New AIP Versions

Thanks for the link on history of Windows and Windows Vista.

According to your link:

Windows Vista was released on November 30, 2006. The WinPE v2.1 is based on this.

Windows 7 RTM was released on July 22, 2009. The WinPE v3.0 is based on this.

Windows 7 SP1 was recently released. And, yes WinPE v3.1 which is based on the SP1 was recently released.

I paid $100 for Macrium Reflect about six months ago. They gave me WinPE v2.1 based on Windows Vista which was released on November 30, 2006. They could have given me the recent WinPE v3.0 at that time which was based on Windows 7 RTM released on July 22, 2009.

Now, they want me to pay $60 more for WinPE v3.1 which should be a free upgrade for me. Add to the fact, that most companies gives minor upgrades for free and major upgrades for one year.

They are simply bleeding their customers. They are biting the hands that feed them.

 

Thank you for the link. Could prove to be helpful. I will investigate further.

Still waiting on EFI support...

 

Hey guys, these IFW posts are definitely OT in this thread, especially when your posts have no connection to AIP. Why not start up a new thread to discuss IFW?

Aaron

 

Just wondering if Aaron or anyone else has done any further testing of AIP. I'm interested in this backup program, but hesitant because of the negative posts by TheRollbackFrog!

I'm also very curious as to whether or not it is advisable to wipe a partition (as TheRollbackFrog advises) before restoring it. Why wouldn't image restoration overwrite all previously written sectors (as Aaron suggests)?

 

Hi Scott,

Using the current AIP build, I had total success recovering my system partition (Rollback Rx and all of its snapshots were fully functional). TheRollbackFrog suggested I might have been fooled into believing that (I imagine because of RB's self-protection schemes) - therefore suggesting I rerun the test wiping the partition before restoring. I have not yet had the opportunity to do that.

You ask if a pre-restore partition wipe is really necessary - it might serve some purpose when restoring a Windows Used Sectors image, but I don't see any benefit when restoring an All-Sectors (Raw) image (which is what I do). Over the past few years I have had dozens of successful Raw-restores and never wiped my partition beforehand (but then again, that was using DS, not AIP)!

Aaron

 

Hi Scott! Please don't get me wrong. AIP appears to be a wonderful imaging and backup product... it just doesn't do a good job of trying to backup the complete partition on a Rollback RX-protected partition. The belief is that between VSS (the Windows service that allows for imaging an actively-used partition during a HOT imaging operation) and "shield" (the specially Rollback RX installed Windows UpperFilter disk driver filter), that the imager (AIP) is not getting the correct and transparent partition surface information during a RAW (all sector) HOT image of the partition. That is a very specialized system configuration.

For normal systems, AIP appears to be a more than adequate solution for imaging partitions or whole disks... and a speedy one at that!

A RAW image restoration should indeed overwrite ALL sectors of a partition... *IF* it received them properly during the image operation. Aaron performs COLD imaging, which allows nothing on the Windows partition being imaged (VSS or "shield") to get in the way of the imaging operation, thereby providing the exact copy of the expected partition... no interferences. The AIP HOT imaging that I've done cannot provide that VSS and/or "shield" separation from the imaging operation that's needed to be sure of an exact copy.

That's the main reason for the differences in the testing that Aaron and I perform. If your system is not Rollback-RX enabled, I'd expect no difference in a RAW (or used sector only) HOT or COLD image operation. Aaron likes COLD because that gives him a very warm fuzzy about nothing else being in his way when he images a system... he's also a Rollback user so he requires it to be successful.

AIP is a good product... it just doesn't work well with some very specialized system configurations, Rollback in particular. It's not AIP's fault... it's the fault of the system configuration AIP is dealing with.

Hope this helps in your perspective...

 

brilliant post Frog

 

Hi Frog,

Thanks for explaining the situation to Scott more exactly than I ever could. I just have a couple of comments:

Based on your discoveries wouldn't it be correct to summize that AIP is no different than most other disk-imaging programs insofar as being unsuccessful in Hot imaging a Rollback partition? It's my understanding that of them all, only IFW (with its Phylock driver) can accomplish that.

While I (as you) found the Free AIP Linux boot-disk abominable, I found it's WinPE boot-disk (Pay-Version Trial) as good as most others (and that is the boot-disk with which I created a Cold image of my RB partition and successfully restored it). Have you tried a Cold backup-restore using AIP's WinPE boot-disk?

