Sandboxie question

Computer Help and Discussions Windows Security
1

I asked this question on the Sandboxie forum and haven't received a response yet. Maybe I'll have better luck here.

My grandson has a computer game on a CD that he wants to download onto my computer via it's disk drive. The game is "clean"; it's from a store and from a well-known manufacturer. Is there a way I can download the game into a sandbox using Sandboxie instead of directly onto my hard drive? The reason I'd like to do this is because if the game program is downloaded onto my hard drive, then the uninstall won't be nearly as clean as if it was installed in a sandbox.

2

Are you able to right click on the install exe within the cd and select "Run Sandboxed" from the context menu?

3

Returnil is great for this kind of thing. As long as you don't need to reboot after the install it will work. I test many apps under Returnil and after a reboot it's back to where it was before the install.

4
Returnil is great for this kind of thing. As long as you don't need to reboot after the install it will work. I test many apps under Returnil and after a reboot it's back to where it was before the install.

Can you activate/deactivate Returnil at will. For instance, what if you have an app you want to install "for real" -- not just to test?

5
Can you activate/deactivate Returnil at will. For instance, what if you have an app you want to install "for real" -- not just to test?

Once Returnil is on you reboot to get out of it and your system will be as it was before you turned on Returnil. All changes you made to the system are gone including the app you installed. Once rebooted you are back to normal and than you can install the program normally if you want it.

6

Anthony,So any files.apps etc. that are saved in the Virtual Partition installed and tested and found to be safe can be transfered to the regular HD for installation or a folder of your choice. Just curious if you open email with the protection turned on is the email lost one you boot out of the system or can you save it as a file to the Virtual Drive to view it later.

7
Are you able to right click on the install exe within the cd and select "Run Sandboxed" from the context menu?

I'll give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

8
Anthony,So any files.apps etc. that are saved in the Virtual Partition installed and tested and found to be safe can be transfered to the regular HD for installation or a folder of your choice. Just curious if you open email with the protection turned on is the email lost one you boot out of the system or can you save it as a file to the Virtual Drive to view it later.

I don't use the virtual partiton so I can't say. Also the new version of Returnil has the choice of using RAM or HD to virtualize your system. If you chose HD than you can save some things but if you use RAM.

The version I use vitalizes the system into RAM and anything you do is gone after reboot.

9
The version I use vitalizes the system into RAM and anything you do is gone after reboot.

I'm using the HD method at the moment I downloaded a few simple programs that I already have on my system to test it out with. I installed them from the Virtual HD onto my system with protection on and as expected they were gone once I rebooted. I also sent myself a couple emails of different types text,text with attachments etc. from my gmail account and opened them up with the protection on.

I left one in the inbox and saved another to the save box and also saved it as a file on the Virtual drive. Once I rebooted all traces of the original two emails were gone from my system but the one I saved on the VD was still there and I could either transfer it to a folder or open it up with my systems mail program. Email is not a problem for me but I know some people just cant resist opening up every email they get.

Pretty cool program :)

10

The above comments about Returnil have me curious. Here's what I'm looking for:

1. A way of safely downloading and installing programs to test them out...and a way to FULLY uninstall them that keeps my system pristine. I'm finicky about keeping my registry and OS clean. Sadly, I avoid downloading programs to test them out because most of their uninstallers don't fully work; they leave folders and registry entries behind. So I'm missing out on some of the fun of having a computer. I could consider using Revo or a similar uninstaller utility, but I like the "virtual" concept better for now. I discovered with Sandboxie that even though I may download a program in the "sandboxed" environment, I was surprised to learn that when I remove the program by closing the sandbox, and then do a registry scan in CCleaner, there are left-over registry fragments from that program that was sandboxed. I guess I assumed if the program was sandboxed, then absolutely nothing would be left behind anywhere when the sandbox was emptied...not even in the registry. Do you know how this works with Returnil? If you have Returnil protection on, and download a program, and then reboot, is it 100% removed or is there some residual stuff left behind in the registry like I discovered with Sandboxie?

2. Security. I like the idea of being able to surf the web and know that if you picked up something bad along the way, it will be gone by emptying the sandbox or by rebooting. Sounds like both Sandboxie and Returnil do a good job with this issue.

3. Simplicity. I tried HIPS (Host Instrusion Prevention...or something like that) and didn't like it. It may be a good fit for some folks, but I found it too high-maintenance. So one reason I like the virtual environment is you don't have that sort of mess and fuss.

Returnil users...can you give me your opinions, particularly about above # 1?

11
The above comments about Returnil have me curious. Here's what I'm looking for:

1. A way of safely downloading and installing programs to test them out...and a way to FULLY uninstall them that keeps my system pristine. I'm finicky about keeping my registry and OS clean. Sadly, I avoid downloading programs to test them out because most of their uninstallers don't fully work; they leave folders and registry entries behind. So I'm missing out on some of the fun of having a computer. I could consider using Revo or a similar uninstaller utility, but I like the "virtual" concept better for now. I discovered with Sandboxie that even though I may download a program in the "sandboxed" environment, I was surprised to learn that when I remove the program by closing the sandbox, and then do a registry scan in CCleaner, there are left-over registry fragments from that program that was sandboxed. I guess I assumed if the program was sandboxed, then absolutely nothing would be left behind anywhere when the sandbox was emptied...not even in the registry. Do you know how this works with Returnil? If you have Returnil protection on, and download a program, and then reboot, is it 100% removed or is there some residual stuff left behind in the registry like I discovered with Sandboxie?

