Introducing AX64 Time Machine - hybrid imaging/snapshot software

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

  1. zfactor

    zfactor Registered Member

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    will test it out.
     
  2. bgoodman4

    bgoodman4 Registered Member

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    Can anyone testing the latest private beta give us an update on how its working,,,,,,please.

    Thanks
     
  3. Zero3K

    Zero3K Registered Member

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    Its slowing down my PC during backups/merges and also when the program isn't even running (at random times).
     
  4. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Sorry, but I was asked not to do that.

    Pete
     
  5. timmy

    timmy Registered Member

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    Am confused, Anyone who tries ouit the latest privat beta is forbidden to report back?

    Who is/are the person or persons who issued the interdiction, seems rather harsh. Is there a penalty for reporting back.
     
  6. bgoodman4

    bgoodman4 Registered Member

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    That is disappointing.
     
  7. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Hi Barry

    Most private beta's are just that, and the request not to discuss is usually not unusual.

    Pete
     
  8. bgoodman4

    bgoodman4 Registered Member

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    Understood Pete, thanks.
     
  9. wajamus

    wajamus Registered Member

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    Hi guys,

    Thanks a ton to all the testers and supporters for AX64.

    We're releasing builds fairly frequently and privately to users volunteering to test. These are very raw builds. Testers sharing their feedback generally talk to us privately via our official mail and refrain from posting on forums. This is easier to track and also allows us to focus on users one-to-one.

    We will be ready for a public beta very soon. In the meanwhile, if you'd like to be part of the private beta test group, e-mail us at info@ax64.com and we'll send you a private link to download.

    Thanks and regards, Waj
     
  10. timmy

    timmy Registered Member

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    Oh, I see - re not allowed to discuss. Yes, it makes sense, as the young man just above has explained.

    In meantime, I personally have found the latest of the ver. 1 builds,, the one tht ends in 48, to be quite good. It only has failed once or twice in perhaps 100 uses, which is acceptable. It's always a good idea to make an "image" backup as well, which fully covers you, or at least it has me.

    I made a BIG mistake in using a program called Privazer, which am guesing is ok other than if you allow it to monkey around with the "master file tables," which I did, and which completely knocked out the AX64 program. But an "image" file, which coveres every last molecule, was able to make a correct restore. The AX64, not being a true image, has its limiations in that regard.
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2015
  11. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Hi Timmy

    I made the same mistake with Privazer. Got well and thoroughly hosed. In theory AX64 should be a true imaging program.

    Pete
     
  12. mxyzptlk

    mxyzptlk Registered Member

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    IMO, "true imaging" could be the future ideal of AX64, but for now, they must perfect its "half imaging" capability, which isn't so reliable either (yet?). For the record, I haven't experienced it (or maybe just not aware of it), but if Mr Frog said so, then I tend to believe it.
     
  13. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Wow! A 5th Dimension Imp listening to and believing a 3rd Dimension Frog... boy are YOU in trouble :p

    Actually, some of the doubt is my determination, but most of it has come from the AXdevs themselves... they know they have issues with HOT restore (cannot be overcome at this time without a re-design) so they're currently concentrating on WARM restores (which can be made to work... just ask Macrium), dissimilar hardware restoration, and getting the rest of those pesky li'l bugs fixed.

    Many users have had excellent results... many more are expected to have the same in the future.
     
  14. Kit1cat

    Kit1cat Registered Member

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    IMO AX64 without the "Hot Restore" is just another imaging program, hot restore is what I use 90% of the time.

    Windows 7 Home Premium, Ax64 ver 1.4.1.48.
     
  15. bgoodman4

    bgoodman4 Registered Member

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    Warm restore is almost as fast as hot, it adds about 30 seconds to the restore process and will, hopefully, eliminate the hang problem that some have had with hot. AX64 is still very different from just about all of the other imaging programs out there, the exception being Macrium V6.
     
  16. Kit1cat

    Kit1cat Registered Member

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    unfortunately I have not found this, on my system a ver 1 "hot restore" takes less then 30 sec's (not including reboot time), 3 to 4 min's for warm restore and about 8/9 min's for cold restore (ver 1). Still fast, but 6 to 8 times slower then a hot restore, but I am talking about hot restoring a couple of minutes after the backup image was taken (this is my main use for AX64) perhaps with a longer gap the differance between hot and warm restores will be closer.

