Introducing AX64 Time Machine - hybrid imaging/snapshot software

Some additional food for thought...

While doing a test mentioned above, I first took a pre-test AXTM snapshot of the system, then took a pre-test Macrium Reflect Differential of the same system. After some test work, I then used the Macrium WinPE recovery media to restore the system to the pre-test condition... all worked just fine.

BUT, when I tried to take an after Macrium restore snapshot with AXTM, it found the partition (the same one it was protecting) to be a completely different partition and took a brand new FULL baseline... I guess this surprised me a bit.

I don't know what it was that the Macrium restore did to the partition to cause AXTM to think it was a different partition. Any thoughts on this greatly appreciated... could Macrium have restored the partition with a totally different partition signature? I'm just wondering what Macrium did during the restore process that would have made AXTM think it was a brand new partition and caused it to completely re-image its partition.

 

This did happen a few times--3-4 maybe then rebooted to the restored snapshot. The rest of the time, time was clearly not a factor. After the first reboot after a hang, I thought the same thing--just wait. But that was illusive 90+% of the time.

 

Hi guys,

We're really pleased with the feedback received from all of our users. More people than ever before are using AX64 Time Machine and it's making us feel really glad. We understand there's been some hiccups with version 2.0 and we're focusing all our energy on fixing the bugs.

I'm pleased to announce a new build has been released. It'll resolve a ton of issues. Follow the link here to our official release announcement.


Build 499 of AX64 Time Machine V2 includes the following optimizations, bug fixes and or feature additions:

• Download and play with EXEShield
• Make larger pause / stop buttons
• Unable to execute the application
• Bug: Users logs are stored in AppData/Roaming instead of USB
• BUG: Startup manager screen displays 3s even when set to another value
• The logs are not in a readable format unless you use notepad ++
• Feature: Make larger pause / stop buttons
• Not allow to install V2 if V1 is installed
• Separate text and image for all button/tabs and so on
• Remove logs from profile\AppData\Roaming when uninstalling
• Bug: Change the text "The computer will reboot" on non system volume
• Change systemtray tooltip to always be just "Time Machine"
• Add logging to WinPE creator module
• Bug: COLD restore doesn't work. After restart: 0xc000000
• TASK: Add to gather logs to gather the WinPE logs
• Bug: When press cancel on IDS_MSG_INSERT_WINDOWS_INSTALLATION_CD dlg. The rescue media wizard stuck with progress bar.
• Task: Make backup wizard selection box same as in Realcopy
• Bug: Crash after selecting tab showing language menu
• Bug: File Missing when building WinPE
• BUG: USB backup issue
• BUG: WinPE Creation and boot Issues
• Bug: Unable to backup error "C100000A code 0"Bug: Unable to backup - C1000103 code 0
• BUG: NTLDR is missing or BCD issue in Win7 x64
• Bug: Failure restoring in WinPE due to exception error
• Bug: Timer Error
• Bug: Cannot enumerate images and network disk cannot be found
• Bug: Mapped shares dont appear in destination list
• Multi-Language Support

We are aware a number of bugs have not been resolved yet. We aim to get this out on the next build. Notably, we understand that bare metal restore does not work for some; we aim to have this fixed in the next build.

You can download the latest version of AX64 Time Machine here!



Thank you everyone for your strong support.



Best regards,



The AX64 Team

 

@wajamus No discount coupon for users of v1.

Edit:wilders15 is working

 

The wilders15 coupon still works. Also, the updated licensing system didn't make it into this build. It'll come in a subsequent build.

Anyone who has an existing version of v1 is still eligible for a 50% discount.

Simply e-mail us at info@ax64.com with your codes and we'll provide you a unique coupon that you can use on the site.

 

Still not working on my windows 7 system, same problem as before, will not restore from v2 images but working fine with v1 images :-(

 

Installed. Thanks for the larger buttons. Seems like some of the fonts are slightly larger/more readable (for people over 50!)

 

Problem with new build (499). I can no longer browse to a Network location (PC, NAS) looking for a backup. Clicking "Network" in Browse to Folder does nothing (any longer). Email, logs and screenshot sent to Support.

 

Hi !

I just tried to upgrade from Version 2.0.0.439 to 499 and get the following messages:

AX64 Time Machine is installed. Cannot continue instalation. Please uninstall the previous version.


But when I try to uninstall the previous 439 I get the following message:

WARNING ! If you are upgrading the program, please cancel now, and run the installation of the new version instead.

I don't understand :-(

 

Seguro, normally upgrading within the same MAJOR release # (v2 for instance) should be straightforward as you tried to do. A change thay made concerning upgrading v1 seems to have gotten you in trouble. If you want to SAVE your current backup chain, I'd submit your problem to their SUPPORT web page (use the "Contact Support" link on the right hand side). If you don't care about your current chain, you can uninstall 439 and install 499... when you do this 499 will create a new BASELINE.

