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Now I'll walk you through setting up Altiris SVS step-by-step.

First, download Altiris SVS from PCMag. The download requires a free registration with PCMag (or BugMeNot).

When you run the installer, you'll be asked for a Product key. Click "Get it free!" and accept the license agreement (no need for an email). Include the Software Visualization Admin Tool in your install and finish your installation.

After you've finished installing SVS, it's really easy to get started. In case the video moves too quickly, I'll walk you through installing Firefox Bon Echo Alpha.

1. Download Firefox Bon Echo Alpha
2. Open Altiris SVS Admin. Under File, select "Create New Layer...." Make sure "Install application" is selected and Click Next. I'm naming this layer Firefox Bon Echo Alpha (because I like the way Bon Echo sounds). Select "Single program capture" and Browse for your Bon Echo install package. Click Next, then Finish.
3. From here, everything works pretty much like you'd expect. Install Bon Echo like you normally would install a new program. Despite the fact that this process follows the same flow, your newly-created SVS layer is keeping its eye out for any attempts the installer makes to write to the system and saving it in the layer instead.
4. The little lightning bolt in your system tray will let you know that SVS is doing its thing. When the last program your installer launched ends, SVS will finish capturing the base layer. Any changes you make to the program after this point can always be reset to this original layer by right-clicking on the layer and selecting, "Reset Layer."

That's it! You can now run Bon Echo in place of Firefox. Take a stroll around and test out the new features.

When you've decided that you enjoyed your stay, but you want to go back to the comfort and stability of good ol' 1.5, close out of Bon Echo and go to your SVS Admin. [1] Right-click the Firefox Bon Echo Alpha layer you created and select Deactivate. The Bon Echo install will magically disappear and everything will be back to where it was before you installed Bon Echo.

Although we're using Bon Echo to demonstrate how SVS works, keep in mind that you can follow the same steps to install nearly any software. Altiris SVS is an awesome way to test out software you're not sure about [2], but that's really not all it can do.

If you're interested in learning what else you can do with Altiris SVS, the zip file containing the SVS installer also contains a PDF with comprehensive instructions for using the program (it has several other really cool uses). You may also want to check out PCMag's review for a more in-depth look at some of SVS's finer features.

Have you had a chance to take Altiris SVS for a spin? Let us know what you use it for (or plan to use it for) in the comments or send an email to tips at lifehacker.com.

Footnotes:

[1] As it turns out, Bon Echo installs to its own directory and doesn't replace Firefox (it does share the same application data), so there's actually little danger in installing it without SVS (though there's always the possibility of system instability), but I wouldn't necessarily have known that had I not been able to install with abandon using Altiris SVS. [back up]

[2] Keep in mind that Altiris SVS is not intended as a spyware blocker, so if you install spyware, rolling back your layer won't always take care of everything. For more on this, check out PCMag's review. [back up]

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