System Support Guide

ConfigSafe Support Edition OEM Software for Windows 95/98 or Windows NT Single User License Agreement
AGREEMENT CAREFULLY READ ALL OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT BEFORE USING THE SOFTWARE (Software). BY INSTALLING OR USING THIS PRODUCT, YOU INDICATE YOUR COMPLETE AND UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, PROMPTLY RETURN THE PRODUCT. This document is a legal agreement between you and IMAGINE LAN, INC. (IMAGINE LAN") concerning the use of the Software. THIS AGREEMENT CONSTITUTES THE COMPLETE AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND IMAGINE LAN, INC.. 1. LICENSE IMAGINE LAN, INC. (the "Licensor") hereby grants to you a nonexclusive license to use one copy of the selected version of ConfigSafe software on a single computer. ConfigSafe is licensed per system. A license must be purchased for each system on which you install ConfigSafe. Both Windows 95 and Windows NT versions of the software are provided for your convenience. Each copy is licensed for the same system. You agree that you will not assign, sublicense, transfer, pledge, lease, rent, or share your rights under this License Agreement. You agree that you may not reverse assemble, reverse compile, or otherwise translate the Software. No copies of the Software or any portions thereof may be made by you or any person under your authority. You acknowledge that the Software is a proprietary product of Licensor protected under U.S. and international copyright laws. 2. TERM This License Agreement is effective upon your opening of this packet and shall continue until terminated. You may terminate this License Agreement at any time by returning the Software and all copies thereof to Licensor. Licensor may terminate this License Agreement upon the breach by you of any term hereof. Upon such termination by Licensor, you agree to return to Licensor the Software and all copies and portions thereof. 3. LIMITED WARRANTY Licensor warrants for a period of 30 days from the date of commencement of this License Agreement (referred to as the "Warranty Period") that the diskette in which the Software is contained is free from defects in material and workmanship. If during the Warranty Period, a defect in the diskette appears, you may return the diskette to Licensor for either replacement or, if so elected by Licensor, refund of amounts paid by you under this License Agreement. You agree that the foregoing constitutes your sole and exclusive remedy for breach by Licensor of any warranties made under this Agreement. EXCEPT FOR THE WARRANTIES SET FORTH ABOVE, THE SOFTWARE, IS LICENSED "AS IS," AND LICENSOR DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. 4. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY Licensor's cumulative liability to you or any other party for any loss or damages resulting from any claims, demands, or actions arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall not exceed the license fee paid to Licensor for the use of the Software. In no event shall Licensor be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages or lost profits, even if Licensor has been advised of the possibility of such damages. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. This License Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of New Hampshire, U.S.A. ConfigSafe is a registered trademark of imagine LAN, Inc. (c)1996-1997 imagine LAN, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ConfigSafe System Support Guide

Page 2

Introduction
ConfigSafe is a comprehensive configuration tracking and recovery tool for Windows PCs. ConfigSafe tracks changes users and applications make to the system Registry, configuration files, file versions (including DLLs, EXEs, and drivers), system hardware, and network connections. More importantly, ConfigSafe restores Windows settings to their previously working settings in just seconds.

Lowering the Cost of System Ownership

ConfigSafe lowers the cost of ownership of a PC. Most PC problems are the result of changes made by a user or installation program. Often, these changes go unnoticed by a user because they happen behind the scenes. By monitoring system changes, ConfigSafe reports every change that occurred on a system , and if necessary, you can undo the changes. Now, finding the cause of a new system problem is easy, and less expensive.

What Has Changed On The System?

A question youll never again have to ask. With ConfigSafe, youll know exactly what changes were made to a system configuration, and when they were made. Using the Scheduled Snapshot feature (accessed from the Manage button on the main screen ), you can be sure ConfigSafe is tracking every change to a system.

Restoring A System That Isnt Running Properly

Whether your system or application suddenly wont run properly, or Windows will only boot into Safe Mode, ConfigSafe can help. Use the ConfigSafe Restore feature to reset your system to a previously working configuration. ConfigSafe even works from Windows Safe mode. You can sleep better knowing there is always a way to restore your system.

Restoring A System That Wont Boot Into Windows

With ConfigSafe 95 it is easy to rescue a system that will no longer boot into Windows. The ConfigSafe SOS.EXE utility lets you restore your system to a previously working configuration from the DOS command line. Now thats protection! This feature is not available with ConfigSafe NT.

