Which Product to Use?

Howdy, my name is what my name is... Glad to meet ya!

First time user, trying to sort out which product for which use... LoL

Hope you read all of this...

Case #1

elderly woman, just started using the computer... lives in assisted living, has orderlies in and out periodically... would like to use PC for checking bank balances, some Skype, web based email (no local saving, EXCEPT pictures?), and card games.

PC is Windows XP SP3, 1G ram, ?40?G HD. TWO partitions, C: and Compaq Recovery.

I need to be able to remote access this machine to install updates without returnil blocking them.

Which product would be best for this scenario?

Best case for me would be:

Login remotely (VNC)
disable returnil
install updates
reboot if update requires it
still be able to log in (VNC)
check if updates went in correctly
re-activate returnil
log out of VNC


But from my fiddling with trial versions and LITE versions and FREE versions...

I can't for the life of my find a way to do the steps I listed above...

No matter what, I have an issue with re-connecting through VNC after disabling returnil and rebooting... It looks like I would need my tunneling program to ALWAYS load on this machine... and that isn't practical.


The reasons for believing this Returnil software would be ideal:

XP SP3 gets very few critical updates anymore.
Elderly woman (90+yrs old!) could make mistakes and 'lose' stuff without Returnil
K.I.S.S.-ability (seems like it at least)

There is Avast! Free, and it is free for personal use... so I could use that on her machine for anti-virus.

I am concerned about the lack of a LIFETIME subscription for your software... this specific customer in question would be fine locked in to a specific version (unless you have some MAJOR bug that is fixed down the road).

I am unsure about what functionality is 'lost' when a subscription expires. Can you please elaborate?

For this scenario, there is a budget of $100.


Case #2

A family member is in a similar problem, except she does EBay... which entails a LOT of picture taking, uploading, typing, etc. She also needs to be able to save to her Desktop and My Documents folders. She runs Windows 7.

For this scenario, there is no need for remote control of any sort. Once the system is 'set up', she needs to be able to easily apply updates (like a Pause without reboot if possible, or re-activate protection 30mins after reboot?) and NOT lose her pictures and files.

Which program would be best for this scenario, and why?


Please respond as soon as possible, as Case #1 is under time restraints to implement.

thank you and have a wonderful day!

 

some additional thoughts

Case #1

I could use a batch file in the startup folder to call an additional batch file in an unprotected location that stores whether to load the VNC module or not... thereby allowing me provide the end user with an icon to "activate" remote control upon reboot.

AND this way would allow me to still login after applying updates and rebooting...

then all I have to do is make sure to remove the flag in the 2nd batch file so it doesn't auto 'listen' for the remote control...

I've read a LOT of the forums now and believe it may also be possible to use something referred to as the console (I assume NOT the 'cmd' command console built into Windows) to do all these steps remotely? Perhaps somehow write a script to deactivate virtualization AND enable VNC on reboot?

But the REAL question is... which product for this purpose? They all have very similar names, and I understand this 'vertical' approach... that's fine and all... so please tell me which specific product would do this best?

Possibly more important question, will ANY version of your software revert to a 'free' version after a full year if not renewed that will prohibit continual daily protection? If so, would the scenario I proposed above allow me to remotely install the updated version when necessary?


Would ONE of your products be able to do the above requirements AND help out in my previous 'Case #2' in the above post? So it could qualify for the 3 license discount if I add just 1 more?

I am eagerly waiting a response...!

 

Hello BenjaminRossington and welcome to the forums

Case 1

All three versions are appropriate here but with a difference. The key is to be able to save some specific content to the real system while ensuring the rest is lost at restart of the computer. In the 2x RVS Lite 2011 product this is handled through traditional exclusions (IOWs, exclude file "A" and/or Folder "X" from being virtualized). In the 3x generation (RSS and RVS Pro 2011) this is handled through a File Manager process where you specify the exact files and/or folders (sub folders included) and this content is then saved to the real disk per your preferences (either manually or automatically).

IOWs, this is configured at the client level.

This should be fine with all versions of the software.

In the 3x generation, this is handled through the Returnil Commander remote management console that is accessible through any JAVA enabled device or browser with an Internet connection. In the 2x generation, remote management is limited to the LAN.

A. There would be no interference from any of the versions.

B. All three versions would allow you to do this from the client GUI or through their respective management consoles. Remember however that the Lite (v2x) versions are limited to remote management from within the same LAN.

C. No updates, regardless of which version support this while in Virtual Mode. Due to the nature of the virtualization technology, you will need to 1. Deactivate the Virtual Mode and then restart the computer to release the protection. Once the VM is released, you can install any/all updates or upgrades. The only difference here is that Returnil can update its internal components while in Virtual Mode short of a program upgrade (messages, Virus Guard, cloud, and white list updates are supported).

D. Both types of remote management consoles support remote power cycling of your clients.

E. This is trickier and your follow up post makes me think you may be encountering a type of issue associated with a known limitation of the technology: selective changes to the registry are not supported in the way that they are with files and folders. Though you can make some changes to the registry using the "Access Real Disk" tools in the 3x versions, this is not possible with the 2x version. Also note that the changes made are only supported one at a time (IOWs, no mass edit option for your registry hives).

The ARD tool for the registry allows you to move a change from the Virtual System to the real system (An visa-versa) but only one change at a time. This feature was designed as an admin convenience tool that would allow a technician to make a quick change on the fly during a service call or client system update (ref: profile update, etc).

The main core of the issue is secure client/server certificate exchanges where a client will connect to a server through a certificate exchange and then at a later time the server updates the certificates. This update is then lost at restart of the client which then restores the outdated certificate and the server then sees the client as an intruder. There are a couple of ways to address this with one being restart of the server or having the Virtual Mode feature turned off on the client at time of server certificate update(s).

F. Is a bit vague. You should be able to see the result of the updates through your VNC connection, but as mentioned above, you may be loosing the VNC session when the client is restarted so you would need to open a new connection to the client post restart.

G. The Virtual Mode can be reactivated through the respective consoles or the client GUI as required without need for restart of the client computer.

H. If you have a connected session, your should have not difficulty logging out of VNC with any version.

This should work as long as the VNC supports command line operation. Just be sure to create and save the batch file while the VM is turned off OR[/] use the appropriate mechanism in your chosen version of the software to save the file to the real disk (3x) or exclude it from Virtual Mode (2x). In the 3x versions, you can update required changes to the batch file through the File Manager with autosave active.

For consumer level use, I would recommend either Returnil System Safe Pro 2011 or Returnil Virtual System Pro 2011. The Returnil Virtual System Lite 2001 series has a 5 seat minimum, is limited to same network remote management, and has high security networks with limited or no Internet access in mind with its design.

Mike

 

This is possible with all three versions as explained in my previous post.

As described, all 3 versions support saving of content to the real disk. The only "rub" here would be the ability to apply updates without a restart of the computer to release the Virtual Mode protection feature. This is also valid for disk defragmentation and backups/imaging.

Mike

 

thank you very much! i'll repost here if I need more help.