Frog, I have a question for you!

Discussion in 'backup, imaging & disk mgmt' started by ratchet, Oct 26, 2014.

  1. ratchet

    ratchet Registered Member

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    I believe (only 97% sure it hadn't happened prior to now) this has just recently started to occur. Since I own three "reasonably" reliable backup programs (AX64 v1&2 (mostly just use v1), Paragon and Macrium Reflect, and really never have a need for anything weeks old or older, I frequently remove old chains and start new ones. Now, when I delete a chain of backups (the baseline and all incrementals) from MR, AX64's chain vanishes from from the AX GUI, however, the baseline and all of the snapshots are still visible in/on the destination drive. This is the only compatibility issue I've ever experienced.
    I'm reasonably sure that if I delete or format MR's destination drive it doesn't affect AX. I used to do it that way, hence, why I believe this has just started. I'll verify it though the next time I'm read to start a new chain.
    Anyway, can you explain why this is happening and thank you!
     
  2. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Hi Ratchet! I'm not sure I'm the FROG you're looking for but would be happy to engage on this topic. BUT... I will need some additional information...

    It sounds like, previously, your MR baseline and snaps were on a different volume/partition... hence the ability to re-FORMAT without affecting anything, can you confirm this? And, if true, apparently now the MR baseline/snaps are located on the same volume/partition as the AXTM snaps, and if so, what are the folder names of their respective backup repositories (whole path pls... i.e. D:\Backup\Macrium <etc>).

    Also, something you can try for me. If the baseline/snaps location for AXTM v2 is different than the usual DEFAULT (<vol>:\My Backups), and you currently cannot see your AXTM snaps... what happens when you go to AXTM's v2's browser and use the OPEN option to drill down to where your current AXMT baseline/snaps are being held (the folder)? Do you now see them in your BROWSER window?

    Methinks you may be a victim of the dreaded AXTM DEFAULT disease (will explain later depending on your answers).
     
  3. ratchet

    ratchet Registered Member

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    You are indeed the frog and I thank you for the reply! All backup destinations are on the same drive and partition as they've ever been. Same drive, two different partitions (the third is Paragon) on a 250gb USB 3 external HD which I have mounted internally. I did it that way just to keep it out of the way since my motherboard had USB 3 ports! When I delete the MR chain via MR, the AX64 v1 list of backups vanishes in AX, however, if I open the AX destination partition they are there.
    That never occurred until recently but I think that is because I just used to format the destination partition. I'm going to do that right now and will let you know!
    Well, I was wrong! I formated the MR partition and the AX chain is gone. Still though that is just a recent phenomena.
    Edit #2: This time it also removed them from the destination partition too. Paragon GUI and partition on the same drive stil normal.
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2014
  4. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    When you say "Open the AX destination," are you talking through the AX Browser or through Window Explorer?
    Again, when you say "Gone" do you mean from the AX Browser window or really gone from the AX partition?
    This sounds like they are now missing completely from the AX partition... yes?

    If I read the above correctly, you have (3) partitions on one USB3 HDD, each servicing their own application (Macrium, AX & Paragon). When you DELETE the Macrium backup chain (via Macrium) on it's own partition, AX can longer see its backup chain via its Browser (?) and or via Windows explorer (?). And a reformat of the Macrium backup partition (place where its snaps live) is causing AX to lose all its snaps on its backup partition?

    If this is the case, there is a serious partitioning problem with that USB3 storage element. I'm not versed in "external" USB-based HDD restrictions (chime in here Brian K if you would) but I believe there are some restrictions as to how many partitions you can have on them based on disk type.

    I still never got <volume>:\<folder name> information on both the Macrium and AX backup snaps.[/QUOTE]
     
  5. ratchet

    ratchet Registered Member

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    Sorry about that!
    Name: Macrium Reflect (G:) 166 GB
    ParagonBackup (H:) 159
    AX64 (X:) 140
    I meant to say 500gb drive. All three partitions are Primary, however, the AX is Active. I didn't make it so intentionally. So, just to be clear: Delete MR from within MR removes AX chain from the AX GUI but not from its destination partition. However, I deleted a MR chain from its destination today and it also removed AX backup from the AX destination partition. But the plot thickens! AX is now saving the images/snapshots to the MR partition because it's empty (I assume). Ugh, crazy! I'm going to make a MR Baseline and I'm sure that will be rectified and then I'm going to uninstall/reinstall AX and see if that helps. I could also live with it since I'm aware of the situation.
     
  6. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Ratchet, I think, for a test, you would be better off re-partitioning that HDD to 1-primary partition (no reason to be ACTIVE). Then I would create 3-folders for the applications involved. AX v1 should use "AXTM" as a folder name for sure, Macrium and Paragon can use whatever you configure them for. Under this configuration, blowing away the contents of the Macrium folder should do nothing to AXTM at all.

    I think what's happening is that the "external" USB3 disk is not being partitioned correctly but I don't have the necessary knowledge to discuss the limitations of that configuration. Hopefully "Brian K" will jump in and add some knowledge to this discussion as far as USB external drives are concerned. There should be nothing that keeps you from partitioning that external drive into any # of partitions... but I think that's where the problem lies, the way it was partitioned.
     
  7. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Also, could you give me some info on your system config (OS, RAM, SATA HDD/SSDs, and SSD caching going on <Ready Cache>)... it might help in dealing with this very weird issue.
     
  8. ratchet

    ratchet Registered Member

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    Nice plan and I thank you!
     
  9. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Ratchet, the only thing you'll have to watch out for is storage limit on that 500 gigger. Your previous partitions kinda controlled themselves but this way you'll have to keep an eye out.

    If it works out for you, I'd leave it that way in the interim but still pursue that weird partition action you've been seeing. If done right, that 500gB device can have many partitions and it shouldn't present a problem.
     
  10. ratchet

    ratchet Registered Member

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    x64 W7 Sp1, 8gb, System on Kingston HyperX 120 gb SSD. CPU is an Ivybridge 3570K on an ASUS Motherboard UEFI. I built it a few years ago!
     
  11. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    There's no reason that system configuration can't support multi-partitioning of an external HDD. There are many "How to do" sites on the infobahn that should be able to help you in that process when you wish to try it once again.

    Let us know if you have any problems with the single partition, 3-folder setup for your imaging apps... good luck!
     
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