How Many Snapshots?

[wvbill]

Hello All,

I have been using RollBack for 3 months, now. Prior I had been using GoBack. RollBack is clearly much more powerful and I am happy with its function.

I am trying to develop a snapshot strategy. I wonder what others are doing.

How many snapshots do you generally keep? Any tips appreciated.

Currently I have about 15 ss and do one each day at first boot keeping 5 days worth. I also keep 3 weeklys and 3 monthlys and will keep one each 6 months.

Also, I take ss before installs, etc.

Space is not a problem, I have a lot, my idea is to keep it simple.

Any comments on your strategy appreciated.

Bill

[HDS-Jacob]

Hi Bill,

Welcome to the Horizon DataSys forum. This thread, RollBack strategy questions might be useful to refer to and let's see if anyone has any additional suggestions.

Best,
Jacob

[tubby]

I take a snapshot every hour! (automatically of course)

About every 3 days or so, if my PC is running fine, I delete most of the snapshots, then do a manual Rollback defrag for good measure!

I know an hourly snapshot may seem like a lot of snapshots but let me explain.
-I have teenagers..............(enough said?)

With hourly snapshots, the most data I can ever lose is whatever occured in the last 59 minutes! ................Because this is a family computer, God only knows how some kid messed up the PC ! No longer do I have to stay up 'til 1:30AM "untangling" some annoying buggy problem. I simply "Rollback" to a point in time before the kid even got on the PC !! )

One more point I have learned. From the application console (left edge of Rollbacks "splash screen" ) one can control Rollbacks "automatic" scheduled DEFRAG.

I TURN ALL THESE OFF AND DEFRAG MANUALLY AND DEFRAG AT MY CHOOSING !!! - I find Rollbacks automatic scheduled defrags ill-timed, annoying and just slows up boot-time. To me, boot-up is complicated enough without dragging in a Rollback defrag into the works! With said.........defrag often !!! (Rollback, and the whole computer in general seems to benefit from degrags done often !)

Note: I an talking about Rollback's defrag, DO NOT use Windows defrag !! (there has been confusion on this forum about this point)

-tubby.

[wvbill]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, having kids use the PC is a whole different ballgame... fortunately I don't have that problem.

I agree the automatic defrag can be annoying, always seems ill-timed.

Do you manually defrag from the sub-console or from within Windows? Or does it make any difference?

Thanks,

Bill

[nexstar]

I tend to tailor the scheduled snapshots to take into account the end user(s) but my standard setup is take daily snapshots which are automatically deleted after 14 days and also to take a snapshot on the 1st of each month which is locked and only deleted manually (if at all) when space is needed.

I do have one PC which is a sort of media server and on that it is simply set to restore to the last snapshot on reboot. That way I can make changes to the system and manually take a snapshot which will become the restore point. The PC doesn't have a screen attached and if there are any problems with it then pressing reset normally sorts them out.

Welcome to the forum

Graham

[tubby]

With Rollback Rx installed, I NEVER do a true-blue Windows defrag !

That said, if/when I do have Rollback Rx un-installed for any reason, I take the opertunity to do a full blown Windows defrag.

Why would I ever have Rollback Rx un-installed? Rollback Rx "breaks" for me about twice a year and I find it best/easiest to simply un-install, then re-install.

Am I upset that Rollback seems to "break" for me evry 6 months? No......I like it to much! It is very clever and has saved me from a severe headache to ever get mad at it!

tubby

PS I don't think it matters HOW one engages Rollback's defrag. Just do it. And do it often! (I do it after I delete snapshots...............but then I take a snapshot (automagically) every hour! ( I have teens in the house.....between games, music, video etc...........they really have a knack for messing up our family PC ! Rollback Rx and the computer in general seems to relly benefit from frequent Rollback defrags !