Introducing AX64 Time Machine - hybrid imaging/snapshot software

Discussion in 'backup, imaging & disk mgmt' started by Isso, Jan 18, 2013.

  1. clubhouse1

    clubhouse1 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2013
    Posts:
    1,124
    Location:
    UK
    Thanks from me too manolito, very kind of you.
     
  2. silver0066

    silver0066 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2004
    Posts:
    994
    Version 2.439 should be called BETA, NOT Final, NOT even RC1.
    The Mount and UnMount feature does NOT work.
    There is NO bare metal restore.

    This is NOT an imaging program as advertised.

    Back to Isso's v1 for me. I was a fool to purchase this before thoroughly testing. Never again.
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2014
  3. Chamlin

    Chamlin Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2006
    Posts:
    449
    As it relates to TM, what does Mount meano_O I see the button, but have no idea.
     
  4. oliverjia

    oliverjia Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2005
    Posts:
    1,926
    It means you can load the image file into a virtual drive, and you can view/copy specific files inside of image without the need to restore the whole image.
     
  5. bgoodman4

    bgoodman4 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2009
    Posts:
    3,237
    As oliverjia mentioned you can "mount" the image as a virtual drive but there is very little need to do so since all files in the snap are available via the TM browser. I seem to recall that this was discussed way back when and it was noted at that time that in some circumstances it might be preferable to mount the snap. I cannot recall what those circumstances might be however I do recall thinking at the time that the mount availability would only come in handy very rarely.
     
  6. bgoodman4

    bgoodman4 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2009
    Posts:
    3,237
    It would be real nice if the old versions of AX64 were available from the developers for those who decide to stick with V1. I suppose a license holder could ask support for a copy but download ability without having to ask would be preferable.
     
  7. waylo

    waylo Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Posts:
    42
    Hi AX64 crew,

    Just as an internet commerce security notice, I was at the checkout page on the ax64 website with my order and noticed the web address was simply ax64.com/checkout/, with no https

    I added the https prefix, and it does reload with the secure protocol.

    Shouldn't it automatically switch to https, for secure checkout and transmitting credit card data?
     
  8. Kit1cat

    Kit1cat Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2013
    Posts:
    148
    Location:
    Plymouth, UK

    One advantage I do find with mounting a snapshot is that I can view it in my dual pane file manager just like any other drive.
     
  9. bgoodman4

    bgoodman4 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2009
    Posts:
    3,237
    You can accomplish much the same by using "restore down" on both the AX/TM browser and your file manager.
     
  10. Kit1cat

    Kit1cat Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2013
    Posts:
    148
    Location:
    Plymouth, UK
    May be, but I much prefer to use a dual pane file browser for my file operations, I find it a lot easier then trying to work in two seperate windows. I use xplorer2 and find it a lot better then windows file manager, there is a free version if any one would like to try it.
     
  11. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2011
    Posts:
    4,946
    Location:
    The Pond - USA
    IMPORTANT OBSERVATION!

    An interesting thing I discovered while re-playing around with v1.4.1.48 (last BETA). If I was off playing "externally" with the protected volume... not really changing anything but clearly causing what v1 calls an "external" modification, as expected, when I returned to the LIVE system and ran a snapshot... AXTM v1 told me of the "external system modification" and started the snapshot with a FULL scan of the protected volume rather than it's normal quick look snap.

    BUT... if I canceled that snapshot early in the process (right after it starts), then restart it, AXTM doesn't detect an "external modification" and does the normal quick snap operation, now trusting its TRACKING FILE.

    I know not what this means and will not hazard a guess as to what is happening if there really was an EXTERNAL MODIFICATION to the protected volume that wasn't recorded in the TRACKING FILE... I would have to test to know what's really going on. I also don't know if the same thing would happen under v2 (will also require a test).

    I guess what I'm saying is be very careful under these conditions until we know more about the situation. I will do additional testing when I get some more time. I would hate to think that a real external modification would make it through to the system without being detected, akin to the BOOT time defrag of Perfect Disk.
     
  12. bgoodman4

    bgoodman4 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2009
    Posts:
    3,237
    I use XYplorer and find that if i want to copy a file from the AX browser I cannot paste it into XY, I have to open Win Explorer and do it there. Do you have the same problem with x2?
     
  13. bgoodman4

    bgoodman4 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2009
    Posts:
    3,237
    That is a bit disturbing to say the least. I look forward to the results of your further testing.
     
  14. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2003
    Posts:
    2,712
    Location:
    USA
    Good catch Froggy..frogs catch flies. Staying tuned.
     
  15. Kit1cat

    Kit1cat Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2013
    Posts:
    148
    Location:
    Plymouth, UK
    No, I have just copied a file from AX browser window to a drive opened in xplorer2 window with no problems.
     
  16. demoneye

    demoneye Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2007
    Posts:
    1,356
    Location:
    ISRHell
    if that is what it is OHH BOY... meanwhile i back using reflect... i CANT put my system endanger testing and playing with TM/AX64 .
     