2. Security. I like the idea of being able to surf the web and know that if you picked up something bad along the way, it will be gone by emptying the sandbox or by rebooting. Sounds like both Sandboxie and Returnil do a good job with this issue.

3. Simplicity. I tried HIPS (Host Instrusion Prevention...or something like that) and didn't like it. It may be a good fit for some folks, but I found it too high-maintenance. So one reason I like the virtual environment is you don't have that sort of mess and fuss.

Returnil users...can you give me your opinions, particularly about above # 1?

When you use Returnil it virtualizes your system into RAM. Anything you do while this is activated does not touch your hard drive or the Registry. Anything you install, uninstall, any setting you change, anything you do period is done on the virtual system running in RAM. Once you reboot the RAM is released and your system is back to where it was. To say it reverts back isn't correct because it was never changed in the first place.

12
When you use Returnil it virtualizes your system into RAM. Anything you do while this is activated does not touch your hard drive or the Registry. Anything you install, uninstall, any setting you change, anything you do period is done on the virtual system running in RAM. Once you reboot the RAM is released and your system is back to where it was. To say it reverts back isn't correct because it was never changed in the first place.

Thanks AnthonyA. I see in your earlier posts that the most recent version of Retunil gives you a choice of using RAM or HD to virtualize your system. Do you know the pros and cons of each?

13
Thanks AnthonyA. I see in your earlier posts that the most recent version of Retunil gives you a choice of using RAM or HD to virtualize your system. Do you know the pros and cons of each?

You should take a look here. These guys know more about it than I do.

http://www.castlecops.com/f288-Returnil_Vi...em_Release.html

14

Sorry guys, I missed these last few posts.

Anthony has summed up the benefits of Returnil, and I'm just sticking my two penneth in as I've been using Returnil for, I think, about a year now.

I've mentioned in another thread that I've installed/tried out, literally hundreds of programs under Returnil, and I've never encountered any sort of problem. I use the Ram method, rather than have everything written and then removed from the hard drive. (Which I believe happens using the other mode).

Returnil is actually a surprisingly small package on the Hard Drive, it's Program Files Folder being being less than 5mb. I never use the Vitual Partition as I save any stuff to my own partition or a USB flash drive.

I have on occassion had up to a half dozen new programs installed at the same time, and upon reboot, all traces were gone just as I expected them to be.

Returnil can also be used in the opposite direction, so to speak.

You can completely uninstall a program, maybe to try a newer version, or for whatever reason, and when you reboot, the program is still there on your hard drive, because it was never removed in the first place.

What's removed is a copy of that program in memory, and the new version installed in the same place.

I think Returnil is probably the most amazing, and useful, program I have ever came across.

Edit: Almost forgot. On one occasion, Avast picked something up before it got onto my pc, and placed it in the Virus Chest. When I rebooted, there was nothing in the Virus Chest. It had been placed in a copy of Avasts Virus Chest in memory.

Pretty neat.

15

Great input. Thanks for your responses.

As already stated, I have Sandboxie installed and I like how simple and practical it is. (That's my style.) But I'm confused why the registry fragments occurred when I downloaded, installed, and then removed Audacity in the sandboxed environment. Is that normal to happen...even with Returnil? Or did Sandboxie leak? I'm new to this virtual world of computing and still learning and don't know that answer.

DennisD, your response is starting to sell me on Returnil. I read some of Returnil's user manual. Maybe have both, Sandboxie and Returnil, on my system for a while and decide which one I like best?

Does anyone have any experience uninstalling Returnil? I had a very bad experience uninstalling Comodo a while back and want to avoid a repeat. Does Returnil uninstall cleanly?

16

I muse both Sandboxie and Returnil for completely different things though. I use Returnil for testing things out. It virtualizes the operating system into RAM and as long as no reboot is needed I can test any program out and all traces are gone when I finally do reboot. This will help cut down on the inevitable registry bloat and corrupted registry that occurs with installing and uninsatlling programs.

I use Sandboxie when I want to use my browser or email or IM client in a isolated way so as not to expose my operating system to any risks. I find it easier to use Sandboxie for this instead of Returnil because no reboot is required to get out of it.

17

I don't use Sandboxie, but as Anthony says, you can have both on your system fine.

Returnil uninstalls with no problems. I've done it a couple of times to get a clean install of a new version.

I wonder what would happen if you tried to uninstall Returnil while using Returnil? It might disappear up it's own recycle bin. :)

18
I don't use Sandboxie, but as Anthony says, you can have both on your system fine.

Returnil uninstalls with no problems. I've done it a couple of times to get a clean install of a new version.

I wonder what would happen if you tried to uninstall Returnil while using Returnil? It might disappear up it's own recycle bin. :)

What version of Returnil are you using Dennis.

19
I wonder what would happen if you tried to uninstall Returnil while using Returnil? It might disappear up it's own recycle bin. :)

Ha! A paradox of the virtual world.

I have read where people use Sandboxie with Returnil protection turned on. That's tight security.

20
Ha! A paradox of the virtual world.

I have read where people use Sandboxie with Returnil protection turned on. That's tight security.

They probably wear tin foil hats to :lol: