"Where do I begin?"

Discussion in 'FirstDefense-ISR Forum' started by SG1, Sep 2, 2007.

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  1. SG1

    SG1 Registered Member

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    Am thinking of trying FDISR, & ShadowProtect, as some here have mentioned.

    a) Have about 33GB left on C drive; I could undertake the Herculean task of shoveling out the Augean stables and free up more of C drive, if it's considered best for FDISR in particular - the more room the better, for FDISR? Have about 20GB left on E and can/will clean that out too, as one can store FDISR archives on another drive, I think?

    b) Can one long after the fact, partition the C drive? IF that is a good idea, what Part. Mgr. might you recommend? OR, is that a task one should carry out at the start, with a new drive? Haven't hitherto gone down that road, so I'm not up on the why/when/how of it.

    c) From what I've read thus far, one should be "prudent" in the use of

    1) Perfect Disk; - have D'l that fix if needed, as mentioned here,
    2) shut off DCS app PG in order to move/copy/del some files of FDISR,
    3) and also to be hesitant in use of registry cleaners. (I do have one ver of JV16 PTools where in it does Reg. backups, & one can Ignore file/s such as those belonging to FDISR as mentioned on this forum). I know part of this lies in how well an app "takes to" your PC or not, to a point.

    Does the above "roughly" cover the bases, OR, are there other known apps (esp. security apps), that may collide with FDISR and/or ShadowProtect?

    Any other thoughts, in general, are most welcome.
     
  2. tradetime

    tradetime Registered Member

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    Shovel it out,you'll feel better for it ;) Fd-isr makes snapshots of your system partition which are the same size as the system partition so it will thank you for the space. You can of course as you say create archives which can be stored on other partitions or drives.
    Great question, well presented, deserves an answer! Sadly I don'thave one, but look forward to someone else filling us both in on that one.
    Perfect disc, I think is a Raxco product, and if I'm correct I think it already knows not to mess with fd-isr
    DCS in PGo_O Am thinking this is Process Guard?? I find it wise to disable/shutdown all protective security type software when using fd-isr, it is highly likely that something will interfere, though I do seem to have trained ssm.
    Registry cleaners, are only an issue if you don't know what they are removing, if you do, then just don't let them remove any fd-isr keys.
     
  3. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    SG1,
    You have to do some calculations of course, two volumes are important.
    1. Your data volume = volume of your folder "My Documents"
    2. Your system volume = the rest of your harddisk : Windows + All applications.

    Regarding your personal data, you have to make a decision :
    1. No anchoring of folder "My Documents" in FDISR, data included by FDISR.
    2. Anchoring of folder "My Documents" in FDISR, data ignored by FDISR
    3. Separate partition for the folder "My Documents", data ignored by FDISR.

    You need minimum 2 snapshots :
    1. The primary snapshot is always your work snapshot.
    2. The secondary snapshot can be a rollback/refuge snapshot or a pure refuge snapshot or another work/refuge snapshot
    The maximum number of bootable snapshots = 10
    The number of archives is unlimited, but you cannot boot in an archive.

    FDISR works only on the system partition [C:] and ignores any other partition or harddisk.
    The main purpose of FDISR is to restore your system of course, not your data.

    The classical setup of FDISR after installation is :
    1. Primary Snapshot = work snapshot, data included
    2. Secondary Snapshot = rollback/refuge snapshot, data included.
    There is no anchoring after installation.
    This is also the recommended way to learn FDISR gradually.
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2007
  4. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Hi SG1

    The others have covered a lot of the bases. Not sure if its ever to late to partition. I would defrag with Perfect Disk first. I've used Acronis Disk Director 10 from a Bartpe disk, and had sucess with it. Just don't get to fancy with it. Particularly leave the partition table editor alone!!!

    Also registry. I use RegsupremePro. I run a "normal" scan, select everything and use "Fix" instead of "remove". I have never had any problems from this. Now some other registry tools is another thing.

    Pete
     
  5. tradetime

    tradetime Registered Member

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    I wonder is it possible to do that with success using either the built in utility in windows, my c drive is one large partition, and reading a lot of what Erik has posted I do now see the merrit of having a separate data partition, as imaging 120GB partition is a tad excessive. With my next system I will take care of this from the outset, but if the process was not risky I would consider experimenting with this one.
     
