Windows SteadyState for XP

hmm it seems like they updated the shared toolkit and named it steadystate. some of the updates look pretty cool (i especially like the fact that they made it easier to use, the shared toolkit version was a pain to get going). i wonder how this now fares vs powershadow and deepfreeze. thanks for the link ronjor!

 

I wonder that too, especially when it comes from M$. How far goes that protection and will it be the same as my frozen snapshot ?
Is this real-time protection ?

P.S.: I was already glad, I passed the Windows Genuine Check.

 

Well, at least they changed the name. With their Vista fiasco, you have to wonder what kind of marketing geniuses they have in Redmond. I mean, really, the "Microsoft® Shared Computer Toolkit for Windows XP" SteadyState makes a bit more sense.

 

I always thought the MS Shared Computer Toolkit was a good idea (coming from microsoft) and liked the program, lets have a look.

edit: okay no user profile hive cleanup service required nor repartitioning now.

 

Good, the repartitioning is one of the reasons I have put off trying this. Here is a link to thorough description of the old Shared Computer Toolkit. http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,15352689

If this version is somewhat the same, it uses unallocated disk space to save its 'snap shots'. This is where the repartitioning came into play with the older v.

 

Well, you have to hand it to them, if nothing else they certainly are persistent in revisiting these old apps and upgrading them at least to a point of some real usefulness, even adding a new name for it.

Still, it's a microsoft production, meaning, it contains various amounts of working parts and the rest is left up to the user to build on.

Who knows. RETURNIL looks more inviting AFAIK.

 

The disk protection is what interests me. You can use it to try programs that require a reboot/s to install and then later ditch it or save the changes permanently. I assume it's like a free FD-ISR. I'm really considering it for these reasons.

 

Enough.

OK, i'm downloading it now after GenuineCheck and will give it a try. Am i seeing things or was the SharedComputerToolkit a whole lot fatter than this installer?

It's only 3.37Mb on my desktop and also i might add NO ICON?

At any rate, so help me, if this $M app exhibits any stupid behaviors like is always been typical with all their other masterpieces i've experienced in the past, i'll erase Redmond off the map too.

I do take some comfort that the installer doesn't require a forklift like many other of their BLOATED apps.

Oh and by the way, for a world distributor of O/S's you think they would invest in a reliable and strong server by now. Their site is always slow as molassess and that alone always turned me away from surfing them. Ughhh!

 

My old downloaded copy was 2.25MB and then uphclean was 329KB. I'm not sure, but I think I remember reading that this thing wants to call out, communicate or something like that. Maybe it had to have a port open... I don't see many post about this program. I have been keeping an eye out though. Again, I'm not sure and would like confirmation since your kindly giving it a shot . I'll go searching around dlsr for that post.

Cheers, innerpeace

 

Thanks for clarifying that.

It must have been some other of their prize handicrafts i trialed that was a bloat happy installer.

If this company is ever to regain any reputation or respect again they better get with the program and start LISTENING to their customers more attentively and acting with haste. I'm still fired up they don't have the courage or foresight to revisit 98/Me again with a final re-write and release and to heck with patches. I'm thoroughly convinced this would might appear odd on the surface but would do them and all those customers of those ols O/S's a great service and redeem at least some of what they lost when they ran away from them (and their users) like they were the black plague or something.

 

I have been searching for that post, but can't find it. I give up . Just ignore my statements about the open port, calling out etc. I just remembered reading something by a poster (my luck an anonymous user) that stuck in the back of my mind. Oh well. I really suck at searching forums too. Lol

@ Easter, I agree although I was glad to get XP on my new machine because 98 would never shut down for me. Not 98s fault, but gateways. I tried several 'fixes' and none worked. Heh, I still have the disk though . It may come in handy someday.

It seems that nothing is perfected anymore as people demand 'new and improved' versions of everything. Give me something that works and not something that is shinier.

 

Seems cool. But don't bother using it if you've got one computer only.
It's rollback features are outstanding though.

 

Just tried this freebie out and the hard disk protection feature seems to work quite well. It seems to work very similar to powershadow except it has a few extra handy features such as the ability to revert changes after many reboots and it also gives you the option of removing or retaining changes before you restart. The only slight problem i have at the moment is there seems to be quite a delay on startup for some reason.

 

SteadyState is small and installed in seconds. Working well so far, testing it out now.

 

Its good to see Microsoft revisiting the toolkit with updates and upgrades. At least It will certainly result in more debate and faster development in this space.

One thing to note here is that the debate happening here at Wilder's has not gone unnoticed by Redmond. So is a further validation of everyone's efforts here...

 

Some more screens from SteadyState.

 

Hmm.. Interesting.. But why do you say its a different animal from PS..

It seems to be similar in function to PS/RVS/DF..

This one seems to be superior by the fact that
1) it is able to retain changes after many reboots as mentioned by farmerlee above..
2) it can retain changes permentantly!

Very interesting.. It also seems to be able to enter into "shadow mode" without reboot? Wonder if it protects the MBR too..

Seems to deserve a thorough test and detailed look, placing on the same level as RVS?

 

Yes has anyone tested SteadyState. After looking into the program and the process of creating the cache file took sooo long I didn't have time to run some other tests. Maybe have another look later after playing with Returnil.

 

Take a backup of your system first.
Then try this with SteadyState on your computer :
- remove 3 important applications from your system partition [C:]
- reboot and see if these 3 applications are still there and working properly.
Returnil passed the test.