Protecting A System From Bad Software

Before installing new hardware or software, run ConfigSafe and take a Snapshot of your system. Export your snapshot to a diskette or server for safekeeping. Then, complete the installation. Next time you run ConfigSafe, youll receive a detailed report of the changes made to your system during the installation process. If the new product created a problem, ConfigSafe can restore you to the earlier configuration. With detailed documentation of the changes a product made to your system, its a lot easier to identify the problem.

Get Extra Protection With New Export/Import Feature

Now you can further safeguard your system by exporting your snapshots to a server or to diskette for safekeeping. When the need arises, import a snapshot back to your system and use it to compare against another snapshot, or to restore the system if necessary.

Insure Against System Downtime

Installing ConfigSafe on all licensed systems provides insurance against system downtime. For problems that may occur, ConfigSafe provides a valuable change history. Most often, the cause of system problems is the result of some change a user or application has made to system settings.

Installation and Setup

ConfigSafe is installed on each system to be monitored. Listed below are the requirements and installation instructions for the ConfigSafe software. ConfigSafe is easy to install, and even easier to use.

System Requirements
ConfigSafe is available for the family of Microsoft Windows Operating Systems. The ConfigSafe 95 Support Edition and ConfigSafe NT Support Edition are included on the diskettes provided with the Support Edition License. ConfigSafe 95 Requirements -Windows 95 -VGA Color Monitor -5 MB Disk Space ConfigSafe NT Requirements -Microsoft Windows NT Operating System v3.51 or 4.0 -VGA Color Monitor -5 MB Disk Space

Installation
This section describes the installation procedures for installing ConfigSafe 95 and ConfigSafe NT. There are separate installation procedures for each environment, so the first step is to find the diskette that contains the version you need. Software ConfigSafe 95 ConfigSafe NT After locating the proper software, begin the installation procedure. Follow the steps listed below.

Note: ConfigSafe provides an Uninstall procedure when installed into a Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 environment. There is no automated Uninstall procedure when installing into a Windows NT 3.51 environment.
1. Run INSTALL.EXE From the diskette run the ConfigSafe Installation Utility: INSTALL.EXE 2. Follow the On-Screen instructions. ConfigSafe is easy to install. Follow the on-screen instructions. You may be asked to specify the following information: Installation Directory: Provide the name of the directory into which ConfigSafe should be installed. Short Cut Options: ConfigSafe will install shortcuts on your Windows Startup menu and Desktop. If queried, select the desired installation options by marking the associated check box. Configuration Files: ConfigSafe tracks the important configuration files on your system, such as WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI. You may be asked to verify the initial location of these files. In most cases you will want to take the defaults provided by ConfigSafe. 3. Installation Complete Upon completing the installation procedure, the required files will be copied to your system, and the initial system snapshot will be taken. The initial snapshot captures your system configuration (for additional security, use the Export feature to store your snapshot on a diskette or server). From that point forward the system is monitored for changes. On some systems, ConfigSafe will run itself after completing the installation procedure.

Using On-line Help

The ConfigSafe on-line help provides detailed information about each ConfigSafe screen. Once inside the on-line help, many of the screen captures have Hotspots. If there is a particular field on the screen for which you need help, click on that field and a definition box will display with information on the selected field. You can also invoke on-line help by pressing the Help button from the main screen.

How ConfigSafe Works

ConfigSafe keeps a detailed record of the changes made to your system. To do so, ConfigSafe takes a Snapshot, or picture, of your system. This picture contains detailed information about system settings such as: The Registry System Files Drivers, EXEs, and DLLs Directory Structures Network Connections

System Hardware

To report the changes to a system, ConfigSafe compares two Snapshots, identifying the differences. Think of it as comparing two pictures to see what the difference is between the settings at one point in time verses the current settings. With the Export/Import feature, ConfigSafe can compare snapshots taken from two different PCs. This can be helpful when supporting a series of PCs that have (or should have) similar configurations. The first Snapshot taken by ConfigSafe is called the Factory Configuration, representing the system settings when the PC was shipped from the factory. ConfigSafe then takes more snapshots (system pictures) at scheduled time intervals. The snapshots are taken at Windows startup, and require just a few seconds. Snapshots can also be taken manually. For example, you may want to take a system snapshot before installing an application. Then, proceed with the installation procedure. When the application is installed, ConfigSafe can identify the major changes the application made to your system during the installation process. To take a snapshot, select the Snapshot button from the ConfigSafe main screen. To manage snapshots, such as scheduling automatic snapshots or exporting a snapshot, select the manage button from the ConfigSafe main screen. More information on all these options can be found in the on-line help, accessed by pressing F1 from any screen.