  17. Kit1cat

    Kit1cat Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2013
    Posts:
    148
    Location:
    Plymouth, UK
    I think I may have noticed that happen in the past but did not take much notice of it, might explain why some snapshots fail to restore?
     
  18. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2011
    Posts:
    4,946
    Location:
    The Pond - USA
    This has been CONFIRMED in v1.4.1.48 (most likely in all v1 versions) using the following very basic test...

    BOOT into an Active@BootDisc WinPE (or any other WinPE for that matter).
    Copy a folder of music (400+mB) from an unprotected HDD to the protected SSD.
    ReBOOT into LIVE Windows and check if music is on protected volume... it is, as expected.
    Start AXTM v1.4.1.48 and execute snapshot. As expected, discovers "External volume modification" and starts slow re-scan of the volume.
    CANCEL the above snapshot at appx. 2.4%.
    Restart the snapshot. This time no detection of "External volume modification... snapshot flies through process, takes about 30-sec.
    Using ATXM Browser, look through above snapshot and discover NO COPIED MUSIC.

    At this point, the system Tracking File and the actual system are not in sync and AXTM will not know that until the next time it's forced to re-scan the protected volume due to the above anomaly. At that time, it should get back in sync following the re-scan and the next snapshot will include all that's been missing since the test above. The problem with this... all the snaps from the test to the re-scan will be in error and not contain the necessary files for restoration.

    I'll check v2 soon...
     
  19. Kit1cat

    Kit1cat Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2013
    Posts:
    148
    Location:
    Plymouth, UK
    Could explain why my mate had so many problems with v1, when ever the message "External volume modification" came up he would cancel the snapshot and then restart the snapshot, he said it was quicker that way.
     
  20. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2011
    Posts:
    4,946
    Location:
    The Pond - USA
    Now THAT'S funny :D... not really.

    If whatever caused the "external modification" (almost any external non-Windows LIVE process that even looks at that volume) did not actually change anything on the protected volume, all should be fine... but that's NOT how snapshotting should occur.

    Shortly I'll be testing v2... and to be honest, I think I'll probably find the same anomaly. We'll chat later...
     
  21. dagrev

    dagrev Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2012
    Posts:
    214
    Location:
    USA
    I noticed this with Ver1 if I boot to my secondary HD. Not being a tech person I never thought about what it might mean. Just figured that TM got confused. Haven't booted to the 2nd HD with ver2 yet.
     
  22. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2011
    Posts:
    4,946
    Location:
    The Pond - USA
    This has been CONFIRMED in v2.0.0.439 in an even stranger way then v1...

    I ran the same test as above with the following unusual observations...

    On the snapshot following the cancelled snapshot, it raced through the snap like in v1. The snap itself was small as in v1, only 35mB, BUT... when I browsed the snap, the copied files were listed in the snapshot, that was not the case in v1. This really suprised me as the snap should have been much bigger (copied data was 400+mB). In the Browser window, I looked at the newly copied folder's PROPERTIES... it said it contained only 25mB of data... this clearly is wrong. Any other time I've looked at newly copied data, the sizes of the new snap data were as expected.

    At this point I have no idea what happened with v2, but I'm sure the snap is in error since the newly copied data was over 400mB (unCompressible) and the snap itself was only 35mB.

    I would caution everyone at the moment about using that CANCEL feature (v1 or v2) following an external modification. At least v1 tells you that it has detected that mod, v2 doesn't do that anymore.

    Suggestion for the Devs:

    This is definitely a problem with file structure synchronization... assumptions are being made that shouldn't be. You need to implement a DIRTY BIT of some sort that's set immediately upon detecting that external modification, and that bit should not be cleared until you've definitely re-scanned that file structure SUCCESSFULLY to completion. Otherwise these snapshots after that condition just may be a crapshoot at best.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2014
  23. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2011
    Posts:
    4,946
    Location:
    The Pond - USA
    Dagrev, while booting to the 2nd HDD, if the OS there even looks at the protected HDD, TM should be able to detect that and do its re-scan to re-synchronize its TRACKING FILE. Trouble begins if that re-synchronization is cancelled in any way. That's what the CANCEL function seems to do... but it shouldn't. The CANCEL should be valid for any snapshot, especially if you don't wanna wait the time for it to occur... but the next snapshot should re-perform the cancelled function, the re-synchronization if it was necessary to begin with.
     
  24. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2011
    Posts:
    4,946
    Location:
    The Pond - USA
    Turns out that the 35mB in that questionable snap was only part of the files that were added outside of the protected Windows, the others never showed up. Compared to the v1 test, this was very inconsistent.

    For sure the snapshot following the CANCEL does NOT HAVE all the files added during the test. Beware...
     
  25. bgoodman4

    bgoodman4 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2009
    Posts:
    3,237
    Have you notified the devs of this?
     
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.