Any difference between Parallels Snapshots and Windows Restore Points?

[stevenjklein]

Is there any functional difference between Parallels Snapshots and Windows Restore Points?

Do both do exactly the same thing?

I know what Windows System Restore does not touch data files, (just changes in the OS, applications, and registry).

Do Snapshots work the same way? Or do they actually roll the disk back to the way it looked on the date the snapshot was created — which might result in losing data files (and restoring previously deleted data files)?

 

[Ram@Parallels]

Hi stevenjklein,

Yes, there is a functional difference between Parallels Snapshots and Windows Restore Points.

A snapshot is a saved state of the Virtual Machine. Snapshots can be created manually or automatically when the Virtual Machine is running whereas System Restore is a feature in Windows that allows the user to revert their computer's state including system files, installed applications, and system settings to that of a previous point in time.

To know more about Parallels snapshots please refer : http://kb.parallels.com/5691/

 

[stevenjklein]

A snapshot is a saved state of the Virtual Machine.

I should have been more clear. I read the documentation, but telling me a snapshot is a "saved state" of the VM doesn't really explain anything. Is it the saved state of the contents of the VM's disk and RAM? Just the RAM? Just some parts of the disk?

 

[Ram@Parallels]

Hi stevenjklein,

Snapshot is a copy of the virtual machine state at a particular point of time. Snapshots are stored inside the virtual machine bundle, this includes disks, memory, and other device information at a particular point of time when the Snapshot was taken.

You need free disk space on your Mac hard drive to take a snapshot. To calculate an approximate amount of free disk space needed you may use this formula: Virtual machine's RAM size + video RAM size + 10 MB.