  6. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    I don't know about doing with Windows stuff. I'd have a good image first. I still don't bother with separate partitons, and I have large drives. My c: drive is 640gb with one partition. I keep data on it, but large stuff like program files and a few vids I keep on separate external drives. My c: drive is only 28gb out of the 640gb so image time is quite fast. Thats me.
     
  7. tradetime

    tradetime Registered Member

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    Fair enough Peter, I prolly won't bother, sometimes adjusting things for the sake of adjusting them brings little real benefit, and can bring real problems. My setup serves my purpose as is, so really thst should be my prime consideration, cheers for the feedback anyways.
     
  8. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

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    @SG1
    lol, a classical scholar amongst us
    :)
    I am a one partition bore.
    Simple home user with one currently functioning desktop.
    I like to "play" with stuff.
    Just easier for me when imaging.
    Keep it reasonably lean with all non essential stuff on another partition on Primary Drive.
    Use external drive for images, archives etc.
    Correct, FDISR will take 'snaps' of your "C" and keep them there: all about the same size for simple calculations.
    Archives best kept on external or secondary drive.
    Yes, I have 2 partitions as noted above, just to keep C size manageable.
    My partition mgr of choice = BING. Faultless, safe, small.

    Partitioning choices depend on user and "organization" needs.
    My single "C" partition on primary drive has all non (easily) replaceable stuff.

    Raxco PD defragger of choice: no issues here
    PG has caused some issues.
    Some security apps and FW have had issues.
    In the past CyberHawk for one, currently Comodo FW needs adjusting
    RegCleaners: see pete's post. I use CCleaner and older version of JV16 RegCleaner with no issues in Primary snapshot. ( ymmv ! some have reported problems)

    Primary: 200G
    "C" 150G with system and other files ~15G: + 2 FDISR snaps = 45G, ~ 90G free: This is the one I want to protect and save.
    "G" 50G has VMs = 15G, 35 28 free oops forgot I have 2 small 6G partitions for trying Linux distros : easy to replace any of these.
    (Because I use BING from floppy for partition management 4 is the max partitions without actually installing BING)

    External USB drive: 200G in two partitions: image storage, FDISR archives, documents, some baseline VM files.
    Other Dls: apps, vids, music etc

    Still plenty of space left on all partitions.

    Finally got round to burning all my current utilities with licensing etc to CD recently

    Also have mini USB with work critical database, backed up 4x/daily and shuttled to and from office box: another imaging/restore story there.

    Just a simple "tree" for me ( although it looks complex :blink: ): I have tried for KISS.
    Not a sophisticated user. Not sophisticated equipment.

    If I 'lost' primary drive: restore from images or FDSIR archive.

    None of my Partitions take more than 40 minutes for a full image.
    Initial FDISR image took ~ 1 hour, copy/update since then ~5-10 mins per snapshot/archive.

    Not really very automated, and highly personalised, which is prolly main flaws.
    Requires some fairly strict self discipline for maintenance: wetware is the weakest point. ;)
    I am about to do HW upgrade and will likely spread this a bit differently.
    One box for "play" and testing, one for ,ahem, actual productive $ related work

    Also giving consideration to "whole disc" imaging options
    GoodLuck.

    ACtually, cant believe how this has become so complicated: maybe time for rethink: too many options, lol.
    This started out as what was meant to be a simple quick response to you, sorry for the verbiage
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2007
  9. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    My post just showed the possibilities. I stopped recommending my setup, because in most cases, users don't have a second internal harddisk or they don't want to do it.
    My setup is not that difficult.

    Internal Harddisk #1 - System Partition[C:] = Windows + FDISR + Applications
    Internal Harddisk #2 - Data Partition[D:] = personal files, email, email-addresses or simply said : all my hard work.
    External Harddisk #1 - Backup Partition[E:] = SP-images + FDISR-archives.

    I use SP Recovery CD to backup/restore my System Partition[C:]
    I use Karen's Replicator to backup/restore my Data Partition[D:]

    My videos are also stored on my Data Partition[D:], but not permanently. When I have enough, I burn them on DVD and then I remove them from my Data Partition[D:]

    My data requires a daily backup, my system only when needed.
    When I fool around with my system partition, nothing can happen to my data.
    I don't even have to backup my data, when I re-install my system or try a total different system setup.
    I don't even feel that I have a Data Partition, when I create/edit/delete personal data, emails, ... because all my softwares have the right folder settings to do this automatically.
     
  10. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

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    Yes
    More elegant than mine.

    Apologies to any readers and SG1: I didn't really mean to spin that ( my post) out so far. :blink: and I'm not suggesting a template.

    I have got a bit overcomplex recently while testing/loading up with Linux and using some VMs.
    If i took all that off, be much simpler:
    Heh: need another external HD methinks: great pieces of kit they are.
    Life is just like that. ;)
    regards :thumb:

    @SG1; the core message I guess is that with FDISR, a good imager,partition manager, a couple of external (or internal) HDs, some reasonable back-up routines:~ Lock and load: have some fun.
    Multiple OSs , VMs, Linux distros: go for it.
    I'm an old fart, cant be that hard. :cool:
    Stick FDISR on you wont regret it: get 'familiar' with it then use it as 'launch pad" Get an extra HD. then get lost in own computer like me LOL

    AFAICR Peter had FDISR restoring images in a VM: he was heading into another dimension...:D
    Also i am sure Peterhas experimened with imaging and VMs: just another file system.

    shite, now I'm raving on again..sorry.

    Just one more observation: whatever imaging you use: you mentioned SP, you should be able to import/restore an image into A VM: SP is in partnership with VMWare. BING, IFW images can be restored in VMware.
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2007
  11. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    ROFL. But you are right. Imaging a drive with FDISR on it that was in a vm machine, which of course resides in a FDISR snapshot on the host drive. That stuff is twilight zone.
     
  12. SG1

    SG1 Registered Member

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    Many thanks to all, for thoughts on my query; found it a big help as always (which is why I love coming here), as it's great for finding those with a good deal of exp. in certain areas such as this. Always helpful folks here. :)

    Longboard: glad you caught the quip about "the Augean stables" comparison to the HDs that I have. Gonna' make an icon someday for the drives as little garages, with barb wire around them, cars up on blocks, mean dogs in the yard with a sign posted to keep poachers out; name of said icon will be My **it or something similar.

    The HD represents our own "style" or mess, etc., and as I don't want to lose it - settings, etc., which has me now slowly creeping up on apps like FDISR, ShadowProtect or something in that vein.

    Have been fanatical of late, re backups, but that may take me just so far in case of train wreck. (Nearly had one tonight, too: possibly in trying Link Scanner Pro setup) or perhaps it was RegDefend butting in... after I started to be more faithful about shutting off PG from DCS.

    Anyway, that's why I hesitate a bit about FDISR etc. Seems the trouble comes, when trying out (some) apps, tho' I can't address install of FDISR as of yet.

    Also, may have to stop messing around with reg. cleaner/s and in particular, if one doesn't look very closely at the given settings - tho' by and large, those apps really have served me well.

    Did defrag first, with 7.0 PD, cleaned the reg., AND cleaned off the 80 GB C drive so as to have 50.1 GB free; about the best I can do, and hope it's enough for FDISR to work with should I become bold enough to try it.
     
  13. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

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    heh..sharing are we?
    As ludicrous as it sounds 80G may not be enough for you atm.

    If your "C" partition is 30G on on your primary HD, then you wont/may not have enough space for a really effective workable solution with FDISR. :doubt:

    I suspect most people have at least three working snapshots with FDISR on primary HD and at least one archive (.arx) on external HD.

    As to your issues with security apps and RegCleaners: try PM to Peter he has a really high level expertise and experience with imaging and FDISR and a quite unique security wall as I recall. He has really turned his box inside out deliberately on several occasions and recovered. There is almost nothing he has not tested with FDISR and SP and if he hasn't someonelse here will have.

    Get an external HD if you can, bet you could get the "C" a little slimmer ;)
    Erik is a strong proponent of separating System on "C" and data elsewhere.
    See his earlier post in this thread for what might be an option if the 8oG is what you've got to work with. He also has extensive experience with the 'Frozen Snapshot' option which might be an option for you.

