Genesis FAQ’s

Who is Genesis?

Who is Genesis Systems?

Genesis is a San Francisco area company born of the hard work of IT professionals who worked in the old paradigm of PC restoration – taking hours or days to hunt for software problems; find one/some then take more hours or days to attempt to fix … and hope you don’t lose too much data! Knowing there had to be a better way, Genesis Founders Ed Brinskele and Anthony More built the Genesis solution over 6 years. There are presently more than a dozen US and International patents approved with an additional 30 pending that drive this giant step forward in PC restoration.

Who are Genesis Systems’ clients?

Genesis clients are businesses with a need to restore 5 or more hard drives a month. They include Fortune 500 companies, government entities, and professional repair businesses.

Who are your competitors?

Simply put, our competitor is manual labor — get someone to dig out original software, reinstall it, reconfigure it, and reactivate it. Then, of course, there’s attempting to load all the files back on the computer and ensuring that those files won’t cause the same problem. Did we mention losing data?

Oh, those guys on the radio saying they will fix your PC online? Right… try it. Further, we suggest you not have young children in the room if you search audio enabled user commentaries.

Why do I need Genesis?

Why do I need this product?

If you are responsible for fixing software problems, you need Genesis. Genesis fully restores PC functionality without having to know what’s wrong or what caused the problem — you can reliably fix a PC in less than an hour.

Genesis automatically restores a computer to its pristine, day-one state. So hours are not spent cleaning up, tediously zeroing out a hard drive, then reinstalling all of the client’s applications, operating system, drivers and files — then reconfiguring the computer and reloading the data that is recovered.

Instead, Genesis’s proprietary technology reviews of the old hard drive, and recognizes all the applications, settings, products keys, configurations, accounts, drivers, file structures, registry files, and data on the system.

Next, it performs complete verification and restoration of the operating system and applications including patches, drivers and systems packs required for flawless operation. Genesis even recovers lost or corrupted product keys from the old hard drive ensuring all applications are valid, source certified, and ready to use.

Finally, Genesis recovers all the data, including email, contacts, media, and personal files. Because the user is then working off a clean hard drive that’s fully optimized — and free of any preinstalled OEM junkware — they enjoy optimum, better than new performance.

PCs are getting better every day. Why is this product necessary?

Like it or not, every computer that accesses the internet is open to never ending issues that degrade or paralyze performance. Whether it’s a bad automatic upgrade, software conflict, malware, adware, spyware or virus, any personal computer can be brought to its knees in an instant.

Until PC makers figure out how to make their computers 100% secure from viruses, worms, malware, adware and spyware — and engineer them so that every piece of software ever created for PCs can run harmoniously together at the same time in any combination — there will be a need for Genesis.

What is “Shadow IT”?

Shadow IT is a term often used to describe IT systems and IT solutions built and used inside organizations without organizational approval. You know it well if you are responsible for your company’s computers. The laptops travel. The laptops get loaded with items not on your “approved” list. The computer slows dramatically or fails. The user goes to an outside repair source to avoid the corporate ire. Game on.

What happens to my hard drive?

What does Genesis do to my hard drive?

Nothing. Everything is left intact and untouched. Genesis merely transfers everything (files, apps, music, pictures, plugins, etc.) to a second, factory-certified hard drive. We suggest the old damaged drive be retained for potential forensic purposes like any file.

Does Genesis defrag my hard drive?

No. Genesis does not in any way alter the old hard drive. All source-certified apps, files, documents, plug-ins, video, music and pictures are seamlessly transferred to a second factory-certified hard drive.

What if my hard drive is physically damaged or unreadable?
If it is inoperable due to software or virus issues, Genesis will be able to read the drive and restore its data to a separate, factory certified hard drive. No more lost data! Likewise if your case is destroyed but the hard drive survives Genesis WILL save your data for your new PC.

If the hard drive is in pieces, bent or crushed, was soaked in liquid – really gone, then Genesis will not be able to read it and restore it.

What about security?

What are your security procedures? Is my data secure?

Genesis doesn’t store or copy any data, so confidential or sensitive information is never exposed. The original, corrupted hard drive is preserved and returned.

How does Genesis connect to the Internet?

Genesis connects to the Internet using a standard CAT-5 RJ-45 Ethernet cable(Also referred to as “CAT 5 Cable”). You will need to purchase an appropriate Ethernet cable if you do not have one.

Why does Genesis need to connect to the Internet?

Genesis needs to connect to the Internet to automatically download its own software updates, patches and fixes.

What’s the difference between Genesis and virus software?

What’s the difference between Genesis and virus software?

Virus software looks for what’s wrong. Genesis KNOWS what is right and completely restores a computer to a day-one, pristine state.

Virus protection software attempts to protect computers from literally trillions of viruses, worms, spyware, malware, adware or corrupted/malicious software, by trying to recognize it and prevent it from harming the computer. Heroic, but a losing proposition.

Genesis doesn’t fight this battle, because it simply doesn’t transfer unknown software in the process of restoring a user’s computer. Plus Genesis is the only solution on the market today that restores computers to their day-one, pristine state, with all of the client’s files intact and operational.

Are there any types of malicious software Genesis does not recognize?

Genesis doesn’t need to recognize malicious software. Genesis restores known-good, source-certified applications and files. If it’s malicious, it’s not known-good, and thus not certifiable from the source and will be left behind.