Basically it's a BUG in this new release... of which their seems to be others as the posts above have indicated.

 

Does this mean that we are now able to have both V1 and V2 installed or does it mean that you fixed a bug that allowed both to be installed? It would be easier to compare speed and such if both were operational side by side.

 

This message should only come up if AX64 installation detects v1 installed. V1 and V2 installed together causes all kinds of issues. There's no need to compare speed between the two. V2 uses the same backup and restore engine as V1 and they should be identical in performance. In fact, V2 has all kinds of optimizations for merging and speed, so it may be slightly faster.

If this message occurs when you have no v1, then it is a bug. Please report it with your logs to info@ax64.com

Thanks!

 

I just wanted to test V1 and V2 hot restores because V2 hot restores seemed to take quite a long time compared to when I used V1 (20 minutes to restore a snapshot of my system with beta software of an unnamed product installed and 20 minutes to restore back, no other data changed other than the switch of the program, really shouldn't take 20 minutes to be honest, I have since removed those snaps and will try a whole new chain and see if the issue persists, at 20 minutes it was faster to uninstall and install the beta instead.. much faster)

 

Re: Build 499. Installed.

Still cannot enumerate images on my system.
http://screencast.com/t/KfcCfGuxp

Backup is still interminably slower on my Win 7 system.

Sent my logs to support.

 

Hrmm... What's that?
Exeshield is a copy-protection software....
I'm lost..
Thanks for the update tho.

 

waj you said the new lic'ing didnt make it into this build. will those of use who bought a v2 lic be affected when you add this to the upcoming builds? i mean will out new v2 keys still work or will they have to be replaced again? just curious, thanks

 

Hi Chamlin,

I'm not using v2, but did the "cannot enumerate" come when you want to delete (i.e: merge)?
I had this message shown when I wanted to do so, and accidentally found a workaround :

The snap must be in the current AX64's "Backup Destination."
If I use "Open other backups" to access the to-be-deleted snap, I may (or may not) see that "cannot enumerate" message.

So to delete snap from older chain (which resides in another directory/folder, say "oldbackup"), I just temporarily rename my current AXTM destination directory (say, to "temporaryname"), rename "oldbackup", open up AX64, do some successful deleting, close AX64, rename the previous 2 directories back to their original names.

 

I assume changing the protection scheme is not a reason to make v2 license invalid, as long as it's not a major update,eg. to version v3.
If it's a minor update --> 2.xx, the license key should work, or Wajamus should give new codes to customers whom bought v2.

 

Thanks for this, Great Imp.

In my scenario, it just shows up after backing up. And it leaves me not knowing if there is something amiss with the recent backup.

The development team is working on the enumerate issue(s) and will (hopefully) have this resolved in the next build let out. btw, I notice that I do NOT get the enumerate thing when I turn back on "automatic backups". Guess it gets in a flow, knows what to look for and expect, and is "smarter" in that process. Though I know we all, and the development team realize it should always be quite brilliant! Now, back to the 8th dimension I go.

 

So regarding the new build:

Issue 1: After installing it, it re-enabled Auto-Backup... Please don't do that, if I disabled it then I want it disabled even after updating the software.

If you go into the advanced settings for the restore and then tick "Hot Restore" and then click OK on the windows but don't do the restore, then it will remember that you ticked "Hot Restore" so if you start a new chain it will always use the hot restore option, which leads me to Issue 2: After installing an update it re-disables "Hot Restore" instead of remembering that it was enabled.

Seems like TM has an issue remembering settings throughout updates. =/

 

Is this program reliable enough yet?

I tried it many months ago, and it I tried a restore with it, and it messed my Windows up. So, I ditched it.
Luckily Macrium Reflect restored everything correctly.

 

I have installed 499 and pleased to say that the rescue stick boot problem has now been resolved.

Tried a quick backup and restore and all was fine. There is still an issue with the Win 8 boot menu being reduced to text.

 

What version is your Windows?
For Win 7 x64, my experiences with it so far is very positive.

 

Current version with Win 7 is working fine for me. I don't do exotic confiugations and operations so all I can confirm is all the basics work great.

 

I installed v2 build 499. It has been working fine but yesterday it appeared to lock up. In the morning it was backing up fine. I looked at it late that night and noticed it said it was merging and back indicator was also at 5.5%. I went back an hour later and it was still merging one file and still at 5.5% backup complete. I finally shut it down via Windows Taskmgr so I could shutdown PC. I'm running Win 7 pro 64bit. It appears okay again this am.