Yet another question for the experts ...

... and I'm not sure if it is really possible to know the answer to this one, but just in case one of you can surprise me as you have so many times before, I'm gonna ask it.

I have two old mirror imaging programs on my system: Powerquest (remember them!) DriveImage 7 and Acronis version 6. Using those two programs, I have made many images of my system with FirstDefense on it without any problems, but I have never needed to restore any of them; FirstDefense works too well and I have never needed anything else to recover, and I have never suffered a hard drive breakage.

BUT I only made those images of my hard drive with the old version of FirstDefense that used RSS (yup, another VSS vs RSS question! ). When I installed the later version of FirstDefense with VSS, I was in one of my "too lazy to image my system" modes, and besides, "FirstDefense simply works too well", and have been stuck in that mode for several months. Now I want to start imaging my system again, "just in case", and like Peter says, "It's about layers, baby!"

My probably impossible question: Now that I am in VSS with FirstDefense, can anyone possibly anticipate any problems using my two old imaging programs once again. Are old imaging programs actually an advantage? I know that some of you have had issues with FirstDefense and VSS with some imaging programs, but I believe that they were all new versions of those imaging programs. This would be, as before, with JUST CREATING IMAGES, hopefully, not having to restore any of them. Thank you.

Acadia

 

Acadia,

My serious concern is that you are not familiar with restoring whichever image.
It's like owning fire extinguishers, but having no clue of all how to operate them. "Darling, let me sit down and read the directions first."

The impact of VSS/RSS on whichever version of your imaging solutions is not any larger than the impact of the file format of a picture of your spouse: JPG or PNG.
VSS or RSS is just a setting, stored as data somewhere in your system partition. For PowerQuest or Acronis, it's just a sector on the disk.

 

Acadia,
Do you take images after you boot from the Powerquest/Acronis rescue CD or in Windows?

 

Acadia,

wilbertnl is correct. RSS/VSS are simply copy engines. Two separate versions of the same means to an end. They should not impact your image in any way.

I wholeheartedly agree w/ Pete & wilbertnl, practice your re-store w/ the app you intend to use as a primary imaging app.

@wilbertnl, good analogy, fire extinguisher.

...screamer

 

Wilbertnl, I do my imaging from Windows.

Everyone, my only concern, and the ONLY reason I am double checking so carefully, is that I know some of you have had issues using imaging programs with FD which forced a few of you to switch back to RSS.

Yeah, I know, testing a restore is possibly preferred but, "if it ain't broke don't fix it!".

Thanks once again, everyone,
Acadia

 

Yeah, I feel confident that the later versions of FD can be used for ALL recovery, I just want those "layers"!

Acadia

 

I usually take images after booting from the recovery CD. I didn't realize that Acadia was referring to the conflict between Shadow Protect and FD-ISR.

Assuming that you are healthy, you won't have health care insurance either, then?

 

Good point. I was referring to testing a restore, not making the actual backups. Yes, I would WANT the health insurance, but I would not want to test it.

I was referring to the conflicts that I have read in this forum that forced some back to RSS but my memory being what it is, or is not , without re-reading all of those threads all over again, I don't remember what imaging programs were causing the conflicts.

Acadia

 

Peter, I have a strong feeling that I am going to do that this weekend.

Acadia

 

I did that pretty soon after I found VSS taking a bit longer than RSS.

 

Done!

Acadia