14

How do I install a "fresh install" OS system?

If you wish to install a "fresh install" of the Windows OS without disrupting your current snapshot use this procedure. It is very important to follow the steps outlined below in the order given:

1. From within the program, set up your data anchoring if you wish to have your current data files available to this new snapshot (recommended).
2. From the ‘Tools' pull-down menu, select 'Create Empty Snapshot'. Follow the instructions given in the Wizard (name your new snapshot Original XP Load, or OEM Build, etc.).
3. At the completion of creating your new (blank) snapshot, right click on the newly created snapshot and select ‘Boot to Snapshot'.
4. During the re-boot, you will see a message on your screen as follows: "NT Loader Missing." This is normal because there are no operating system files in this newly created snapshot.
5. Locate your Windows CD and place it in the CD drive. Reboot your system again.

If you see the message, "NT Loader Missing" again, you will need to enter your BIOS program to set the Boot Sequence to boot from your CD drive first.
6. Windows will ask you if you want to format the NTFS partition. Answer NO.

WARNING: DO NOT FORMAT THE NTFS PARTITION. Doing so will erase all data from your disk.

7. Proceed with the "fresh install" of Windows.
8. Reinstall FirstDefense-ISR to access the user interface and its functions.
9. At this point, the system is available to download Windows updates, install user applications, and system preferences.

Although this foregoing process is lengthy, you will find it quite beneficial when you want to refresh Windows to an uncluttered "clean" state. If you have anchored your data in any snapshot, and you boot to this newly created "fresh" install of Windows, all of your anchored data will be available.

You may wish to have a copy of another operating system, such as Windows 2000 if you're running XP, or vise versa. FirstDefense-ISR supports multiple operating systems, from Windows 2000 and up (Windows XP and Windows Server 2003). FirstDefense-ISR does not support Windows 98, Me, or NT.

 

Re: FirstDefence - Xp Repair install

Easy as pie, after you make a snapshot. Just reboot and FD comes up and gives you few second to boot to it by hitting F1 (default) and then you just pick whatever snap you want to use and click on that. That`s it. at least that`s all I do.

 

Re: FirstDefence - Xp Repair install

That's the idea behind it - a clean OS "install" without the need to get the rescue disk or OS disks. Your software would be missing so you'd have to reinstall those as you would if you did it the usual way.

By the way, I haven't tried it, but it looks simple enough as long as one remembers NOT to format the NTFS partition as advised.

 

Re: FirstDefence - Xp Repair install

Thanks guys -

I'm thinking of creating (a cut down) snap shot with just the basics and then doing a repair install to get things a bit more standard than they are now.

I have just bought a Netgear SC101 NAS - the driver and installer seem to have real problems on my main machine - I'm thinking it related to the O/S hardening