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Introduction
We're always on the lookout for the latest and greatest in technology
... you know, things that tech freaks drool over. Sometimes we come across
things that are fairly neat and useful, and there is the rare time we
are able to find a real gem of a product that has the potential to revolutionize
an industry. We think we've found such a company and product in this review.
 CoreProtect
is a company that develops backup and security solutions in the most unique
fashion we've ever seen. You see, there are no tape drives, no remote
off-site data warehouse, no DVD backups ... none of that. What they've
developed is CoreRESTORE, which provides critical data security at the
hardware level by providing an protected environment that enables rapid
recovery of OS, critical configuration files and principal applications
caused by viruses, application corruption and user error.
why & who
The first way to approach this review would to be to put
it into the context of who would want to use this and why. Basically,
if you knew that your computer was going to get messed with (by a kid,
a bunch of people, a virus, whatever) and you wanted to put your computer
hard drive "back in time" to a time where everything was a fresh
install, i would be impossible to do without a re-format and re-install.
What CoreRestore does is "save" your hard drive (at least the
part you specify it to save) into a backup "invisible" partition.
Every time you boot up you can simply hit the CTRL-ALT-M to get into the
CoreRestore BIOS-type menu, and hit the "Restore" button and
get back to that wonderful default mode you had set up when everything
worked just fine.
This functionality is made possible by CoreRestore's off
motherboard microprocessor which redirects all data changes, whether malicious
or accidental, to a temporary working area that is able to be wiped clean
with a simple reboot. Mission-critical data such as operating systems,
sensitive or proprietary applications, complex configurations and static
digital data sets are retained in a protected area, secure from unauthorized
modification.
Show me the numbers
The Numbers of the CoreRestore ...
| Data Transfer Rate: |
Up to 133MB/s |
| External Connectors: |
Data: Two 40-Pin IDE / Power: Molex |
| Bus Type: |
Parallel IDE |
| System Requirements: |
Parallel IDE (40 pin) hard drive, Molex floppy power converter |
| Dimensions: |
3.75" x 1.5" H x 1.0D |
| Device Support: |
Primary IDE Master hard drive up to ATA-133 (48 bit addressing). |
| Power Requirements: |
83 mA |
| Operating Temperature: |
-10C to 50C |
| Hardware Bundle: |
(1) 40-pin IDE cable, (1) Floppy Power "Y" cable with
Molex converter |
installation
Here's where there is a big catch with this device - in
order to install it for the first time, you are required to wipe your
hard drive. Yep - you have got to start from scratch if you want to use
this powerful device. If you can get over the trauma that this will offer
then proceed on.
The CoreRESTORE plugs straight into your master hard drive,
and you plug the 40-pin IDE cable from your motherboard into the CoreRESTORE
unit. The CoreRESTORE also requires the tiny floppy power device.
You boot the computer and enter into the CoreRESTORE menu
(Install Mode) and put in the settings you wish to have your hard drive
operate under - basically what you are doing is telling how CoreRESTORE
should carve up your hard drive for the "main" partition (which
will be mirrored in size "invisibly" so you can back it up)
and the "secondary partition" where the rest of your hard drive
space goes.
Using the Device
After you've set all that up, you start the installation
process of your given operating system of choice. At this point you have
a couple of options for how to use the device.
The install mode is the mode we've already gone over ...
no need to run it under this for your regular operations.
The RAM Disk Mode is where your hard drive
acts somewhat like RAM does - it gets wiped clean after your done. So
think about it this way. The computer is in a public library. Joe Schmoe
uses it, saves some pictures, a recipe for Pecan Pie, and then decides
to delete some .DLL files while using it. Normally, this would completely
suck and make the computer fail when trying to operate it. Fortunately
for the library staff, all they would have to do is REBOOT the system,
during the boot the CoreRESTORE would restore the "backed up"
edition of the hard drive (you do have to hit the "Backup" when
you get the computer to your liking for a default). Then you'd be right
back to having all the original files on there before Joe Schmoe decided
to be a jerk. What a great tool, isn't it!?
There's another mode, much more practical for home or small
business users that don't have the constant need to wipe their computer
of their work (that would stink after a while). What you do is run the
system in Live Disk Mode where you simply Backup when
you want, and you operate the computer just like any other computer in
the world - saving, playing games, whatever. If you reach a "critical
point" where you say "Damn, I need to get back to that time
I did the Backup to CoreRESTORE" all you have to do is hit the Backup
option in the menu. Otherwise, you simply run the computer, turn it off,
turn it back on, and everything you saved is still there just like any
normal hard drive. Want to back it up? Then back it up with CoreRESTORE.
performance
I have to say this is a fantastic device and it worked in
a way I didn't think computers could operate. I used my video editing
station as my test rig and was very happy with the fact that I installed
the operating system, installed my programs, updated Windows XP, and backed
it up. I did the horrible deed of deleting random Windows files ... and
sadly my computer did not boot. I cried in peril ... oh what had I done?!
Had I put too much faith in this device? Maybe.
So, I went into the CoreRESTORE menu ... I hit Restore ...
it appeared to do its thing... so with some hope in my heart I rebooted,
it went straight back to where I had backed it up. I was stunned - it
worked, it worked, it worked.
Value / Usefulness
I have to say there's a ton of uses for this system. Definitely
power computer users would want to think about this as a fantastic way
to keep your system the way you want it. For those of you constantly re-installing
your operating system because it gets bogged down with all the crap you
put on it, you can save yourself a billion gray hairs with this product.
Obviously, for any computers that exist in a "public
environment" such as libraries, offices, LAN Gaming centers, and
dozens of other places would be a perfect fit for CoreRESTORE to save
administrators a ton of time any money in the long haul.
Price Point / Longevity
The unit isn't cheap - it currently runs for $149.99, which
prices it out of casual enthusiasts budget. However for network administrators,
LAN Gaming Centers, libraries, and other such places it can represent
a huge amount of time saving that has to be done on computers that are
constantly messed up through ignorant or malicious use. The unit should
last you as long as you use an ATA/133 hard drive as the primary hard
drive in your system. Chances are we'll see these drives for another year
or two until SerialATA completely takes over.
Overall impressions
When I visited the CoreProtect offices here in San Diego
and they told me what this device did, I honestly starting laughing out
loud in dubious disbelief. I saw them bring in a system, we deleted a
few critical system files, unsuccessfully rebooted the system, and restored
it all back to normal operations. I was definitely impressed at that point,
but it wasn't until I actually installed the unit and used it myself that
I really had been won over.
For high-end users that see the obvious value that this
product can bring, CoreRESTORE is a no brainer for purchase and installation.
It's definitely a very highly innovative product that has the opportunity
to really make some waves in the entire high-tech industry.
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10 / 10 |
OVERALL SCORE
94%
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10 / 10 |
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8 / 10 |
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10 / 10 |
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9 / 10 |
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9.4 /
10 |
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