Deep Free [top]ze Standard 8.60.020.5592 -latest- Guide
Report: Deep Freeze Standard 8.60.020.5592 — Summary & Recommendations
Download & Installation Notes
- Check your license: Standard licenses for version 7.x or 8.3x do not work with 8.60. You will need an active maintenance plan or a new license key.
- Uninstall first: Do not install this over an older version. You must Thaw the machine and run the uninstaller for the old version (rebooting between steps).
- Silent Install: IT admins can use the standard switch:
DFStd.exe /install /quiet /noreboot
2.1 The MBR and the Boot Sequence
Upon installation, Deep Freeze modifies the Master Boot Record (MBR) or the Volume Boot Record (VBR) depending on the partition style (MBR vs. GPT).
- Interception: When the computer is powered on, the Deep Freeze driver loads before the Operating System (OS).
- Redirection: It creates a virtualized layer. When the OS writes to the disk, Deep Freeze intercepts these writes.
- Mapping:
- Frozen State: Writes are redirected to a temporary space (a redirection table or cache file, often
Persi0.sysor similar hidden system files). The original sectors of the "Frozen" drive remain untouched. - Thawed State: Writes are allowed to pass through directly to the physical disk sectors, permanently altering the data.
- Frozen State: Writes are redirected to a temporary space (a redirection table or cache file, often
Future Outlook: What Comes After 8.60?
Based on Faronics’ release history, we can expect: Deep Freeze Standard 8.60.020.5592 -Latest-
- Deep Freeze 8.70 (late 2025): Likely full file-level exclusions (not just folders), macOS Ventura support parity, and integration with Microsoft Intune.
- Deep Freeze 9.0 (2026): Possibly a cloud-native architecture with rebootless restore (using a RAM disk snapshot).
For now, 8.60.020.5592 is the most stable, secure, and feature-rich version available. Report: Deep Freeze Standard 8