System Restore Alternative

I currently use ATI 10 to create a complete image backup of my drive, which i store on an external hard drive. However, i dont want to have to keep reverting to this whenever theres been a bad program installation etc. I dont find system restore adaquete so i was wondering what could be used as an alternative? Im considering some type of snapshot software similar to system restore which would very quickly restore my system, without touching document files etc.

Im considering FD-ISR for this but i believe this restores your computer on every reboot. I want something which would only restore when i want it to. Any recommendations?

 

fd-ISR can be set to restore on every boot up but it isnt its primary usage.
its primary usage is to create a snapshot of your system.
then if windows wont boot due to a driver issue or whatever then you hold down a certain key at boot time and then it comes up with a list of your snapshots to restore to.
lodore

 

I understand. Cheers mate, this really helped me out. Are there other programs working in the same way that restore faster than FD-ISR?

 

Using RollBack Rx here.

 

Ive read that this has problems when defragging?

 

When I used it I had no problems with defragging (with other defraggers than RB internal, which I guess you are referring to? ) other than it was pointless, it did no good or bad really, since rollback took care of the defragging.

 

Since you are already familiar with the concepts and practise of backing up via images, I would say both FD-ISR, and from what I've read about it RollbackRx would be ideal for what you want, so why not trial them and see which best suits your needs. With an up to date image you can always clean them off completely afterwards if unsuitable

 

FDISR does NOT restore your computer on every reboot. I'm doing this, because I told FDISR to do this for me.
I work with a frozen snapshot, but you don't have to use a frozen snapshot, use normal snapshots like most FDISR-users.

With a copy/update you can restore your computer at any moment and at free will.

 

Thanks for explaining. Im really tempted by FD-ISR. But again, is there anything else that functions in the same way that restores faster?

 

I dont think there are any software that gives a full restore faster than it takes to reboot.

 

Alot of users THINK that FDISR is slow, that's because FDISR starts slow and you can't learn FDISR in one day.
I use FDISR in a very efficient way. FDISR can also be used in very inefficient way, it depends on the user behind the keyboard and some people have less imagination than others.

FDISR is only slower, when you have to create new snapshots, new archives, new compressed snapshots and new freeze storage.

FDISR is much faster, when you have to update existing snapshots, existing archives, existing compressed snapshots and existing freeze storage.

FDISR is the fastest backup method I know, it updates my archives in seconds or a few minuts. That's why I use it as second backup, if my image backup would fail to restore an image.

 

Regarding defrag with Rollback, Rollback only defrags it's own created images. Defrag software won't work with Rollback installed. If it did, it could be detrimental to the images. Rollback permits it to appear as if the defrag is operating, but it's really just spinning it's wheels.

Rollback intends to address the problem later.

 

Thanks for your help everyone. Ive decided to turn o SR, and now using FD-ISR. It really is great.

 

I have to agree 100% with Erik's comments regarding misconceptions about FD-ISR's speed.

AFTER you FIRST take care of the basics like explained, and venture (if you choose)(depending on space) into creating additional snapshots, you'll be doing yourself a HUGE favor for confidence in also creating ARCHIVES! then set forth (if you can) to storing those thru the FD-ISR program to either another partition/hard drive (External/Internal) even pen drive or DVD's.

That way if you need or want, to you can reverse build ANY of those previous snapshots On-The-Fly if you will and thus PRESERVE "all" your settings/programs etc.

I also find Copy/Updating to snapshots/archives literally takes only seconds to sometimes a minute or so, at any rate, it's plenty fast in that it restores intact 100%!

I find it is one amazing piece of software and there are plenty enough options to experiment safely.

 

Sorry to dig up this thread, but thought it would be better than creating a new one.
So, basically FD-ISR is like a combination of System Restore and Acronis True Image/Norton Ghost? Or am I misunderstanding? What is the difference in the approach of System Restore and FD-ISR?

 

FDISR is not a combination Immediate System Recovery (ISR) AND Image Backup (IB).

FDISR is an Immediate System Recovery software and nothing more than that.
FDISR only recovers the system partition, where Windows is installed and ignores any other partition.
ISR in general are fast and convenient. ISR is luxury, you don't really need it, but once you have it, you can't miss it anymore, like any luxury.

IB does a backup/restore of any partition. IB is slower, less convenient. IB is a must have, even when you have ISR.

 

That doesn't answer my question as to what is the difference between System Restore and FD-ISR and mainly the Last Good Known Configuration option in the boot menu.

 

Sorry, my bad. What you call System Restore, I call Windows System Restore.
Windows System Restore is useless, when you cannot boot in Windows anymore and this can happen any time when you install a new software.
The only way to solve this, is restoring an image with an Image Backup software, if you don't have an ISR-software, which is rather slow.
Another way to solve this is using an ISR-software, that starts BEFORE Windows starts and that is faster than restoring an image.

I had several frozen BSOD's or a neverending reboot and FDISR saved me every time.
It depends how fast you want to be back in business. If time doesn't matter, use a reliable IB-software. If time matters, use an ISR-software AND an IB-software.

 

Why is it that IB can be used alone, whereas ISR is advised to be accompanied by IB as well?

 

So true,i praise myself a happy camper to get into and use this stuff with great relieve from worries and doubts,all the more so if i look around at my place seeing so many devastated people crying for help totally at a loss how to get in business again,paying big money to incapable solutionists.For the general public computers are scary stuff.Ones upon a time it was the same with me but wrenching my brain to get the hang of all this stuff it gradually paid off at least to keep my rigs now in good shape and how to use these " Disaster Softwares ".