Disk Protection in IZI

Disk protection blocks write access to a gaming PC’s storage drive. While protection is on, any changes — installing a game, tweaking system settings, downloading a driver — are automatically discarded on the next reboot. The machine returns to its clean baseline every time.

Protection is enabled by default on all devices. You disable it temporarily when you need to install games, update software, or change system configuration, then re-enable it so the machine stays clean for players.

Caution

The disk-protection command only executes when the PC is in Hold mode. If the device is not in Hold, the command is silently ignored. Always place the PC in Hold before sending the command.

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Disabling disk protection

Use this flow whenever you need to install or update software on a machine.

Step 1 — Put the PC in Hold mode

Open the Hall view in IZI CRM. If the PC is not already in Hold, open its device menu (three-dot icon) and choose Create Hold.

Step 2 — Send the disable command

Click the green shield icon next to the PC, or open the device menu (three dots) and select Disable disk protection.

Step 3 — Confirm

A confirmation dialog appears. Confirm the action.

Result: The PC reboots. After the reboot the shield icon turns red, indicating that writes to disk are now saved permanently until protection is re-enabled.

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Re-enabling disk protection

Run this flow after finishing your maintenance work — installing games, patches, or configuration changes.

Step 1 — Confirm the PC is in Hold mode

The PC must still be in Hold. If a new session started in the meantime, end it and return the device to Hold.

Step 2 — Send the enable command

Click the red shield icon next to the PC, or open the device menu (three dots) and select Enable disk protection.

Step 3 — Confirm

Confirm in the dialog.

Result: The PC reboots. After the reboot the shield icon turns green — all subsequent changes to disk will roll back automatically on every reboot.

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Common situations

Situation	Resolution
Command sent but PC does not reboot	Verify the PC is in Hold mode; resend the command
Active session is running on the PC	End the session, place device in Hold, then change disk protection
A file or folder disappears after every reboot	Add its path to the exclusions list under Settings → Disk protection — it will no longer be reset

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Managing exclusions

Where to find: Settings → Disk protection

An exclusion is a path to a file, folder, or registry key whose contents disk protection does not roll back on reboot. An exclusion applies to all protected PCs in the club.

Built-in exclusions (IZI Boot system paths, antivirus databases, network policies) are shown with a lock icon and cannot be edited.

How to add an exclusion:

1. Open Settings → Disk protection.
2. Click Add exclusion.
3. Choose the type — “File” or “Registry” — and enter the absolute Windows path, for example C:\Games\Config.
4. Click Save.

After saving, the PC picks up the change within its next maintenance window — up to two reboots. You do not need to manually disable protection to apply the change.

Reviewing discovered paths:

When IZI Boot detects paths on a PC that have not yet been acted on, the Disk protection section shows a list with Keep and Remove buttons for each path. Nothing is changed automatically until you save a decision.

See also: What is disk protection and how does it work in IZI

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Why disk protection matters for club operations

Disk protection is the primary mechanism that keeps gaming PCs in a reproducible state. Without it, a single player session can leave behind modified game configs, unwanted software, or corrupted registry entries that affect every subsequent player.

Typical workflow at most clubs:

1. Scheduled maintenance window — disable protection on all affected PCs simultaneously via Hold, install game patches, re-enable protection.
2. New game rollout — disable protection, install, verify the game launches, re-enable so the clean install persists after the first reboot.
3. Incident recovery — if a machine ends up in a bad state during a live session, placing it in Hold and rebooting (with protection on) restores the baseline without manual cleanup.

For details on the Hold workflow and other device controls, see Devices overview. For the initial setup process that includes configuring disk protection, see Installing IZI on a club PC. Privacy and data handling policies are covered in Client data protection in IZI.