Rollback and Safe Mode

[Kevin]

Is there anything I should know about booting into safe mode while Rollback is installed? I booted into safe mode (Vista 64) and it booted ok but I could not bring up the Rollback application console. Is it possible to bring up the application console in safe mode? If so, how do I bring it up?

Thanks!!!

Kevin

[HDS-Jacob]

Hi Kevin,

There is a thread from a while back which had to do with using the Home key for launching the subsystem console (not the application console) in safe mode for Windows XP. Have you tried this with your OS? Here is the thread for reference: Rollback Rx 9.1 hangs XP startup after new install

I haven't seen anything on bringing up the application console in safe mode but let's see if we can get some other feedback here.

Best,
Jacob

[nexstar]

I would imagine that the application console is deliberately disabled in Safe Mode as it is not a situation where you would be wanting to take snapshots. Rollback itself will be active though so that it will be recording any changes to the protected drive.

Can you imagine the nightmare scenario of someone updating their baseline to a snapshot they had taken in Safe Mode?

Graham

[tubby]

I must be missing something very basic here. Shouldn"t Rollback do as ordered?

[Owl]

Originally Posted by tubby

I must be missing something very basic here. Shouldn"t Rollback do as ordered?

I think the Home key only brings up RollBack (subsystem console) during boot. The Application Console runs as a normal Windows application loaded during Windows startup, and when you start Windows in Safe Mode only the very minimum services are loaded, so I would expect the console to be unavailable even if the file system services are running. Maybe the console can be loaded manually.

Interesting point: I wonder how Windows would know to load the RBRx file system drivers in Safe Mode, or maybe it doesn't?

[nexstar]

Originally Posted by tubby

But they are just one's and zeroes................?

Deep down, I'm sure you know that's not really true. They are one's and zero's with attitude .

Originally Posted by tubby

I must be missing something very basic here. Shouldn"t Rollback do as ordered?

But if the necessary drivers aren't available for the application to function fully then it isn't going to happen. Maybe the developers could clarify the situation in safe mode.

I guess the other question is, what actions would be useful to carry out in safe mode that can't be done from the sub-console or from a fully functioning system?

Graham

[pvsurfer]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Is there anything I should know about booting into safe mode while Rollback is installed? I booted into safe mode (Vista 64) and it booted ok but I could not bring up the Rollback application console. Is it possible to bring up the application console in safe mode?

Hi Kevin,

There's no problem booting into (and using) Safe Mode while Rollback Rx is installed, but (as you noticed) Rollback Rx isn't functional in Safe Mode.

You have to understand that Microsoft 'gave us' Safe Mode to facilitate the troubleshooting of problems. Since Windows problems are often caused by drivers or auto-loading programs, Safe Mode bypasses all but the most basic drivers (essential to Windows) and doesn't run your usual startup programs. That precludes Rollback Rx from loading/running.

Hth,
pv

[astro46]

i couldn't boot into safe mode with rollback installed. i installed a video driver update which completely screwed up the monitors. i could have fixed it simply and easily by rolling back the driver, but i could read the screens. i forgot to take a snapshot (i had used goback for years, and am not in the habit of remembering to take another step before installing). consequently i had to rollback to an older snapshot and spend time retrieving files, which was frustrating since the file retrieval feature seems to only search for one file type and then finishes. then one has to jump through hoops to get others.

entering safe mode might have allowed me to get to the driver, but all that came up when hitting F8 was rollback. i thought that rollback is supposed to respond to Home key, not F8. once a different rollback text menu, but otherwise the console. i rebooted 10 times with same result. my experience indicates that rollback blocks safe mode.

[HDS-Jacob]

Hello astro46,

Welcome to the Horizon DataSys forum. Support can be reached at http://support.horizondatasys.com and let's see if we can get suggestions for you here as well.

Best,
Jacob

[carfal]

astro46, I'm not sure about the F8 button activating the Rollback console at boot time but the console appearing at boot time (even when trying safe mode) is exactly what you should see. Rollback is still monitoring the HD, even in safe mode so if you didnt see the boot console then that is when i'd be worried.

Now pressing F8 during the bios post but not during the Rollback boot console (dont press F8 (or "Home" key) during Rollback splash) will then bring up the familiar menu to enable safe mode. Again, you must press F8 before the Rollback console, NOT during it.

consequently i had to rollback to an older snapshot and spend time retrieving files, which was frustrating since the file retrieval feature seems to only search for one file type and then finishes. then one has to jump through hoops to get others.

If you pick the option shown below, no hoop jumping necessary.