Returnil help please!

Discussion in 'sandboxing & virtualization' started by ratchet, Oct 9, 2007.

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  1. ratchet

    ratchet Registered Member

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    I'm being lazy, realizing if I search and read all of the threads the past several weeks I could probably come up with most answers. First of all let me state I feel quite comfortable, security wise, with Sandboxie (and its convenience), my Router, Firewall, Anti-Virus and Anti-Spywares.
    The questions: If I recall, R can be installed with or without the partition, correct? If only the session protection (or whatever it was called) is enabled is a reboot still necessary to come out of virtualized mode? How large is the partition and is it a practical means to test software? This is the reason I'll probably install it. Thank you for your help! ratchet
     
  2. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Yes it can be installed with out the partition
    Yes you always have to reboot to come out of the virtualization mode.
    You can set the partition for any size you want.
    Is it practical to test software, only if you don't need to reboot, and you realize you will need to reinstall after you test. This might cause activation issues.

    Returnil is excellent for safety when on line. But really for software testimg something like FDISR is more practical. You can keep it if you like it, or ditch it if you don't.

    Pete
     
  3. Coldmoon

    Coldmoon Returnil Moderator

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    Hi ratchet,
    Yes

    Yes, to turn the System Protection/Session Lock feature off, you must reboot your computer. This is not required to turn the protection on.

    The Virtual Partition and the System Protection are separate without the need for one or the other to function. The size is entirely up to the user, but must be created during the install. The partition file itself can be backed up, copied, or moved as long as it is not mounted and the destination or storage volume is large enough. Also the VP must be in its root folder to be mounted.

    If the program you are testing does not need a reboot to install, then it is possible to use Returnil for this purpose, but would suggest that a better way to test software would be to use something like VMWare, VPC, etc and use RVS to make sure any unforseen accidents do not effect your real System Partition. (EX: accidently dropping a trojan on your real desktop rather than in the virtual test session.)

    Mike
     
  4. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Not to steer this thread away, but is it normal when using Protection OFF then switching to Session Lock that upon reboot, the reboot time exhibits some delay? Reason i asked is i installed the latest Returnil, and let me say i'm now 100% confident in it's abilities because i run it thur the mill so to speak and it came thru repeatedly with flying colors. Great App!

    The delay i speak of was long enough and so i just pressed the RESET button to do the rebooting, but EVERYTHING is working magnificiently with this version. The added feature of the virtual partition is amazingly INSTANT! Many other programs i use for mounting a virtual are snails compared to Returnil's.

    You all have done a very remarkable job with this program, and it's so light.
     
  5. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

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    COLDMOON, If you can install with or without the partition, what's the difference in the operation? What can you do without installing the partition, and what can you do if you install the partition? As soon as I can understand the above, I'll install. Thanks in advance.:)
     
  6. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

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    Hi rachet and twl845, The virtual partition which is optional is just like a folder/partition to store things when you are in protected mode. As you probably already know, when your in protected mode, all changes to your system partition (normally C:\) are gone on reboot. If you opt in to create the virtual partition, you can store things in it or if you have an alternative partition (like D:\ etc.) you could use it to save things when protected. You can save things to the virtual partition when it is mounted. If it isn't mounted, it is just another file on your computer. The location of this file is at C:\RETURNIL\RVSYSTEM.IMG The size that you make it all depends on what you might want to save while in protected mode. I made mine 2,048,000KB which is 2Gigs. The virtual partition has no other impact on Returnils function. It's just an optional place to store/keep things. If you don't need to keep stuff while protected, you don't need a virtual partition or alternative partition.

    @ Easter, Hi, I haven't installed the new version yet, but experience no delay when using Session Lock and then rebooting. I normally only use session lock to get into protected mode. Hopefully someone can provide more info on their experiences with the new version. Cheers!

    It's also good to hear that you have tested Returnil. Would love to hear more details, but this isn't the proper place. I always enjoy hearing positive results from the software that I regularly use.

    edit: I wanted to add more details.
     
  7. tradetime

    tradetime Registered Member

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    I may be wrong, but my understanding of the VP is that it would mainly be used by people with only one partition and one drive. The VP in this case gives you somewhere to store things created during a locked session, when you reboot and come out of lock you can then copy stuff if necessary from the VP to wherever on your system drive. Obviously if you have more than one partition and or drive you can simply save anything you want to keep to the unprotected partition / drive. I have no VP on my desktop as I have a data partition, but use the VP on laptop which is unpartitioned.
    Can't say I have ever noticed that, would have to say that if there is a delay it is at best negligable, this applies to the older version, have not tried the new one yet.
     
  8. Coldmoon

    Coldmoon Returnil Moderator

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    Hi Easter,
    Thanks for the kind words and we will take a look at this but need some numbers to really know what is happening. If slower, how much and is it random or does it happen all the time?

    Mike
     
  9. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    I'll spend the rest of this night and into tomorrow with just taking Returnil thru certain paces just to be sure that it's not some random occurance that's of no real regard or not.