    Regards.
     
  14. tradetime

    tradetime Registered Member

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    As Erik mentioned, I think, when you setup fd-isr you can "anchor" certain folders and they will not be included in your snapshots, this can considerably reduces the size of them. A typical folder to anchor is the "My Documents" folder, as this often contains a lot of cr@p. This folder would then be accessable to all snapshots, but would only have one instance of it, so if it's contents were of value you should back it up with another method. Of course there is no requirement to have lots of snapshots, unless you want to boot into them, only need your working and a refuge/rollback snap, then you can easily make archives to another drive.
     
  15. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Hi SG1

    If the C: drive is all you have, I would strongly encourage getting a good sized external drive. That way you can keep archives off your c: drive and just have a stripped down secondary snapshot to boot into.

    Registry cleaners can be a disaster. I've had outstanding sucess with RegsupremePro, but some of them gave me ample proof of the value of FDISR. I no longer play with them, I stick with what works.

    Longboard is right, between FDISR and SP I've tortured my machines about as badly as can be done.

    I used quite a few different imaging programs, and all have worked, although pusing to extremes a few have failed under certain cirumstances. I've never had a failure to restore with SP, even when I've pushed it hard. Even their beta's have been pretty robust.

    Pete
     
  16. Karen76

    Karen76 Registered Member

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    I heartily concur with Peter2150's recommendation of a good, large capacity external drive. I'm partial to Seagate's FreeAgent series. If you have even a single Seagate or Maxtor drive (internal or external) attached to your PC then you can download a free, stripped-down version (no incrementals or scheduled backups) of Acronis True Image v10 from Seagate (either DiscWizard or MaxBlast). I've always found ATI to be reliable so long as I only make full image backups and never use the Secure Zone feature.

    As far as registry cleaners, I had good luck with Registry Mechanic, Ace Utilities, and TuneUp Utilities on my XP PC, but I did get burned once using CCleaner. I thought I was protected with my FD-ISR backup snapshots. The problem is a registry cleaner may delete a necessary registry key and you may not discover this until weeks later, after you've updated your snapshots and unwittingly copying the error. Another reason to keep at least one fairly old archive snapshot.

    I've avoided using any registry cleaner on my new Vista PC. I've got enough Vista-related problems without adding to them by messing with the registry. :)
     
  17. tradetime

    tradetime Registered Member

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    I have used RegSeeker, JV RegCleaner (is not fond of multi core processers though) and CCleaner, so far without problems, but I am very cautious about what I delete. If I don't know what it is I am about to delete then I don't delete. I never use any auto deleting functions, just slow key by key delete, as a result they always throw a lot of things up in a scan, but since these do not seem to affect my system I ignore them.
     
  18. ErikAlbert

    ErikAlbert Registered Member

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    I prefer two internal harddisks on my computer. I don't like to store my precious data on the same partition with Windows, which is the main target of the bad guys/malware. More and more users do this and I've seen it several times as a security recommendation on websites during my surfings.
    A system partition can be restored very fast, because it contains only Windows and Applications, which has also a stable volume. It doesn't matter what happens on your system partition, because your data is stored on another harddisk.
    One harddisk is just common for brand computers and most users are only familiar with ONE harddisk.
     
  19. SG1

    SG1 Registered Member

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    Many thanks, for further replies, & thoughts on this.

    I did have 3 HDs, but older/smaller one kacked off on me, or is nearing that point (but luckily that one too was just another junk garage - gotta' stop that. I keep copies of copies of copies, betting on which drive will fail first). So, EVENTUALLY, I could find something if I need it, but...

    Had also been edging toward idea of all bigger drives, and an ext. HD atop that, perhaps.

    * Not sure how that'd work, though - making exact copy of current C drive to another, newer, bigger drive. You plug in new drive and then, what... have to serve at BIOS altar re new settings or does AutoDetect see all that?

    But then, I'd have new drive with same heap of stuff on it, and old reg. settings, etc., right? How would you sort that out, or, is that the time to Part. the new C drive; move alot of stuff off it to area on one of the other new drives?

    Ack! Got in a tizzy, thinking about it. What's the route to go on something like this? Do have vacation time coming up before long, and I could tackles things then.
     
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