Altiris SVS – No More DLL and Registry Hell
Altiris SVS is the last part of our magical triangle of virtualization solutions.It’s a slightly different concept. In our Returnil article we have underligned Returnil’s ability to virtualize your entire Windows OS (XP, 2003, Vista 32 bit).
That gives a total protection of the virtualized session, allowing - among many others purposes - secured software trials (those not requiring a reboot). It can also be used or a perfect parental control, but ONLY from your PC’s security point of view (children’s web surf must be surveyed anyway).
Returnil’s recent version allows recovery of virtualized files into the “real computer” through a Relocation Tool or Total Session Save Tool. The Sandboxie article mainly presents Sanboxie’s (easy-to-use) web browsing protection. But besides this wonderful feature, Sandboxie can run in a virtual environment ANY installed application; in a similar way as Returnil, allowing - in addition – individual app’s virtualization … And it does not require a reboot when wanting to use the real computer.
Sandboxie has a Quick Recovery Tool (from virtualized session to real computer), too. Let’s say that Returnil and Sanboxie solve the “safe run / use of a software” problem. But how can we manage the “safe installation – without .dll/registry conflicts” problem?
Altiris SVS (Software Virtualization Solution) is a brilliant “applications switcher”. It lets you instantly uninstall, activate, deactivate, or reset applications. It is a precious solution for people trying softwares every week – like us … Or for those wanting to use two different versions of the same application or alternating the use of incompatible applications. (You can try important new beta versions – for example) You can also isolate apps that seem to have adverse effects to your system and activate them only for short time use. Another important usefulness: it makes transferring software between computers a breeze, by a simple transfer. Symantec – the top security solutions name – acquired the innovative Altiris in 2006.
Altiris Software Virtualization (SVS) Personal Edition is given away for free for personal use. Only the server-side components (for centralized management) of their commercial version are missing. The 2.1 version - the last one – brought important features like:
- new method for handling the registry to give VSPs a speed boost.
- Version 2.1 can react to Windows logon events by allowing an automatic custom set of layers for each user.
- “Redirect area” on disk to hold layer details which can be placed on different drives.
- Globally defining and excluding files and folders virtualization for all layer.
How does it work?It allows you to install programs in virtual “layers” so that they do not reside on your system and which you can switch on or off. It allows you to install programs in virtuall “layers” so that they do not ( phisically ) reside on your system and which you can switch on or off . In fact all changes made by these installations are captured in managed units called Virtual Software Packages (VSP), which acts as a layer on top of the operating system.
All elements are wrapped into redirected “fslrdr” directories, folders or files. When you run those apps they’ll activate within virtual layers that capture all attempts that the programs make to write to your system. So no extra “. dll’s” or permanent registry changes.
When installing an app through Altiris SVS you should:
- 1. Verify that all other existing virtual layers are turned off.
- 2. Open Altiris SVS Administrator and select – in “Files” – to create a new virtual layer . There is also another option – in step 2 - of capturing all the change made to the system even if these were not made by the application you are installing. (Instead of capturing all the change made to the system ONLY by the application)
- 3. Then choose a name for the layer and browse your computer for the needed setup file
- 4. The application installer will run from within SVS. When finished, select “finish installation “ without “launch or run program”. 5. This will allow SVS to finish the capture of the entire installation routine and to add the new layer on the list.You can now simply activate / deactivate / reset / uninstall the app! Take a look at our SVS Admin . As you can see this is where we safely try the apps from our Giveaway Of The Day Series .
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We advice to also download and install the Trinket from SourceForge.com . It is “an alternative user interface for Altiris Software Virtualization Solution (SVS), allowing users to control virtual software from a system tray icon “. We certify that using Trinket is much more handy.
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Notes on SVS’s behaviour:
- Once installed on a system, SVS runs constantly in the background to manage active VPSs. Altiris says this may slow down your PC 2 to 3 percent, but we honestly did not notice that.
- The apps figure in the Add and Remove Programs List but there’s no remove option - To use the virtualized application, one has to activate the Layer first.
- When layer active: all system changes made will then be visible, like icons, registry changes, the program folder, etc.