Taking Advantage of ConfigSafe Technology

Most system problems are more easily resolved when ConfigSafe is available on the system. As discussed in the previous Lowering Cost of Ownership section, ConfigSafe provides help in identifying the cause of a new system problem, as well as restoring a system to a previously working configuration in just seconds. Support personnel and end users alike will benefit from reduced support costs and a decrease in system or application downtime by using the ConfigSafe system tracking tool. Integrate ConfigSafe into your support plans for telephone, on-site, or remote support. This section explains how to use ConfigSafe to reduce the cost of supporting your systems. Using ConfigSafe is easy. There are three major tasks you can now perform quickly and easily using ConfigSafe. 1) Reporting Change History Select the ConfigSafe Report button and the changes a user made to their system are identified in writing. Have them FAX, e-mail, or send the report to your attention and problem resolution becomes a snap. Additionally, the ConfigSafe Export feature enables the user to send an actual snapshot of their system to you. 2) Restoring A System Select the ConfigSafe restore option and a users system is quickly reset to the system settings it had on the selected day. Snapshots that have been exported for safekeeping or imported from another PC can also be employed to restore a system. Often, this is the first step in attempting to resolve a problem because it takes just a minute or two and will often fix the problem. 3) Backing Up System Settings A common time consuming task is requesting that the user back up their existing configuration files. Often, before suggesting changes to a system, you want to make sure the existing files have been safely stored away, in case the need should arise to restore back to these versions of the files. ConfigSafe backs up the Registry and important configuration files in just seconds. Select the Snapshot button from the ConfigSafe main screen and a users system files are

backed up immediately. For additional safety, use the Export feature (from the Manage Snapshot screen) to export the snapshot to a diskette or server. Not only is it quick, but you know it has been done properly.

Resolving Problems with ConfigSafe

The next time a user calls for technical support you have a whole new set of tools to resolve the problem easily. With ConfigSafe, you can get a report of the changes to a users system, use the Export feature to compare the user's configuration against a standard or known good configuration, or restore a system to a previously working configuration using the Restore option. These options, described in the previous section, make solving problems easier. There are two types of approaches to solving a system problem. 1. Restoring the System If appropriate, restore the users system to a previously working configuration using the ConfigSafe Restore option. Previously exported snapshots or a snapshot from a different system can be imported to use in the restore process. Often a new problem is the result of a change to a users configuration files. Resetting their system to a previously working configuration takes just about 1 minute, and can often solve the problem. If the restore does not solve the problem, you can reset the system to the way it was before the restore by selecting the Undo button from the ConfigSafe main screen. ConfigSafe 95 users have the additional option of executing the DOS-based UNDO.EXE utility. This provides an added safety net in case a system wont boot into Windows after having done a Restore. Steps to Restoring A System: 1) From the ConfigSafe main screen select the Restore button. 2) Select the proper system configuration in the Snapshot field (use the Import feature to place previously exported snapshots in the selection list). 3) Select the Restore button. ConfigSafe will warn you about the changes, and recommend shutting down other applications that are running at the time. 4) The system is reset to the selected settings and then rebooted. 1. Analyzing Changes The ConfigSafe Report facility generates an on-screen or printed report of the changes a user made to their system configuration within the given time period. Use this if the user is averse to performing a Restore, or too many changes have been made to the system for a Restore to be feasible. Set the Changes From and Changes To fields on the main screen to the desired time period. Most often it will be some previous day until Now. Alternatively, use the Import feature to place a previously exported snapshot, or a snapshot from a known good system, in the selection list for comparison. Then, select the Report button from the ConfigSafe main screen. From here the user can select to print the report, or view the report. Viewing the report will result in ConfigSafe generating an ASCII report and loading it into Notepad or WordPad. Many times the user can add more information to the report if it was created within Notepad. Then, the report can be faxed, e-mailed, or simply saved to disk. Steps to Printing a Report: 1. Select the desired dates in the Changes Starting and Changes Ending fields. 2. Choose the Report option from the ConfigSafe main screen. 3. Select the desired items for the report.

4.

ConfigSafe reports system changes for all the components selected in the Generate Report Screen. Choose Print Report or View Report to send the report to the printer or generate the report in ASCII and have it loaded into Notepad or WordPad.

Regardless of the approach you ultimately take to resolve the problem, ConfigSafe provides a strong set of debugging tools.

Telephone Support Using ConfigSafe

Telephone support with ConfigSafe is easy. Just follow the steps below when a customer calls with a system or software problem.

