Should You Deep Freeze Your Hard Drive
An application exists that claims to make your PC or Mac machine invincible, and it is available for download here. Your hard disc is “frozen” in this manner, allowing your computer’s software and settings to be restored in their original condition every time the computer is powered on. Learn more about how Deep Freeze works and whether it is a good solution for you by reading the following…
Here’s How to Make Your Computer Indestructible
Deep Freeze, developed by Faronics Corporation, is a software solution that allows you to return a computer to a certain state merely by rebooting it. Deep Freeze, to use the company’s terminology, “freezes” the computer’s setup, making it impossible for it to be permanently changed, either accidentally by the user or maliciously by virus.
There will be no lasting alterations to your hard disc if you perform any actions such as downloading new software or changing system settings. Viruses, spyware, ransomware, and zero-day threats are all examples of unintentional damage that can be caused by these threats. Deep Freeze’s effect is referred to as “reboot-to-restore” by Faronics, and certainly, it appears as if your computer is magically restored to a factory-fresh state every time you turn it back on. It’s possible that those who have watched the movie “Groundhog Day” are chuckling at this point, but that’s beside the point.
Any data that is written to the “frozen” partition is diverted to a designated place after Deep Freeze has been installed and configured. Installation and usage of new software are possible, as is the creation of new data files and the modification of existing system settings. The “frozen” region, on the other hand, is impervious to any modifications. Every installation, creation, and modification made during the previous session is completely erased when the machine is rebooted.
Faronics has created Deep Freeze.
Can I Save Files or Install New Programs?
Deep Freeze, of course, also prevents legal software updates from taking place. Deep Freeze will “thaw” the protected partition for you; simply input the password you created during installation and Deep Freeze will “thaw” the protected disc for you. Then you can make any changes you want, such as system upgrades or security patches, before “re-freezing” the new setup to save your work.
Even when PCs are Frozen, Deep Freeze will continue to download Windows updates on their behalf. If you want to do automatic updates and then revert to the Frozen state, you can set a maintenance window.
When saving data to a partition other than the one secured by Deep Freeze, a user will be able to keep it for the rest of his or her life. Data Igloo, a free program, assists you in creating a ThawSpace, which serves as an alternative storage site for files, directories, user profiles, and even registry keys.
Because Deep Freeze does not safeguard PCs against malware infections, it should not be used as a substitute for anti-virus software. A virus can infect a computer and remain active until the system is rebooted. It will appear, however, as if the machine was never infected after it has been rebooted.
Deep Freeze appears to be quite similar to the System Restore feature built into Windows, but in reality, it is much different. Using System Restore, you can save snapshots of your system setup regularly, but it does not prevent changes. Deep Freeze prevents modifications to your “ideal” configuration from occurring. Furthermore, System Restore does not affect user data files, and you do not need to save data to a different partition if you use it.
Deep Freeze is available in two different editions: Standard and Enterprise. Users using a single computer will benefit from the Standard version of Windows ($48 with a free 30-day trial). The Mac version is available for purchase for $69.30. The Enterprise edition comes with several features that are useful for administrators of many PCs.
Deep Freeze appears to be particularly popular among system administrators who must keep a large number of PCs set consistently. Faronics claims to have 10 million paid licenses and a customer list that includes companies such as Intel, Walmart, General Motors, Disney, FedEx, and American Airlines, among others. It also appears to be a fantastic tool for use with kiosks or public computers, such as those found in a library or a hotel business center, among other places. It’s not uncommon for cybercriminals to infect a public computer with a virus, spyware, or keylogger to prey on the next individual who happens to walk past the computer. However, if Deep Freeze is installed, rebooting after each session would completely erase the previous session’s data.
Is Deep Freeze a Good Solution For Home Users?
The accumulation of “crud” on the hard drive is the cause of the apparent slowing down of computers over time, which I attribute to this. Viruses, spyware, and pre-installed “crapware” can all hurt the performance of your computer, making it difficult to navigate the web. When programs are installed and uninstalled from a Windows system, the registry can get cluttered with erroneous and obsolete data. And because so many apps want to run automatically at launch, the time it takes for the computer to boot up is getting longer and longer.
At each reboot, Deep Freeze can resolve this issue by restoring a fresh copy (or a set of known goods) of the system’s initial configuration. This means that malware infestations are eliminated, as are the consequences of user error or badly set software, among other things.
Deep Freeze may be an excellent solution for home users who are not technically aware, as well as for computers that are used by children who are prone to clicking on anything that moves on the screen. There is, however, one important caveat. If you create or update user files, those data will be lost when the computer is restarted unless you take special precautions to prevent this from happening. As previously mentioned, the Data Igloo utility can be used to direct files to non-system or network drives, allowing them to be retained even if the computer is restarted. Web-based programs such as Google Docs and Dropbox, which save your files and folders in the cloud as well as on your computer, might also be used to alleviate this problem.
Deep Freeze may be more of a pain than an aid for the technically aware person who uses computers daily to produce files in a range of software programs on a variety of platforms. If this describes you, I recommend that you create frequent backups of your data and that you use a security tool that only enables known-good programs to operate on your system.