PC Disk Protection in a Gaming Club: What It Is and How It Works in IZI
Disk protection is one of the key tools for stable computer club operation. Without it, even a well-configured hall degrades within a few weeks: clients accidentally or deliberately change settings, install unwanted software, leave behind clutter. With protection — every PC is clean each session, as if just freshly configured.
What Disk Protection Is
Section titled “What Disk Protection Is”Disk protection is a mechanism operating at the file-system level. While protection is active:
- Any changes to the disk are written to a temporary buffer, not directly to the drive.
- On reboot the temporary buffer is cleared.
- The PC boots from the disk state that was captured when protection was enabled (reference image).
A client can download files, change the desktop background, install a programme during their session — after a reboot none of it remains. The PC looks as if nobody has used it.
Why This Is Critical for a Club
Section titled “Why This Is Critical for a Club”Without disk protection, a club faces a predictable set of problems.
PC degradation. Every client leaves traces: temporary files, changed settings, a fragmented drive. After a month of unprotected use a PC starts lagging and crashing.
Cheats and unwanted software. Some clients install third-party software — game cheats, downloaders, mining programmes. Without protection this all remains on the drive and affects other clients or creates problems with gaming platforms.
Viruses and malware. An antivirus only knows what’s already documented. New threats slip through. Disk protection doesn’t block them either — but it guarantees they won’t survive a reboot.
Maintenance cost. Without protection, admins periodically spend hours “reinstalling” and “cleaning” PCs. With protection — this task doesn’t exist at all.
How Protection Works in IZI
Section titled “How Protection Works in IZI”IZI manages disk protection through the IZI Boot agent installed on each club PC.
Enable protection:
- In the Hall section, find the relevant PC.
- Click the shield icon next to the device.
- Select Enable Protection.
- The command is sent to the PC via IZI Boot.
- On the next reboot, protection activates.
Remove protection (for updates and configuration):
- Same shield icon → Remove Protection.
- Reboot the PC — it boots without protection.
- Make necessary changes: update games, install patches, change settings.
- Re-enable protection and capture a new reference image.
Management happens remotely — no need to physically approach each PC.
Reference Image
Section titled “Reference Image”Disk protection captures the state of the drive at the moment the reference image is created. Everything on the drive at image creation time — remains permanently. Everything added after — is rolled back on reboot.
What should be in the reference image:
- Operating system with current updates.
- GPU and peripheral drivers.
- Game clients (Steam, Epic Games, Battle.net, etc.).
- Popular games (fully installed).
- IZI Boot.
- Corporate settings: screensaver, desktop wallpaper, shortcuts.
What should NOT be in the image:
- Personal files and profiles.
- Test or temporary software.
- Browser cache and history (best cleared before creating the image).
When to Remove Protection
Section titled “When to Remove Protection”Protection is removed on a planned schedule or as needed:
| Reason | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Updating game clients (Steam, Epic) | Weekly or on schedule |
| Updating GPU drivers | As significant updates release |
| Installing a new game | On request / on announcement |
| Updating IZI Boot | Automatic, no manual removal needed |
| Changing desktop or browser settings | As needed |
Technical work is recommended during non-operating hours — late at night or early morning before opening.
Disk Protection and Performance
Section titled “Disk Protection and Performance”Modern disk protection implementations operate at the file-system or hypervisor level with minimal overhead. In practice, clients don’t notice any performance difference between a protected and unprotected PC.
Exception — if the temporary change buffer fills during a long session (e.g. the client is actively downloading large files). In this case write speed may slow. A standard gaming scenario doesn’t create this situation.
Related
Section titled “Related”- IZI Boot — how the agent works on PCs — agent overview and functions
- Screensavers — content on idle PCs
Frequently asked questions
What is disk protection on a PC in a computer club?
Disk protection is a mechanism that blocks changes from being saved to the drive. While protection is active, everything written to the disk (new files, settings changes, installed software) is rolled back on the next reboot. The PC always returns to its reference state.
Why is disk protection needed in a club — isn't an antivirus enough?
An antivirus reacts to already-known threats. Disk protection works differently: it doesn't try to block malware — it simply doesn't allow any change to survive a reboot. This is more reliable, faster, and requires no constant definition updates.
How does IZI manage disk protection?
Through the IZI Boot agent installed on each PC. The admin enables or disables protection via the shield icon in the Hall section of the CRM — the command is sent to the PC over the network without physical access to the device.
Are PC settings also reset on every reboot — including configurations?
Yes, everything is rolled back to the reference state — the state that was captured when creating the image. That's why it's important to set up the PC correctly first, create the reference image, and only then enable protection.
How do you update games or software if disk protection resets everything?
Disable protection temporarily: issue a disable command from the CRM to the relevant PC, make the changes, create a new reference image, then re-enable protection.
Does disk protection affect in-game performance?
The impact is minimal. Modern disk protection drivers (Faronics Deep Freeze and equivalents) operate at the file-system level with negligible overhead. In practice clients don't notice any difference.
A client downloaded cheats or a virus — will they disappear after a reboot?
Yes. Any file downloaded during a session doesn't survive a reboot when protection is active. This is one of the main benefits for clubs: no manual PC cleanup after each visitor.
Can you enable protection on only some PCs — for example the standard zone — leaving VIP unprotected?
Yes. IZI manages protection individually per PC. You can enable protection on all standard zone machines and leave it off on VIP PCs where clients save their profile.