Returnil Virtual Partition Questions

I am considering trying Returnil Premium in the coming weeks. When reading through the manual I noticed the option of creating a "Virtual Partition".

1. What is a "Virtual Partition"?
2. I assume that if this partition is "Virtual" that it actually makes no changes to the C:\ partition. Is this the case? I have plenty of free space on my C:\ partition but I just want to make sure that there is no chance of data damage to the C:\ partition if I select the "Virtual Partition" option.
3. What are the positives and negatives to having a "Virtual Partition"?

Thank You.

 

1. What is a "Virtual Partition"?

Easiest way to look at it... Returnil creates a folder that your system sees and can use as a separate partition (will show up as Z drive by default).

2. I assume that if this partition is "Virtual" that it actually makes no changes to the C:\ partition. Is this the case? I have plenty of free space on my C:\ partition but I just want to make sure that there is no chance of data damage to the C:\ partition if I select the "Virtual Partition" option.

The only real change is that you will have another folder on the C drive and you will lose the disc space used by it.

3. What are the positives and negatives to having a "Virtual Partition"?

Main +/-

+ provides a place to store data you wish to keep even if system protection is active for the main partition (virtual partition can be mounted and unmounted at will...contents of the virtual partition are inaccessible when unmounted)

- takes up disc space and isn't necessary if you already have a separate partition or a flash drive to save data to when system protection is active

 

Hi there

If I were to let my free license lapse, would the VP still be accessible for write/read?

If so, would it be permanently available, except in the case of uninstalling Returnil?

(Site faq states that if license lapses, the availability of the VP will depend on your license type.)

Thanks in advance.

philby

 

Yes, the VP remains accessible/useable

Yes

 

So if I were to accidentally save malware in the virtual partition it wouldn't be able to break out into the main partition?

Also if I were to mount the vp save some info/files into there and then unmount that stuff would remain even after rebooting?

 

This is not the correct way to visualize this. There are two states the VP can be in: Mounted and dismounted. In the former case, the VP will be seen and work in a similar way to any other non-system partition on or attached to your computer. Being a non-system "drive", any content saved within it will not be lost at restart but if malicious it will be impotent as the changes it needed to make to your real system registry would be lost at restart and as a result would be inactive.

In the latter case (dismounted), the VP is nothing other than a very large file on your system partition (2.0.0) or non-system partition (2.0.1). Any content within the VP would not be accessible as RVS is the only program that can mount (open) the VP. As a result, malicious content would again be impotent.

Yes

 

So even if I mount the vp while protection is off as long as I don't transfer any malicious file into the real partition I wont get infected?

 

No, if protection is off and you activate the malicious content from within the VP, you have the same chance of being infected as you would without RVS installed.