Rollback Everything is leaving old files

[wwwolf]

Here is a question for anyone familiar with it.

 

I took a full backup of a Windows client system and am now trying to do a 'Rollback Everything to be exactly as it was' with Retrospect.

 

The process completes correctly, and the system is usable, but I've noticed that it leaves files on the hard drive that were created after the backup was done.

 

For example:

1) Create a backup

2) Create file c:\example.txt

3) Run Rollback Everything

 

The file c:\example.txt is still on the drive. It looks like Retrospect just restores everything in the backup (Including system state and registry) but leaves files it doesn't recognize alone.

 

Anyone know why this is happening or how I can get Retrospect to give me a full system rollback (without a format that is...)

 

Thanks.

[Mayoff]

You should do a Restore Entire Disk operation via advanced mode. I believe Rollback is mostly for system/registry

[wwwolf]

Thanks for the quick reply Mayoff,

 

I was able to find 'Restore Entire Volume' under Restore -> Advanced Mode (it was actually the first thing I tried, but I thought I was doing something wrong).

 

As far as I can tell it has the same results, could I be missing an option or default somewhere?

[Mayoff]

Restore Entire Volume deletes anything on the disk that is not part of the snapshot. Maybe the snapshot has the files you thing shouldn't exist?

[wwwolf]

I've been running some more restores, and I've found that if I create test files and folders in the root of c: (the drive to be restored) and under a folder (this case 'documents and settings') the test data in the root of the drive is removed correctly, but the the test data under 'documents and settings' is left alone...

 

I also ran a restore on another client system, same results.

 

Any other suggestions? This one is confusing me.

[Mayoff]

It could be that Retrospect is not deleting items from Documents and settings for stability reasons. I know we treat the Windows directory in a special way so the system doesn't crash during the restore. Even with a restore entire disk operation, Retrospect does a replace corresponding restore within the WIndows directory. The same thing might be happening with documents and settings.

 

 

 

[wwwolf]

Mayoff,

Thanks, that sounds likely. Is there anywhere I can look for a list of things that are / are not effected by a full dist restore?

While I understand that Retrospect is not a disk imaging tool, I would like to use it to roll back system. As a result it would be good to know what data is being left around before putting the system back out as 'fresh'.

 

Thanks