Retaining Application Data with Data Igloo

Overview

One of the programs, which might require to save its data in Frozen state across reboots is the Anti-Virus software, which is installed on most of the computers nowadays. In this case the user might configure Data Igloo to retain new virus definitions updates, scan history, configuration of AV and other data on Frozen computer. 

This document describes how to redirect Microsoft Security Essentials Antivirus on XP, Vista amd Windows 7 systems using Data Igloo.

 

Problem Description

Folder redirection mechanism requires a physical relocation of the folder onto Thawed location. In many cases relocating Anti-Virus data folders may be not possible, since most of the Anti-Virus software have some sort of self-protection mechanism, which prevents moving the Anti-Virus components.

Solution

One of the solutions would be creating new empty Anti-Virus data folders before installing Anti-Virus software, which will allow redirecting them successfully using Data Igloo. Then the Anti-Virus software can be installed into its already existing and redirected  folders. In this case, those folder names can be figured out on any other reference computer, where the specific Anti-Virus software is already installed. 

Redirecting MS Essentials using Data Igloo user interface

This solution provides steps for redirecting Microsoft Security Essentials (MSSE) Anti-Virus data using the mentioned approach of creating MSSE folders before installing MSSE itself: 

 1. Reboot workstation into Thawed state.

 2. On the computer where MSSE is not installed create following new folders, which will be used by MSSE:

On All systems:

 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client

 On XP systems: 

C:\Documents & Settings\All users\Application data\Microsoft\Microsoft Security Client

C:\Documents & Settings\All users\Application data\Microsoft\Microsoft Antimalware

 On Vista and Windows 7 systems:

 C:\Programdata\Microsoft\Microsoft Security Client

 C:\Programdata\Microsoft\Microsoft Antimalware   

3. Using Data Igloo folder redirection feature, redirect newly created folders onto Thawed location.

4. Download and install MSSE, let MSSE update virus and spyware definitions.

5. Using Data Igloo registry redirection feature redirect following registry keys onto Thawed location:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Security Client

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Antimalware

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Antimalware Setup

 

6. Reboot workstation into Frozen state

 

Now all new virus and spyware definitions, history of detected items,  as well as MSSE settings will be retained across reboots. This setup will also allow to retain new version updates of the MSSE software.

 

Redirecting MS Essentials using Data Igloo scripting functionality

This solution is based on the mentioned above steps, but utilizes a scripting functionality of Data Igloo (it is supported starting from Data Igloo version 2.0). 

1. Reboot workstation into Thawed state.

2. Download the attachment and rename MSSE_redirection_script.txt  to MSSE_redirection_script.vbs or any other name with .vbs file extension. 

3.  Run the script with elevated privileges. It will prompt for the Thawed location path and automatically create all required folders, registry keys, as well as perform all redirections described earlier. Alternatively, the Thawed location path can be passed to the script as a command line parameter which allows to use the script in silent mode. For example:

msse_redirection_script.vbs  T:\redirection_target

In this example the script will redirect the MSSE folders into "T:\redirection_target" folder. In case of registry redirection feature of Data Igloo is turned off, it will be automatically turned on by the script and same location "T:\redirection_target" will be used as a Thawed location for the registry keys.

4. Download and install MSSE, let MSSE update virus and spyware definitions.

5. Reboot workstation into Frozen state

 

Note

MSSE as a standalone software is not available for Windows 8 systems, because  on those systems MSSE is a built-in part of  MS Defender . The provided document is applicable for XP, Vista and Windows 7 only.