Identify system changes between dates

trids · #1 (**permalink**) 10-09-2009, 02:48 AM

A few weeks ago I came across a free app that included as one of its features the ability to help identify changes to the system .. but now that i need it, i can't remember what it was

I seem to recall it might have been a PPC registry editor that runs on the desktop, but I might be confusing it with something else.

Any ideas? Any app that can identify what changes occur on the PPC would help.

banzaiwolfe · #2 (**permalink**) 10-09-2009, 03:04 AM

CERegEditor can compare a registry against a backed up version of the registry, but as far as I know it only compares the registry. Is that what you were looking for? http://ceregeditor.mdsoft.pl/

trids · #3 (**permalink**) 10-09-2009, 05:48 AM

Yes, i think that's the one i saw - thanks banzaiwolfe!

But as you say it only focuses on the registry. Any suggestions on what to use in order to monitor filesystem changes?

Basically I have 2 goals, so i might need more than one app:

Backup - I want to be able to roll back my entire device to an earlier date in the event of some catastrophe. Rather than reinstalling from scratch.
Remove artifacts - I want to be able to completely undo the effects of any selected app that I decide to uninstall after trying it out. I have sampled many apps that leave a mess lying about after uninstalling them, which consume resources unnecessarily and pose a hazard to surviving apps.

Goal #2 might be accomplished to some extent by the achievement goal #1, if the backup option also features a selective rollback.

Is there something that does this already? Even if it's a set of tools, each with it's own role. Like CERegEditor plus some kind of "filesystem snapshotter" maybe?

**jmorton10** · #4 (**permalink**) 10-09-2009, 07:26 AM

Why not just do a total system backup with something like SPB Backup or Sprite before making any changes??

That way, you can very easily restore the system in minutes to EXACTLY the way it was before an offending program messed it up.

~John

trids · #5 (**permalink**) 10-09-2009, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmorton10

Why not just do a total system backup with something like SPB Backup or Sprite before making any changes??

That way, you can very easily restore the system in minutes to EXACTLY the way it was before an offending program messed it up.

~John

Thanks John, but that's a bit overkill. Adopting that approach means I'm guaranteed to lose all other changes as well (SMS-es, call logs, amongst many other innocent bystanders) to remove an app that might in fact be very well behaved when shown the door.

No, total restores are a blunt weapon, And when used in isolation are only suitable for catastrophes.

**jmorton10** · #6 (**permalink**) 10-09-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trids

Adopting that approach means I'm guaranteed to lose all other changes as well (SMS-es, call logs, amongst many other innocent bystanders) .

How do you figure that??

If you make a full system BU right before installing any new app (I ALWAYS do this) & don't like what happens after the install, the system restore returns it exactly how it was previous to the install (you don't lose anything)

~John

**popdog54** · #7 (**permalink**) 10-09-2009, 05:09 PM

Try this...

http://www.mobilmon.com/

**jmorton10** · #8 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 08:52 AM

Now that looks like it could be a useful app.

~John

trids · #9 (**permalink**) 10-12-2009, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmorton10

How do you figure that??

If you make a full system BU right before installing any new app (I ALWAYS do this) & don't like what happens after the install, the system restore returns it exactly how it was previous to the install (you don't lose anything)

~John

I agree .. as long as you decide to uninstall after a very short trial period. But some apps take a few days to evaluate, or even longer, during which time any number of other valuable changes might have occurred (messages, calls, app document updates, etc) ... which is why I'm looking for a selective tool.

In the desktop environment, you can take a snapshot of the filesystem with something like Beyond Compare, which snapshot can be used at any later date to identify changes. This snapshot is not a backup .. it's a collection of filenames and hashtotals .. but when used in conjunction with the comparison GUI of Beyond Compare, you can make informed decisions about what can safely be removed.

My fallback option is to dump my PPC registry and filesystem to my desktop HDD, when I want to take a snapshot; and again later (some days later perhaps) when i want to see what has changed. Then use beyond Compare to identify those changes. But if I can find that elusive selective backup/restore, it would make the whole exercise a lot simpler.