-When layer turned off: all trace of the respective app vanishes. - Layers can be automatically active or not, at your will, on Windows logon.
- If a layered app gets bad habits in time … You can simply reset it to the original state.
- When transferring a layer, SVS should be (obviously) installed on the new machine. The imported package will be automatically adjusted to match the new OS, system folders, and settings.
- If you uninstall Altiris SVS, you’ll have to reinstall any virtualized applications.
Important Note no 1: take into consideration that files saved from a virtualized application to a Windows folder will simply disappear when deactivating the layer. There are 2 solutions:
- a. You have the possibility to configure the Global Excludes feature. A filed saved in a folder listed as an exclusion, will be written in the real computer (and not redirected to the virtual environment).Global Excludes apply to all Layers, but one can also configure specific excludes- for separate layers.
- b. Or you can create Data Layers. You associate these layers with folders, file types, or both. While active, a data layer captures all new and modified files that match the criteria you’ve set. (You can virtualize – for example - all “. doc” or “.txt” files . If you create a .doc or .txt file while this Layer is active, it will be redirected to the virtual environment) Unlike “normal” data files, created with unvirtualized applications, these virtualized data files or folders will be invisible when data layers are deactivated.
Important Note no 2 Altiris representatives confirm that SVS isn’t designed as a security product. IT DOES NOT secure and complete rollback your OS to an earlier state like Returnil On the contrary, antivirus scanners can see right through SVS and scan inside deactivated layers, since they work at a driver level. They may also report suspicious behaviour from SVS itself.
Important Note no 3: Do not virtualize antivirus and other security products that requires complex OS environmental involvement. Also, don’t virtualize any tools you might need in Safe Mode because SVS doesn’t run in SM . When using files or registry cleaning tools we advice activate all layers in order to avoid deleting certain items (i.e. desktop icons and their registry keys, etc..) reported as useless. Altiris SVS takes a very reasonable 10,29 Mo space on your hard drive and it has a very light footprint Compatibility: Windows 2000, 2003, XP and Vista.
Before downloading SVS Altiris Personal Edition get your free licence key here
Then download it from SVSDownloads.com and write your licence key serial when you are asked to do it. Note that you can also get the key during the installation, by clicking “Get it free “ button (your browser will open the above “.aspx” web page) . At the end SVS’s installer will ask you to restart the computer. You’re done ! (Note that the SVS installer zip file also contains comprehensive user instructions in a PDF file) Altiris has countless fans, many of them gattered in a powerful community on AltirisJuice.com .
There you can also find “packages” programs for SVS (already prepared SVS export/import files, using the virtual software archive (VSA) format). All details about applications that have been successfully virtualized with Altiris SVS are to be found on the Altiris Wiki - Best Practice Page. Detailed SVS reviews : Freewaregenius , Lifehacker , 4sysops , PC Mag 1 , PC Mag 2 , MyDigitalLife .
Check-out an interesting comparison between SVS and Sandboxie . We’ve said and repeat it : SVS + Returnil + Sandboxie + … Us ( our PC ) = LOVE These amazing (and different) virtualization solutions, unbelievable easy-to-use, made our computer/web life much easier. We highly recommend them to anyone.
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Interesting !
I knew about Returnil and Sanboxie but nothing about SVS.
I’ll try it today . Thanks !
I’ve discovered SVS by reading this detailed article. Now I install all new programs trough SVS and . No more headaches . Thanks !
You state: “Altiris representatives confirm that SVS isn’t designed as a security product. IT DOES NOT secure and complete rollback your OS to an earlier state like Returnil”
I do not understand. If your software is being installed into a virtual layer using SVS then wouldn’t the OS be rolled back to its original state if you deleted all your virtual layers?
I do hope someone can clarify.
1 point
It is very simple ! The OS is not virtualized AT ANY MOMENT (like in Returnil’s case ).
Where did you understand that ?
Only individual softwares are installed in virtual layers - working on ( with ) the normal OS ( once you activate them )… and accepting modifications ( updates, reset, etc … ) which are “kept” ( or happen ) in the interior of their specific virtual layers.
