How are you primarily using FirstDefense-ISR?

bigc73542,

Great! Thanks very much for that!

Dave

 

NOD works with FirstDefense, the only thing is that NOD will scan EVERY snapshot, not just the one that you are in. Some people like that, some don't. I have the maximum allowable 10 snapshots, so scanning my drive with NOD takes 10 times longer than it usually would. I got around that by making a custom scan which included every folder on my entire c:drive minus the FD folder.

Acadia

 

Acadia,

Can't I just exclude it?

Dave

 

Exclude does not work.

McAfee and Norton also scan ALL snapshots.

As Acadia mentioned, since FD creates a hidden folder called $ISR on the C drive, a possible workaround is as follows.

You could deselect the C: drive, and then add in each of the folders on the C: drive (except of course the
$ISR one).

A bit time-consuming, but you would only need to do it once as you can then save these settings for subsequent scans.

 

NOD only has an exclude for Realtime scanning, not for On-Demand scanning.

Acadia

 

FD as I understand it has an option to update snapshots from your primary to your secondary and vica versa right? So my question is how often should you update the snapshots so they don't remain too outdated in case the one you're using gets corrupted?

So for example, if I install umpteen dozen games and don't update my other snapshot then if I have a crash and can no longer use the current snapshot then I would have to re-install all those games again after booting to the secondary right? So shouldn't I keep it fairly up to date?

How often is adviseable? A day or 2?

Dave

 

How often you update is an individual thing, totally up to you. I personally update at least once a day; I have 10 snapshots on my primary hard drive and six on my secondary. I like to be able to choose how far back in time I can go if I have a problem, plus I use a couple of snapshots just for experimenting with new software, plus two for doing my annual taxes.

Yes, you can use ANY snapshot to update ANY other. You just have to get out of a snapshot if you want to update it. You can stay in a snapshot if you are using it to update another, but you cannot stay in a snapshot that you want to restore or recover, you've got to go somewhere else, then you can come back after it is fixed.

Acadia

 

Yep, whatever fits and meets your needs, Dave. I'll save myself some breath (I just got done with today's workout on the elliptical trainer) and just show you what my snapshot storage and schedule looks like:

 

Hey, crofttk, I like that skin, is that from WindowBlinds or some other such program?

Acadia

 

Yep, WindowBlinds 5. It's one of the better behaved skins: "Cyclops", by Mike Bryant.

 

Crofttk, I'm a little confused by your scheduled snapshots in your screenshot. You have schedules to take a snapshot of the Primary at 9am, 9.15, 9.30 and 9.45 daily, which means they are exact copies of the Primary at that point in time. What I don't understand is how can they be 1-day old, 2-day old, 3-day old etc. snapshots?

 

I've already purchased an external drive and am waiting delivery so I'll be able to have a good many archives. Then I'll be able to have a good rescue system.

Dave

 

Hehehe...Well I set the trap and TonyW went for it. Seriously, though, TonyW, that shows that you are keenly observant ! Good question.

The missing piece of information here and solution to the riddle is that only the "1-DAY Old Copy..." is captured by actually copying the Primary Snapshot. Then, the "2-DAY Old Copy..." is captured by copying the "1-DAY Old Copy..." (NOT the Primary Snapshot !), and so on, until, finally, the "5-DAY Old Archive..." is captured by copying the "4-DAY Old Copy...". The way that the scheduled times are in a kind of "reverse order" is a subtle clue here.

Visually, here are the results (only 3 days) after implementing this new schedule:



Notice that the cycle has not quite completed yet only three days in and the "4-DAY Old Copy..." is not 4 days old yet !

The WEEKLY, BI-WEEKLY, and MONTHLY snapshots ARE captured by copying the Primary Snapshot, and as often as their name implies, on a more conventional schedule.

Hope that all makes sense !

And now...you know the rest of the story....
Paul Harvey..... Good day !

(Don't worry, those 2 lines only work for those who have listened to Paul Harvey on the radio, I don't even know if he's still around.)

P.S. For the REALLY critical observer, the snapshot ages are not really all consistent as of today because I changed my Windows password the day before yesterday and haven't yet updated the password on all scheduled tasks, including the FDISR copy schedule.

 

http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/k/peepwall.gif Well, don't forget: Acadia uses 10 snapshots and 6 archives !!

 

crofttk,
I thought I was a nerd...just kidding. I admire your setup. The thought that went into that setup is quite ingenious.

 

Awwww, shucks ...
(Thanks, dallen)

 

Question: OK I've purchased & installed FD and created a snapshot.

Now, say I want to create a special 'entertainment room' with nothing but entertainment (even delete my wife's account to save space on the snapshhot)- games, music, movies and fun and nothing else and boot to this snapshot when I wanted to be entertained. Is this possible? How best can I go about it?

Cheers

Dave

 

I have another important question.

I haven't booted into any snapshot yet. Now if I install software and games etc, etc. and boot to my secondary snapshot and and boot back into my primary snapshot will everything I installed be lost or is my primary snapshot never changed unless I add or take away or update over it with my secondary?

This is getting like chess and I am better at draughts/checkers.

Dave

 

No, worldcitizen, FirstDefense is not like Rollback RX, so everything will still be there when you return to the Primary; you never need to "save" anything, you can treat every Snapshot just as if it were an ordinary c:drive. Test it: just create a test Word document then boot into another Snapshot, then come back; you will see that the test Word doc is still there.

Acadia

 

That pretty much is up to you, however you want to do it. Remember, anything that you do to a Snapshot will NOT affect the others, so you can go ahead and fell free to experiment all you want. If you delete too much stuff and hose your system, only that one Snapshot will be hosed and you can boot into one of the others and restore the hosed one and start over.

Acadia

 

That's terrific! Thanks Acadia.

Dave