Disk protection in a gaming club
Disk protection in a gaming club
Section titled “Disk protection in a gaming club”Disk protection is a mechanism that prevents any changes made during a guest session from persisting to the drive after a reboot. While protection is active, everything a guest does — downloading files, installing programs, changing desktop settings — is written to a temporary buffer and automatically discarded on the next startup. The PC returns to its baseline image: the fixed drive state containing installed games and your club’s standard configuration.
In IZI, disk protection is a function of IZI Boot — the server-side product (TrueNAS) that stores the baseline disk image, passes disks through to club PCs over the network, and rolls them back after each session. You can enable or disable protection directly from the CRM without physical access to the machines. Less time spent on maintenance means more hours each PC spends generating revenue, which directly affects hall utilization.
Why it matters for club owners
Section titled “Why it matters for club owners”Without disk protection, clubs face predictable, compounding problems.
PC degradation. Every guest leaves traces: temp files, altered browser settings, fragmented storage. Within a month of unprotected use, machines slow down noticeably, forcing admins to spend hours on manual cleanup or full OS reinstalls.
Unwanted software. Some guests install third-party programs — game cheats, download managers, crypto miners. Without protection these stay on disk, affect subsequent guests, and can trigger bans on gaming platforms like Steam or Battle.net.
Malware exposure. Antivirus catches only known threats. Disk protection works differently: it doesn’t block a malicious file from running during a session, but it guarantees the file doesn’t survive a reboot.
Maintenance cost. A club running disk protection spends almost no scheduled time cleaning PCs. That frees up admin capacity for guest-facing work.
How disk protection works in IZI
Section titled “How disk protection works in IZI”IZI manages protection through IZI Boot — the server-side product that controls disk images for each device. Admins see protection status for every machine in the Hall section of the CRM — a shield icon appears next to each device.
| Status | What happens on reboot |
|---|---|
| Protection on | All session changes are discarded; PC loads from the baseline image |
| Protection off | Changes are written to disk permanently |
Enable protection:
- Go to the Hall section and find the PC.
- Click the shield icon next to the device.
- Select Enable protection — the command is sent to the PC via IZI Boot.
- Protection activates on the next reboot.
Disable protection (for updates):
- Same shield icon → Disable protection.
- Reboot the PC — it loads without protection.
- Apply changes: update games, install patches, adjust settings.
- Re-enable protection.
See Disk protection — CRM reference for the full step-by-step guide.
What goes into the baseline image
Section titled “What goes into the baseline image”Protection locks in the drive state at the moment the baseline image is created. Everything present at that moment is permanent. Everything added afterward disappears on reboot.
A well-prepared baseline image should include:
- OS with current updates and drivers
- Game clients (Steam, Epic Games, Battle.net, etc.) with popular titles installed
- IZI client (the per-PC IZI agent, installed via the IZI installer)
- Club-specific settings: screensaver, desktop background, shortcuts
When to temporarily disable protection
Section titled “When to temporarily disable protection”| Reason | Suggested frequency |
|---|---|
| Game client updates | Weekly or on a set schedule |
| New game installation | On demand / with a new release |
| Driver updates | When a significant version ships |
| Desktop configuration changes | As needed |
Schedule maintenance windows during off-hours — late at night or before opening — to minimize impact on paying sessions.
Related
Section titled “Related”- IZI Boot — the server-side product that stores the baseline disk image and rolls back PCs after sessions
- Devices — managing club PCs in the CRM
- Hold mode — a related mechanism for controlling PC state
- Disk protection — CRM reference — detailed setup walkthrough
Frequently asked questions
What is disk protection in a gaming club?
Disk protection is a mechanism that prevents changes on the storage drive from surviving a reboot. Everything a guest does during a session — downloading files, changing settings, installing software — is written to a temporary buffer and discarded on the next startup. The PC returns to its baseline image every time.
Why does a club need disk protection?
Without protection, PCs degrade within weeks: unwanted software accumulates, settings drift, temp files fragment the drive. Admins spend hours on manual cleanup or full reinstalls. With protection enabled, every PC boots clean after each session — no traces of the previous guest.
How do you update games if the disk resets everything?
Temporarily disable protection via the CRM, apply updates (game patches, new installs, driver updates), then re-enable protection. IZI lets you do this remotely per device from the Hall section — no physical access required.
Does disk protection affect in-game performance?
Impact is minimal. Changes are written to a filesystem-level temporary buffer. Normal gaming workloads don't stress the buffer, so guests don't notice any difference.