LifeSaver
Windows95/98/ME/NT/2000
(limited functionality in WinNT/2000)
Download - 2.3 MB

Gather round fellow propeller heads and PCBUILD subscribers. I've got a utility here that will one day save your butt. We can't leave well enough alone can we? We're always installing new versions of utilities, trying new shareware and demo programs, and checking out the new games. Or maybe you're just updating your drivers for the nineteenth time. Then one day we install the wrong thing and everything goes to hell. Things are so bad you can't even boot into windows to fix things! This is day you need a LifeSaver.

LifeSaver 5.5 by JB Systems is a windows utility that backs up your important start up files including the windows registry. By default it will load at every startup and make a new backup of the system files ... up to 50 different backups. I prefer to make my backups manually. During the install process you will be given this choice. You can also custom set it up to back up any files you choose. Custom settings are only available in the $28.00 U.S. registered version. But if you just want to backup your registry and ini files manually the shareware version is all you need. NT4 and Windows 2000 does not allow access to it's registry so LifeSaver's backup functions are limited to ini files and autoexec.bat ...  config.sys files and of course any other files you might wish to backup.

The interface is easy to use and configure and you will be a pro after a just a few minutes. There is a good help section that even incorporates a FAQ to answer your questions.  

I know what your thinking ... big deal ... there are lots of utilities that will back up and restore your registry and system files. Windows 95 and 98 even give you one on the install CD. But LifeSaver allows you to easily restore your system files from a DOS boot floppy.  When things have gone bad and you try to restore your registry from within windows it is easy to corrupt files during the restore process which is a self defeating process. This is because the system files you are attempting to restore are running.

LifeSaver can restore these files after booting from a floppy so nothing is running and the restore can be performed smoothly. You just boot from a floppy ... go to the Lifesaver Backup directory ... select the backup you wish to restore ... and type < restore mybackup.zip > and a few seconds later your booting up to one of your restored setups. Lifesaver even has it's own emergency rescue disk that you boot from and it automatically restores your system files. It is simple ... it is flawless ... and it just plain works.

LifeSaver requires Visual Basic 6 runtime files and I have included them in the download just in case your system doesn't have them.

So go ahead, tweak your system, edit the registry, and install those new drivers. Just make sure you use Lifesaver to backup the system files first. The first time you bring your dead system back to life you will send me a thank you email!

 

Rode

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