Sanboxie also allows individual virtualization for softwares … BUT not using the same principle, not under a continously controlled way ( cannot reset it for example, just delete it ) and you cannot export the virtual layer on another drive, like Altiris SVS.
The phrase about the security issue is saying ( if you need translation ) : the fact that you virtualize a certain software in an SVS layer, DOES NOT SECURE THE REST OF YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE OS .
Even “if you delete all your virtual layers” your OS will not “roll back to its original state” because it was never virtualized … So all other modifications ( for example upgrades of your AV or any other software not running in an Altiris SVS layer ) WILL NOT BE REVERTED .
“Hope somebody can clarify” … I’m a bit confused because a tech-savvy guy like you ( with that brillant solution about “how to extract individual files / folders from a archive”) did not understand this simple principle. To be honest it is hard to believe an advanced computer user like you did not know Altiris SVS before. It is one of the oldest and extremely popular virtualization solution .
No offense meant.
I strongly recommend to try Altiris SVS. You’ll understand better this magic principle !
Thanks for the feedback. And you are right I have not heard of SVS. I have been using other virtualization solutions (including Sandboxie, VirtualBox, Parallels (on Mac) and VMWare). I don’t know how I missed SVS. It definitely looks more flexible than Sandboxie for testing software.
And I understand that software running outside the Altris SVS virtual layer can modify the real OS. (e.g Anitvirus software updating itself). That makes sense. (The same would be true in Sandboxie as well).
But say you install malware into one of the Altris SVS “virtual layers”. If you delete this virtual software lawyer, the malware would disappear as well. (Or at least it should! Just like if you deleted a sandbox in sandboxie, any malware running in the sandbox would disappear as well).
But when Altris says that Altris SVS is NOT security software, it makes me suspicious. Maybe they are trying to protect themselves in case malware installed inside a virtual layer somehow gets out (due to a bug in SVS) and infects the real OS…
I do see some advantages of SVS over Returnil. You cannot run or test software in Retunil if the software requires a reboot to finish an installation. It does not look like you have this problem with Altris SVS. Definitely a product worth trying out!
2 points
There was the same disccussion - about the possibility of a “malware installed inside a virtual layer somehow gets out” - for Sandboxie too.
But I have never heard of someone telling “my computer was infected though I was using Sanboxie OR Altiris SVS.” Not talking about a “geek demonstration” that this situation is possible.
Maybe you have noticed the geeks-community on SVS Juice. They would have certainly found possible infection bugs … And solve them too.
Yes it’s great to be able to reboot the computer when trying software in a SVS layer.
Regards !
I could only find SVS2.1 here: http://www.svsdownloads.com/download_svs.php
3 points
Thank you for the important note !
We have updated the download link in the post, too.
Hey… How can I missed something like this!
I though this old post only for techsawy or technicians who work with dll or something!
I’ll give it a try! many thanks guys!
1 point
Hmmm! I reached this page reading your response to Mayur on Norman AV promotion.
I was too familiar with Returnil and Sandboxie, and thought that SVS is like Returnil. I had totally missed it! And it turns out to be something I was looking for!!! At 4 Free, your guys have fulfilled several of my wishes with both commercial software and freeware!!
I am about to read your article on comparison and optimal use of the three tools together.
One problem I see in Returnil (besides being unable to reboot) is that it only protects C: I am more used to using C: as windows/programs and D: as all sort of temporary files (I map environment variable TMP/TEMP to D:). All my own data lies in E: and F:
Will download SVS right away.
2 points
Hi Alok!
I hope you’ll like it.
Cheers!
For a contribution to the discussion, I report my experience with Sandboxie.
Some months ago I (stupid) launched an infected file in a Sanboxie virtual box; the computer crashed, and when restarted there was a variant of the Bagle worm happily working on my pc (eliminated after a long procedure…).
This is a very dangerous use of Sandboxie, I know, and a very particular case.
But I reported it only why “never say never”, as in the phrase “I have never heard of someone telling my computer was infected though I was using Sanboxie OR Altiris SVS.”
Unfortunaltely there is someone
Hi!
3 points
Thank you for the feedback , Brullo !