Aaron

 

To Aaron & TheRollbackFrog,

I think I now understand the situation. Although I'm not currently a Rollback Rx user, it's definitely on my radar. Considering that, it sounds as if I would be better off buying IFW (instead of AIP) because of its unique hot-imaging ability with Rollback Rx.

Just one final question - should I wish to cold-image a Rollback Rx partition, is IFW capable of doing that as well?

Thanks guys!
Scott

 

I don't see why not, but I really should take a pass on that question as I'm first starting to 'play' with IFW. I would think that either Brian K or TheRollbackFrog can give you an absolute answer...

Aaron

 

No problem, Scott... and you don't have to go through the REGISTRY shenanigans like you do with HOT imaging using IFW.

 

My fascination with AIP has come to an end!

My very first attempt to restore a raw (include free space) image of my Rollback Rx partition made with AIP v3.0.0 resulted in failure. I reported that experience in detail to AIP Support but never received a reply. However, about a week later Rectiphy notified me of a version update, AIP v3.0.3 (which I used in my Cold-Imaging Competition) and my subsequent restore using the latest version completed successfully. Based on that successful restore and AIP's clear speed advantage over the other programs I had tested I thought it might be a real winner.

Along the way, TheRollbackFrog suggested that I retry an AIP restore after first wiping the partition. I surely didn't think that was necessary because a raw restore should overwrite all sectors on the partition. But reading other reports of AIP restore problems I decided to do just that today, and while the image verified successfully and the restore said it completed successfully, it actually failed - my Rollback Rx was not functional. To say this was disappointing is a gross understatement, but I remained calm because at the same time that I created a cold AIP image I also created cold images with DS and IFW (my first attempt using IFW for cold-imaging, thanks to Brian). The DS and IFW images restored perfectly - with Rollback Rx and all of its snapshots fully functional.

I can no longer trust AIP (at least as far as creating and/or restoring cold-raw images).

.....Frog, you were so right!!!

Aaron

 

Re: My fascination with AIP has come to an end!

I had hoped I wasn't but... fool me twice

I've been had in similar ways previously by other so-called COLD restoration apps, not necessarily imagers... things that were supposed to be returned to original state but were not when returned to a clean data area.

I think the AIP problem has to do with the fact that it isn't really doing sector imaging, or if it is, it's relying on Windows allocation information to do some of its work. You can't do this in a RAW image, you must image ALL the sectors.

It's a shame... 'cause it is pretty fast. Oh well... onward and upward.

 

Aaron,

Thanks for the testing, even though it didn't go well for AIP. I have also lost my interest in the product for now. It's been fine for me, but it strikes me as something I should revisit another year or so from now.

Thanks.

 

Yw napoleon. While I was enticed with AIP's very fast performance, it is apparently flawed - insofar as creating raw images, at the very least! With the likes of proven disk-imagers (such as DS and IFW), I just don't see pursuing AIP any further...

Aaron

 

just for those wondering what i was about clients with no internet connection here is the response i got

As for your questions:

AIP does not "phone home" during installation or normal use so I don't think Internet connectivity would be a problem. Our scheduling wizard should make it very easy to set up incremental backups.

Sounds like you are a reseller - I can get you a NFR copy if you wish to test it. Also, we have a new free personal edition. It does not include network management, cold imaging, P2V or live support but it will show you the speed and functionality of our UI and core product. You can download it at: www.aipfree.com . Immediately it works for 15 days but that can be extended to the full free live version by activating the software at the same site or on Facebook.

Again, I am sorry we didn't get back to you sooner. I'll fix that in the future.

Regards,

Doug

 

Btw, AIP Free/Personal has a forum for it at http://www.serifwebresources.com/phpBB2/index.php?forumid=554557. Also, its Facebook page can be found by going to http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=247738808574239&sk=info.

 

Thanks! I just starting tinkering with this again...good to know.

 

AIP (v3.0.3) turned out being a big disapppointment to me. It's cold-raw backup/restore was definitely faulty (as reported in post 112 above).

Aaron

 

Well, it might be improved later on. I hope that it is.

 

We might also see improvement to the US economy....later on....

Sorry, I had to say that. Yes, I do hope they improve AIP.

 

Yes I am sure it will get better. It works fine for me in all my testing...I know Aaron (and others) had other specific tests they didn't like (some RB related). I am glad they did those tests...always good to know!