Do I still need virus protection software on a computer that Genesis has restored?

Absolutely. Once Genesis restores a computer to a pristine, day-one state and you place it back in service it is again under attack. Virus protection software is your only on-line road block today. It will protect you from many viruses but not problematic downloads. No doubt the machine will slow down and get gunked up again. One Genesis fan suggests “a routine one hour Genesis tune-up” every six month for every PC. And we think that’s a great idea.

Of course if virus protection software from a reputable manufacturer was installed, activated and running at the time Genesis goes to work on a machine it will restore this software to the new hard drive along with all other source-certified applications, and there will not be a need to reinstall or reactivate it.

Why is Genesis better than the way PCs are restored today?

What’s wrong with the way PCs are restored today?

Traditional computer restoration is neither reliable nor predictable, and is entirely dependent on the technician servicing the computer.

That’s because traditional computer repair relies on one of two methods. Option one is to completely erase and reformat the hard drive, and start again — manually reinstalling every application and reconfiguring the computer from scratch.

The second option is to try to identify all of the various bits of adware, malware, viruses, spyware or corrupt code on a user’s computer, and then eliminate it. Both methods are time consuming, fraught with errors, and totally unpredictable as to cost, time to repair, and success. Not a good situation for what has become everyone’s most indispensable business tool.

Genesis is a huge leap from all of that. You do NOT have to know what’s wrong with a hard drive to fix it. Rather, you restore all the known-good automatically.

What is known-good software?

Known-good software is original software from reputable software manufacturers. Genesis source-certifies applications and documents against its records of known-good software, so that only known-good applications and documents are transferred to the new hard drive.

What if my operating system is compromised?

No problem. Genesis completely restores supported operating systems, regardless if they are compromised on the original hard drive. The restored operating system is fully operational from the moment the computer is rebooted with the new hard drive. The operating system on the new hard drive is the version you paid for at the time the machine was placed in service.

How does Genesis work?

What does Genesis actually do? What’s going on behind the scenes?

Genesis works in a three-step process:

Although Genesis analyzes all data (files, applications, profiles, configurations, music, movies, pictures, etc.), none of it is ever permanently stored on the Genesis unit. Everything wanted or cared about is simply moved from one hard drive to another.

Genesis won’t transfer viruses, worms, spyware or malware, because it only takes known-good files. If an application isn’t source-certified by the original manufacturer, it’s left behind.

And at the end of the process, there will still be the original, corrupted hard drive, in the exact same condition as when the process started. This can be important for legal reasons, for forensic analysis, or just for reassurance that no one else has accessed private data.

Behind the scenes, Genesis’s proprietary technology reviews the old hard drive, and recognizes all the applications, settings, products keys, configurations, accounts, drivers, file structures, registry files, and data on the system.

Next, Genesis performs a complete, low level verification and restoration of the operating system and applications including patches, drivers and systems packs required for flawless operation.

Genesis even recovers lost or corrupted product keys from the old hard drive ensuring all applications are valid, source certified and ready to use.

Finally, Genesis recovers all data, including email, contacts, media, and personal files.

Working off a new, clean hard drive that’s fully optimized — and free of any preinstalled OEM junkware — the experience will be optimum, better than new performance.

What about software plug-ins and configurations?

Genesis also transfers every source-certified plug-in and configuration.

How many client applications do you support?

Genesis supports thousands of the most common business applications in use today, such as Microsoft Office, Intuit QuickBooks and various graphics programs. This covers about 95 percent of the user base today. Additional business applications are being added daily to support the vast majority of computer users.

Can I literally walk away and Genesis will sequence all on its own?

You will need to stay present for the first few steps, which only take a few minutes. Depending on the data transfer volume, the entire process will take less than an hour. However, if you are the Genesis user, and your schedule permits, you can make the stunning suggestion to your client that they “go grab lunch and come back in an hour.

How do I back the Genesis Server up?

The only software Genesis contains is its operating software. This software is automatically updated over the Internet with new features, patches and fixes. Genesis does not retain data and does not need to be backed up.

What operating system does Genesis use?

Genesis runs on Windows Vista.

How much does the Genesis weigh?

The Genesis unit itself weighs about 40 pounds. It comes in a rugged case with an integrated monitor, keyboard and handle. (We like using a little wheelie cart with ours.)

How do I get a Genesis Server unit?

How many Genesis Server units do I need?

It depends on how you manage the repair of your PCs. We suggest taking one Genesis unit and see how the extreme increase in efficiency impacts your business. It only takes an hour to do what used to take days. You can always order additional Genesis machines.

Can I buy it, or do I have to lease it?

You can buy or lease Genesis.

How many administrators can I have?

You can have one administrator and five trained technicians per Genesis unit. An administrator can specify the technicians permitted to use Genesis as well as call for service.

Training and Support

How much experience do I need to run Genesis?

Very little. Genesis is an extremely user friendly process and the steps are well defined and easy to follow.

How much training is involved to use Genesis?

Because Genesis automates the restoration process, the training needed to operate Genesis can usually be completed in less than two hours.

What happens if the Genesis unit breaks?

Genesis is committed to providing world-class support. In the unlikely event that Genesis has any problem, call your Genesis Systems representative or Customer Service at (877) 846-5600 ext. 1
(service@genesissystems.com).