Rollback Rx

We get so many posters here who have had some sort of system problem, can't boot their computer and have no idea how to recover their files or how to get Windows booting again. Question is what is the easiest way of helping them recover from this situation? I've explored so many ways of doing this and haven't found anything easier to install and manage than RollBack RX Home, the free version. This program records the state of the system every day without bothering the user at all, and can restore the system at boot to any previously recorded state. The only significant restriction in the free edition is the user is limited to seven snapshots.

Using this program I've just rolled my system back a few days and the time it took is almost irrelevant, a few minutes at most depending on how fast the hardware is. After rolling back, the system rebooted and the first thing I was presented with is in the pic - a way of finding and retrieving files created after the last system snapshot but before the crash, but any files that were on the system drive, however old can also be recovered very easily from earlier snapshots. All that is required in order to have this level of recovery capability is to install the program and just leave it to do its thing.

Anyone know of an easier recovery system or wouldn't go along with this?

 

Be safe! Have an active backup/image routine in place before depending on anything. I use multiple strategies. Nothing is 100%.

 

This advice isn't for seasoned users such as you two, it's for Joe Average who mostly doesn't even know how to open an Explorer window and so has zilch recovery capability. I feel that I've spent a working lifetime trying to convince ppl to backup using Acronis et al, with virtually zero success rate, it's just too complicated for novices. With this program I'm hoping there is at least some chance that novices will install it, as that is all it requires. Personally I'm with you and always have multiple images I can fall back on should they be needed.

The program is proven Tim, not some inadequately tested newcomer. However there are a few operating constraints and it's possible you have crossed one of them, such as no booting from a boot disk and no restoring of images as either could render the system unbootable. These constraints make the program unsuitable for experienced users but might just offer a lifeline to novices who have hit a problem. After all, such folk aren't likely to be using boot disks! However I fear that your post will ensure no one is tempted to try it out. Pity.

 

I did try it after a discussion of it between members , probably around this time last year. It worked for a few weeks or so. But then started with wanting me to choose which snapshot to use and such.

But I was doing some of the things you highlight such as using boot-disks , vm's, making my own other images moving things back and forth off my other drives....

Finally it got to a no boot situation with the blue screen with the ''Your computer has encountered an error......"
Tried several things. If I remember it offered to use the base snapshot maybe by pressing home. And I could have missed the 'home' button.

Anyhow, I used a May '16 image and carried on and really forgot about it. But that's my way with this pc.


I'm sure it could help some as you describe. And I'm surer that you have made the impression on many to start getting real with protecting their set, even those who are only visitors (I'm sure many of those visitors are -repeat-) gain from following topics. I will say I've gained some knowledge from your discussions as much as any.

So - keep it up. And I hope some will try to use your insight on the backup and recovery process whether with Rx or any other. And we know that if there are bumps in the road, someone is always going to be here to help navigate through it!

 

Then exactly the same applies to those people whether it's this program or any other. I doubt very much whether more than 20% of Windows users worldwide ever create a back up. People who are IT phobic will always get someone else to do it, even if you offer to sit with them to carry it out so that they learn.

 

@TimW - you won't be recommending it then?

 

But isn't that the point Max? With RX, once installed the user doesn't have to do anything else at all, RX is backing up in the background regardless.

 

I've used a program like this before,(Restore It) while it works, it also created several 'restore points' and it took up a ton of drive space. So I don't know if you would want this with an SSD or small drive. If you don't read the manual you could loose a lot of data when you unistall it - it may roll back to the day you installed.

 

RX does use some disk space but not enough to cause problems unless space was tight to begin with. Compared with the space requirements of imaging it's trivial. When uninstalling you choose the snapshot you want to revert to.