14 DAY TRIAL // Working with the same directories or disk locations is part of everybody's daily routine. There is always a folder or directory you use the most in your work and it is definitely placed somewhere handy so that you do not have to spend too much time looking for it. But there comes a day when the routine is broken and you have to dig up the pile of data for a new folder to work with for a limited period.
The general solution is to temporarily copy or move it to a more handy location until you are done with it and then restore it to the initial location. However, there is an easier solution to the matter and that is virtualization, i.e. create a virtual environment that provides direct access to the desired location without having to jump from folder to folder to get to it.
Virtual Folder Manager presents itself as a $29.95 solution to the above mentioned issue. It has been created to help you dig up deep buried folders and mount them in virtual drives, thus permitting you to use them as if they were real locations on real partitions. During evaluation, the developer offers you full functionality of the application and no trial limit. But there is a restriction preventing you from virtualizing more than three folders - it is reserved for the paying customers.
Installing the application is silky smooth, save for the fact that for completing it, a system restart is required. You are given the possibility to skip this operation but the software won't work until this procedure is done. At the next load of Windows, the application will automatically create a virtual drive.
The interface is nice and simple, with no bells and whistles attached, sheltering only useful options. No menu bar is present, as all the actions are managed directly from the button bar in the upper part of the screen.
Working with Virtual Folder Manager can be very well catalogued as the simplest job in the world because all the options offered by the application limit to browsing the folders you need quick access to, removing them from the list and closing the program. It also lists all the virtual folders loaded and their real storage location on disk. The virtual partition is created the moment the program finishes installing.
All the space needed to virtualization of the files and folders is actually taken from the system drive (if you compare the sizes of the virtual and system drive, you will notice that they are the exact same size). So, you have to take into consideration the size of the virtual folder you place there and the free space available on the system drive in case you do not want to bump into the low disk space error.
Virtual Folder Manager does exactly what is stipulates and does not move an inch more. It is simple enough not to offer the possibility to create multiple virtual drives or any sort of password protection for your folders or some sort of encryption for the 30-buck fee.
As it is now, there is absolutely no incentive for buying the application and paying the price, even if it is an extremely comfortable way to bring the deep buried data up to light and easy access. It works flawlessly but the options it brings to the table just don't make for the price.
“Simple” and “straightforward” are the two words that came to my mind the moment I saw the application window and how it did its job. Maybe too simple for a $29.95 price, as Virtual Folder Manager does nothing else than create a virtual partition where all your desired folders are mounted for easy access.
Its functionality is similar to creating desktop shortcuts for any location you want on your computer and the advantage is that you barely affect the space on the system drive. Or you can use a one off pay tabbed file manager for the matter and handle files like a professional.
The Good
Removing the folders is as easy as selecting them (multiple selection is supported) and pressing a single button.
When added, you can change the name of the virtual folder to be different from the real one without affecting its contents in any way.
The Bad
It would have been nice to benefit from additional features such as multiple virtual drives, folder password protection or encryption.
The application has a simple job to do and does it exemplarily but the lack of more options combined with a pricy tag translate into a big “no no” to the user.
The Truth
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
