ShadowUser

system · 2007-01-26T09:10:20.000Z

I am using ShadowUser to protect my pc, but because this is like a sandbox, once the pc is shut down all items saved are lost from the hard drive unless specific provisions are made to exclude folders/files from being deleted.

This applies to avast a/v updates both antivirus database and program files.

Can any one tell me the location where Avast Home downloads a) a/v update files b) Program files

Thank you

Terry

alanrf · 2007-01-26T10:11:50.000Z

Like most products that update in a sensible fashion avast downloads mostly to the directory in Windows designated to hold temporary files.

avast rarely downloads the whole of the VPS files instead it downloads incremental updates and then integrates those updates into the VPS database within the avast program folder structure. The temporary files are then deleted.

Clearly a program update is more complex but follows a similar path, downloads to temporary files and the updating of the avast program files in the avast program folder. Typically avast program updates require a system restart and are dependent on information that will survive a system restart.

ShadowUser sounds like a relation of a product I use (now unfortunately owned by Symantec) called Goback. It provides similar features but (in normal use) it does not affect any changes across system restarts. It allows me to take my entire system disk(s) back to within about 10 seconds or so of any time in the last couple of weeks. It can also be run in a pure “sandbox” type mode or to simply restore the whole system to a set point in time on every restart. It does more too but I’m not here to sell the product. However, the basic principle is everything rolls forward consistently or everything is rolled back consistently - not a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

I would suggest that picking files/folders individually to be saved across a restart will certainly lead to inconsistencies and trouble one day. I hope that you have a full backup/imaging strategy to recover your system for when the day happens.

Lisandro · 2007-01-26T10:33:07.000Z

alanrf post:2:

I would suggest that picking files/folders individually to be saved across a restart will certainly lead to inconsistencies and trouble one day. I hope that you have a full backup/imaging strategy to recover your system for when the day happens.

I follow Alanrf’s advice.
Anyway, answering your question:

TerryWood post:1:

Can any one tell me the location where Avast Home downloads a) a/v update files b) Program files

Generally /Setup

system · 2007-01-26T10:54:20.000Z

Thanks for your very prompt reply. In fact the forums responses in general seem to be in hyperdrive relative to other forums.

I intend to do two things. 1) to play about with shadowuser and exclude the setup folder to see if it works, after all if you don’t try things you don’t learn. 2) I am going to investigate GoBack it sounds interesting

Thank you again

Terry

Lisandro · 2007-01-26T11:08:26.000Z

TerryWood post:4:

I am going to investigate GoBack it sounds interesting

Backup your partitions before.
It does not work on dual-boot system.
It degrades considerably the computer performance.
Not all the times you need to ‘go back’ it will work.
I do recommend imaging (backup) software and not GoBack (anymore). I’ve used it two or three years.

system · 2007-01-26T11:19:19.000Z

Thanks again I do have Acronis TI 8.0 which I use quite regularly but it does take a lot of time

Terry

Lisandro · 2007-01-26T11:33:23.000Z

TerryWood post:6:

I do have Acronis TI 8.0 which I use quite regularly but it does take a lot of time

But it works 8)

DavidR · 2007-01-26T13:32:42.000Z

You seem to be having a few problems with ShadowUser like entering your registration key in a sandbox environment only to it isn’t saved in the real environment, so when you start avast again under ShadowUser you are asked for the key again. Did you ever resolve that, there is no resolution information o the topic, http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=26108.0.

It seems you are having the same issues with updates in a virtual environment not being saved in the real environment.

system · 2007-01-26T14:01:56.000Z

TerryWood, i run Avast!,shadowUser/Surfer and Acronis 8.0 as well.

I agree with Tech…that ATI 8.0 works fine! I bought it 2 years ago and it never failed me,having done a lot of restoring of images.
I think you’re rather too impatient…is half an hour of creating an image too long a time once in a while?
Or you need an image a day?

As to shadowUser,i ,too,think it hould be much better you dont Exclude or try to save from within SU any Avast update.
Why dont you do like i do, that is,i use ShadowUser like the Surfer,without any saving whatsoever,when you reboot all goes, but if i need to save any file i just insert a 1Mb pen drive
and copy it there, then,at leisure, every 1-3 days i disable ShadowUser and make all the necessary
updates everywhere. No fuss. Just the reboot time, 3 minutes once a day or three days,
i dont think it is too much a burden…

alanrf · 2007-01-26T19:32:44.000Z

Tech said speaking of Goback

It degrades considerably the computer performance.

Alan responds:

No it does not - very slight is all I have ever been able to detect and that goes for the users I support too. Most of them have chosen to use it too for the great ability to just put your system back in a few moments after you encounter a problem. It is also a fantastic way to check out new software and, if you do not like it, ensure that it is completely and utterly removed from your system.

As to True Image, those I support and I are still happily using TI9. A full backup of my system disk once a month takes about 15 minutes. Incrementals every couple of days take about 90 seconds.

Lisandro · 2007-01-26T20:06:26.000Z

Tech keeps his opinion…
Just start to do intensive disk usage (defragmentation, backup, archive scanning, etc.) and you’ll see.
Of course, the usage of a document (Word) or a sheet (Excel) won’t be noticed by GoBack.
I have terrible experiences with GoBack: sometimes it is marvelous, works perfectly, like Alanrf said It is also a fantastic way to check out new software and, if you do not like it, ensure that it is completely and utterly removed from your system.
Sometimes, there is no rescue point to GoBack…

alanrf · 2007-01-26T20:57:14.000Z

Archive scanning is reading - has absolutely nothing to do with Goback (Goback only cares about writes - as would Shadow User). You think I do not degragment? It is done daily.

Sometimes there is no rescue point - don’t understand that.

OK - Tech has his view, I respect his right to it - we are not here to argue about Goback - so I will say no more on it.

Lisandro · 2007-01-26T21:47:01.000Z

alanrf post:12:

Sometimes there is no rescue point - don’t understand that.

I wish I could understand and then I’ll love GoBack as I’ve used to do.
Now, I can’t as it’s unpredictable. I try to give my clues, but as you yourself say, we don’t understand why…

alanrf · 2007-01-26T23:49:49.000Z

I think I do understand your comment after all. I had to solve that problem for myself.

Since I cannot IM you (wish they would give it back to us) I will have to ask here. Are you running a multi-processor system?

Lisandro · 2007-01-27T11:52:53.000Z

alanrf post:14:

Are you running a multi-processor system?

I don’t know if you’re asking me or TerryWood.
Anyway, I don’t use - unfortunately - a multi-processor system.

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