Steps for Telephone Based Problem Solving With ConfigSafe:

1. Restore To A Previously Working Configuration : If possible, restore a users system to the snapshot of system settings taken before the problem was noticed. The ConfigSafe Import feature may be used to import a working snapshot if a suitable snapshot does not reside on the problem PC. Many times a simple Restore will resolve the problem. If not, simply Undo the Restore by selecting the Undo button from the ConfigSafe main screen and continue with normal problem resolution. 2. Generate Comparison Report or Export Snapshots: If the Restore of the system did not resolve the problem, or the user is averse to resetting the system to a previously working configuration, have the user generate the ConfigSafe report, indicating changes to the system settings since the system last worked properly. Alternatively, the user can export current and previous snapshots of the system that can be sent to your representative for comparison. 3. FAX/E-Mail the report/snapshots: Users can FAX or e-mail the report directly to your representative, or e-mail exported snapshots of their system to your representative. 4. Pinpoint the Problem: Pinpoint the problem and estimate the required time for resolution. 5. Resolve the Problem: Determine the problem resolution and implement it. ConfigSafe lets you quickly invoke system editors to make any necessary changes. Or, you can use the restore facility to back up a user to a previously working configuration. 6. Snapshot the System: After resolving the problem, snapshot the system before leaving. If a user calls again, youll have a history of the changes since the last service. 7. Identify Warranty/Billing Responsibility: In a fee-based service situation, ConfigSafe helps identify warranty and billing responsibility based on the comparison report.

ConfigSafe for Support On-Site

Quicker On-Site Resolution

If your organization sends representatives on-site to solve problems, they can take advantage of ConfigSafe technology as well. ConfigSafe will reduce the amount of time it takes to track down a problem, and provides a written report on the changes identified on the system. If a user is in a critical situation, the Restore technology can be used to quickly restore them to a working configuration.

Steps for On-Site Resolution:

The steps for On-Site resolution are the same as those listed for Telephone Support Using ConfigSafe. The only difference is that the support technician will perform the recommended steps, instead of the user.

ConfigSafe and Remote Control

Shorter and More Beneficial Remote Sessions

Remote Control Software enables system administrators to take control of remote workstations via LAN connections. Many support teams are implementing remote control technology to more quickly resolve problems. But remote control is only a part of the solution. When a support person takes over a PC, they need accurate information as to the potential cause of a problem. And many times they are unable to speak with the customer because the phone line is in use. ConfigSafe and Remote Control Software can be used in combination as an extremely powerful troubleshooting tool. Your support representatives will benefit from quicker problem identification, and accurate technical information. More calls will result in the resolution of the problem, and overall, calls will take significantly less time.

Steps for Remote Control Resolution:

1. Establish a remote session using your Remote Control Software 2. <follow the same steps for On-Site Resolution> Note: Restoring previous system settings will result in a system re-boot, which may result in a lost remote session. Keep this in mind when planning your steps to remote problem resolution. You may want to generate a printed report before trying to Restore a system.

Upgrade To The ConfigSafe Network Edition

The ConfigSafe 95 Support Edition and ConfigSafe NT Support Edition are included on the diskettes provided with your Support Edition License. The products are licensed per system according to the software license agreement. As a ConfigSafe Support Edition customer, you can purchase a ConfigSafe license for your other systems, or upgrade your existing license to the ConfigSafe Network Edition, at a discounted price. Simply call imagine LAN, Inc. at 1-800-372-9776 or 603-889-3883. Have your serial number ready (it can be obtained by selecting the Help button from the main screen and choosing the About option from the sub-menu). For more infromation about the ConfigSafe Network Edition, visit the imagine LAN web site at www.imagine-lan.com.

ConfigSafe Administrator Tools

Imagine LAN, Inc. offers the ConfigSafe Custom Utility to network administrators and support personnel who wish to customize their ConfigSafe master diskette. With the ConfigSafe Custom Utility, youll be guided through customizing the list of files, directories, and Registry keys monitored by ConfigSafe along with MANY other options. Also included is documentation explaining the ConfigSafe option switches and default settings. This is a must have product for network administrators.

About imagine LAN, Inc. (www.imagine-lan.com)

ConfigSafe is developed by imagine LAN, Inc. Dedicated to providing support tools for todays complex multi-vendor configurations, imagine LAN, Inc. was founded in 1992. The product line includes the ConfigSafe family of products for Windows 3.1x, Windows 95, and Windows NT. ConfigSafe products are available through resellers and directly from imagine LAN, Inc. imagine LAN, Inc. is headquartered at 76 Northeastern Blvd. Suite 34B, Nashua, N.H. 03062, and can be contacted at 1-800-372-9776 (U.S.), 603-889-3883, or sales@imagelan.com. The web site is http://www.imagine-lan.com. 1-800-372-9776 // 603-889-3883 Fax 603-889-8822 www.imagine-lan.com