Using Rollback in a slightly different way

I've recently been trying out a slightly different (for me) way of working with Rollback by using its restore on restart facility. I'd tried this out a while ago as a means of freezing the baseline but didn't find it practical as there seemed to be a few too many applications which needed current data.

I also found it a problem as the other users would insist on putting downloaded software on the Desktop (because you can see it there) and then on restarting the PC it would have gone missing .

This is what I am trying out now which seems to be fairly 'user proof':

The drive has two partitions, C and D, for system and data respectively.

Using the folder mover utility (free from here), I moved the major locations for data (My Documents etc) to the D drive. This also included moving the Desktop folder, which I hadn't tried previously. There were a few other pieces to re-install, moving their installation folders to the D drive. These were anti-virus, anti-spyware etc software which could have stayed on the system drive but which would need updating each time the PC was re-booted.

Rollback was installed and configured to restore to the latest snapshot on re-booting and to take a snapshot before doing so. It was also set to delete restart snapshots after 14 days.

This means that, if I want to make changes to the system, I can do so. If I don't want to keep them then I just reboot and they are gone. If I want to keep them then I just take a snapshot (less than 10 seconds) and, on re-booting, those changes will still be there.

If I reboot and subsequently discover that a precious download had been filed on the system drive and was now gone then it's not a problem as it will be available via the snapshot that was automatically taken on rebooting. These are kept for 14 days which should be ample time to discover any issues.

The system drive stays pretty static and is imaged when necessary and the data drive is imaged normally and My Documents etc are backed up off-site as well using Mozy.

What I quite like about this method is that it is transparent to the user, whoever they are. They don't need to have any understanding of when they might be at risk while surfing the internet. If they get any problems then they will be cleared out on rebooting .

Graham

 

Graham,

Very interesting. When you mean, Rollback is set to automatically restart in current snapshot, do you mean that is an option that we must set or is that default behavior of program? I am using version 8 right now again wiating for them to update and fix some bugs at least I have experienced. They said update would be soon. Thanks.

Gary

 

Hi Gary,

No, it is not the default. You just set it up as a scheduled task from the main menu.

Graham

 

Thanks and I will take a look.

Gary

 

I've been using Rollback on restore on reboot to current snapshot for quite some time now. I also installed my antivirus NOD32 on my D drive which would update and stay updated after reboot. I also have my browsers, ie. Opera and Poertable Firefox on my D drive and I also save my files and documents on my D drive. C drive remains my other system and programs drive which I update sometimes and just take a snapshot when I do so.

Have been serving me very well in this way !

 

@nanana1
I'm only a novice as I've only tried it for the past 3-4 weeks. I certainly haven't had any issues with it so far though and it is nice to keep the system free from clutter.

Graham

 

Another way is to use RBrx with Returnil in session mode...Works great for me...Snapshots only on demand,turning on returnil before entering inet,save files to other drive...

 

What is the name of the free program for moving folders that you mention in your post, and where can I get it? thanks
jakson

 

try here

http://www.eazsolution.com/en/download_foldermover.php

 

thanks for this. i'm wondering which is better or more stable: rollback rx or EAZ-FIX Professional? they both look very similar to each other.

 

Eaz-Fix is a clone of RollbackRx, there is no difference.
FirstDefense-ISR has also two clones : BootBack and Peer-ISR, but they are all the same. Leapfrog is the developer.