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A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 21. Nov 2017, 14:06
by hack3rcon
Hello.
I have a question about "Snapshot". I installed a trial program and take a snapshot from my Windows OS. After trial program expired, I restored my Snapshot but program still expired, Why?
Any idea?
Thank you.
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 21. Nov 2017, 15:43
by mpack
You must direct that question to the owners of the trial software, since only they have the info needed to answer it. Obviously this is a deliberate anti theft measure, so they have my congratulations on a crafty feature well implemented. I have no idea how they've done it, unless the software has network access.
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 21. Nov 2017, 15:52
by hack3rcon
My Windows machine network is disabled. In your opinion if I asked them then they said me "Hey, You can bypass our protection via this trick"!!! If "Snapshot" restore all parts of my system then how the program understand it is expired?
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 21. Nov 2017, 17:07
by Perryg
Time based software is just that and not even a snapshot will stop the clock. As mpack stated you need to ask them as this is not within the scope of this forum and we can not be seen helping you to defeat their license restrictions.
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 21. Nov 2017, 17:13
by hack3rcon
Snapshot can't restore the clock!!!! Excuse me, When I take a snapshot from an OS and then restore it, Is it mean my system back to the time that OS installed? For example, I installed Windows OS three months ago and created a Snapshot from it, When I restore the Snapshot then my Windows OS backed to three month ago, Is it correct?
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 21. Nov 2017, 17:16
by Perryg
Nope. The software you installed is the same at that point in time but the clock will advance to the new time and invalidate the install. Look either ask the supplier or purchase the software. There is nothing we can do to help with this.
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 28. Nov 2017, 14:34
by hack3rcon
Can you tell me which components restored in Snapshot?
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 28. Nov 2017, 14:42
by Perryg
No.
Creating a snapshot saves the base by freezing it as it was at the time you took the snapshot. Then the snapshot will base itself off the original and move forward from there by using a differencing disk ( image).
What's the fix? See my previous answer.
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 28. Nov 2017, 16:46
by hack3rcon
Thank you, But I want to know which parts restored. For example, Registry or...
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 28. Nov 2017, 16:49
by mpack
The entire contents of disk are restored. If the snapshot was created "live" then RAM is restored too. Otherwise the VM boots from scratch and RAM contents are recreated. None of this prevents the guest OS from recognizing that time has passed, it will behave exactly the same as a PC that was shut down or hiberated some time ago.
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 28. Nov 2017, 17:35
by ChipMcK
hack3rcon wrote:But I want to know which parts restored. For example, Registry or...
When a virtual disk is first created for a new virtual machine, it is considered as the base disk for the guest - data for the guest is read from and written to that disk image.
The differencing disk records changes sector-by-sector to the whole disk image, not changes to any file in any partition of the disk image. VirtualBox does not know what file system is employed on the disk image and therefore can not access any individual file of/on the disk image; only the guest OS is aware of the partitioning scheme and file system of the disk image.
First SnapShot creates a differencing disk for read/write access while the base disk becomes read-only - as the guest modifies its data, the data is written to the differencing disk and the base disk is untouched.
Second SnapShot creates another, new, differencing disk for read/write access while the first differencing disk becomes read-only along with the base disk.
Subsequent SnapShots create additional differencing disks, with the preceding differencing disk joining the hierarchy (chain/pecking order) of read-only disks.
Keep in mind that access to/from the virtual disks is sector-by-sector, not file-by-file.
When the guest requests that a sector be read, the latest SnapShot is read first. If the sector is not found there (Sector-Not-Found is returned), the next SnapShot in the chain (youngest to oldest) is read, until the base virtual disk is reached. Then the sector on/in the base virtual disk is either read or Sector-Not-Found is returned.
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 28. Nov 2017, 18:00
by mpack
Just a warning: often when we discuss "snapshots" on this site, people are asking about the VDI file structure - usually following some kind of data loss. In this case however "Snapshot" refers to the GUI feature, of which the VDI layout is just one aspect.
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 28. Nov 2017, 20:39
by socratis
I think you guys are getting too technical. The OP just wants to cheat the software by "reverting" to a previous snapshot, thinking that the 30-day limit will not apply anymore. Right...
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 10. Dec 2017, 17:35
by hack3rcon
mpack wrote:The entire contents of disk are restored. If the snapshot was created "live" then RAM is restored too. Otherwise the VM boots from scratch and RAM contents are recreated. None of this prevents the guest OS from recognizing that time has passed, it will behave exactly the same as a PC that was shut down or hiberated some time ago.
Why my software not worked after Snapshot?
Re: A question about "Snapshot".
Posted: 10. Dec 2017, 17:40
by mpack
That seems to be identical to the question you asked in your first post. I refer you to the first answer you received.