    I do have to repeat and say once again for the record, this latest version (for me the first LoL) is Spectacular and amazingly stable, very silent, and again the virtual MOUNT is instantaneous as in a flash and there it is.

    About the delay factor, my first guess was that maybe i installed too many programs at once (testing), and that it just takes some time for Returnil to discard all of them. Doesn't the virtual memory carry the same load as say a disc virtual would or not? Curious to learn of this.

    Still, this is a most very excellent and reliable program with everything in it's place and surely is different in a very favorable way.
     
  10. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

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    Inner Peace, Thanks for clearing that up for me.:D
     
  11. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Easter I ran an interesting test, which I'll post in the other thread, but I don't see any measureable delay in log off.

    Pete
     
  12. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

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    Your welcome. I had to figure it out myself. I had no idea what mounting a partition was before I installed Returnil :doubt: . It has been a fun learning experience.

    Cheers, innerpeace
     
  13. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

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    I just installed RVS and made a 2GB VP. I looked in windows explorer, and can't find C:\returnil\rvsystem.Img that you mentioned earlier. I did a search and couldn't find it. However, during installation when I opted for the VP, I saw the progress bar make it. Could it be in a different place in the new ver. 1.70 and possibly have a different name? I haven't turned it on yet because I want to read the manual some more first. :)
     
  14. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

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    Thanks guys and @Coldmoon

    NO more delay, i dunno why the "very first" try made for that concern, but i can say with complete confidence, NO DELAYS whatsoever now.\

    Works like a dream. I installed a ton of programs and loaded it up heavy as i could in Session Lock, rebooted, and the reboot proceeded as it always did.

    Thanks and sorry for raising any undo alarm.

    EASTER.....................Very Well Put Together App.
     
  15. Coldmoon

    Coldmoon Returnil Moderator

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    Hi twl845,
    The root folder is hidden now. To see it you have to enable view for hidden files/folders ;)

    Mike
     
  16. innerpeace

    innerpeace Registered Member

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    Ok, I just finished uninstalling the old version and installing the new. I could have sworn that I unchecked the box to keep my virtual partition. Upon installing I opted not to create the vp since I already thought I had one. I also opted not to have it mounted. Now I don't have a vp or know where to find it.

    I've always enabled the view to see hidden files and folders. The only thing I see now in C:\Returnil is rvsystem.dat. Any ideas as what to do or where specifically to search before the vp gets overwritten? Thanks

    @ twl845, sorry I couldn't answer your question. I was trying to install the new version to see If I could help. I've been sorta side-tracked Lol.

    edit: I tried finding the file with Recuva, but it didn't help. Considering that I uninstalled Returnil in safe mode and ran ccleaner afterwards, it may have deleted something important although it only deleted around 37MB. I tried both system restore points I made before the uninstall of the old version and before the install of the new with no positive results. I just reinstalled Returnil and created a new VP. I do see the newly created RVSYSTEM.IMG file in the C:\RETURNIL folder which I see is hidden ;). I'm not sure what happened before, but I'm fairly sure I unchecked the box to uninstall the vp when I first ran the uninstaller.
     
    Last edited: Oct 11, 2007
  17. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

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    Coldmoon. Thanks for the info. Without having looked yet, since the vp is hidden, how do you access things you have saved in the vp, in order to move them to the hard disk?

    Innerpeace - Sorry you had a problem trying to help me. I hope losing your old vp didn't screw you up. At least you have the new version OK.:)
     
  18. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Once you've rebooted and turned protection off just mount the partition and you should see it with your other disks. Just copy out what you want.

    Pete
     
  19. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

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    Thanks for that info. :)
     
  20. Long View

    Long View Registered Member

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    Don't follow you here Peter. I can't think of any programs that don't require a reboot but still require activation. Just curious - could you clarify ?
     
  21. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    What I was getting at is you install and activate, and then reboot. Program gone, and then if you want to reinstall you would have to reactivate. May not be an issue in many instances, but just something to be aware of.
     
  22. Long View

    Long View Registered Member

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    Thanks - I get what you are saying. To date I have managed to avoid all non MS activation with the exception of Paperport.
     
  23. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

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    I just took RVS for its maiden spin. It's really great. Everything worked very well. I only had one incident on reboot. I got a BOClean error saying it couldn't do an update. It never did that before. I did the update manually and BOC was OK again. I hope this won't happen every time I turn off protection on a reboot. I'll check again the next time I use RVS.:) Thanks again to all for the help.
     
  24. Coldmoon

    Coldmoon Returnil Moderator

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    Hi,
    There should not be any issue with getting or applying an update when using the protection feature, but the update will be gone when you reboot if it is on. The solution is similar to working with Antivirus and Microsoft updates:

    1) Install BOClean on an alternate data/program partition if possible. This will allow it to update/upgrade with the least issues.

    2) Change the default save/load directory for the siganture updates to an alternate data partition if possible or #1 is not available.

    3) If #'s 1 &2 are not available, use the Protection Scheduler to allow the program to update/scan/clean when the RVS protection is turned off.

    Mike
     
  25. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

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    OK I'll try #3. Thanks again for the info. :)
     
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