    The ideal solution would be, hot for quick restore, warm for normal restore and cold for when all else fails.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2015
  17. mxyzptlk

    mxyzptlk Registered Member

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    I just remembered that I did have some kind of "problem." I don't have conclusive evidences, however I believe it's related to Ms OneDrive software. Here is what happened:

    OneDrive does whatever it does automatically in the background as long as it's running (showing) in the taskbar's notification area. Now, there were times when AX64 (I use v. 1) made an image & OneDrive was in the middle of doing something (syncing, updating itself, etc.). I only do manual, but it would be even worse if I switch auto-backup on.
    I don't know if it's AX64's fault for not waiting, or OneDrive's fault for not informing, or Windows' for not doing a better management, or maybe all of them, nevertheless, I ended up having an image with OneDrive in sort of an in-between status.
    Of course I wouldn't/couldn't be aware that the image contains this "imperfect" OneDrive. However, if I happen to restore this image, then the followings would happen: the restore went successfully (hot/cold won't matter), the Windows started up successfully, and then either:
    1. the computer appeared to be working normally (which then would result in more child images, all with OneDrive in a defective state), although I suspected some random errors could appear in the Windows' event log (I don't believe that I ever saw "OneDrive" or anything related to it there); or
    2. several minutes later either OneDrive threw out an error message & then close itself (& it would do that every time it runs), or the computer would get BSOD (with errors like invalid pointers etc.)

    It took me a while until I found this out, and the only cure was to walk backward through the images (which I took during no. 1 condition) until I found the image in which the OneDrive was "whole" there.

    So the nightmare would happened after I restored an image with OneDrive in imperfect condition. It'd be lucky enough if I got no. 2 straight away, because then that would prompt me to restore its parent image, and then everything would be ok. Otherwise, I could accumulate several images (during no. 1), and all those images are just as booby-trapped.

    Oh, and one telltale sign (I believe) is the icon & status for OneDrive is never-ending "processing."
     
  18. oliverjia

    oliverjia Registered Member

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    Thanks for sharing your findings. Very interesting.

    I think this is yet another good example/reason why frequent OS imaging does not make a lot of sense, and keep your OS and data disk separated will save you a lot of trouble. Imaging software, by design, is best only for full cold backup/restore of an OS disk. An image represent a working status of an OS, and this image better be taken when the OS is freshly installed. If you want a most current version of your OS, go through the trouble of first restoring the original full disk image, immediately install every software and update everything, then clean up and do a cold full image backup using at least two imaging programs. Keep the images on different physical disks. Alternatively, you could do a differential image upon installing softwares and updating instead of a new full image. Daily or even hourly OS backup is crazy and a total waste of time to me. Over the long course of keep your OS running you are likely to pick up a few pieces of malware here and there, so if you have hourly/daily imaging, those little bugs are also saved on your HDD and will be restored later on. How convenient.

    For personal data, use something like 2brightsparks pro for real time sync, or even cloud solutions, and keep your data on a different drive other than the OS drive. I myself use Windows explorer for archiving data, LOL. Mixing OS with data on the same drive will never be a good idea.

    Just my 2 cents.


     
  19. Kit1cat

    Kit1cat Registered Member

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    What appealed to me about AX64 was that it was a hybrid imaging/snapshot program, version 1.4.1.48 fulfills that purpose on my windows 7 system, as a rollback replacement program it has works great for me, with the added bonus of a cold restore if needed. IMO the program seems to be moving away from the snapshot feature to more of a imaging program, this may appeal to some users but it's not the program that was described on the first page of this thread, quote.

    "Here are the main features of the program:

    • Fast backup and restore - speed is comparable to snapshot programs
    • Very easy to use - just like a snapshot program
    • No need to use recovery environment - restore works directly from the running system
    • No messing with MBR, no disk writes redirection
    • Uses internal, external or even network drives for backup
    • Allows to easily find and recover old versions of files using Backup Browser with instant switching between time points (this is my favorite!)
    • If the OS is not booting, or disk has failed, there is a fallback method to restore from a recovery environment
    • Recovery environment is created in seconds (USB stick, CD, or ISO) with no need for WAIK or other download, and works even from XP
    • Support for all Windows versions from XP to 8, support for SSDs"
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2015
  20. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Couple of thoughts. First I disagree with Oliverjia. That shouldn't have been a problem with any solid imaging program. Unfortunately as of yet AX64 isn't there.

    Secondly unless you are actually using it turn Onedrive off. It's easy. Just download Autoruns from sysinternal, and go thru it and uncheck everything related to Onedrive(there is a bit) Then reboot, and voila, one drive is gone.
     
  21. oliverjia

    oliverjia Registered Member

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    Only problem I see with turning off OneDrive is you might forget to turn it back on after you create/modify files in the Onedrive folder, then these files won't get synchronized.
     
  22. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    I consider that a plus. I don't want to use one drive
     
  23. timmy

    timmy Registered Member

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    re: For the record, I haven't experienced it (or maybe just not aware of it), but if Mr Frog said so, then I tend to believe it.

    What is the "it" that you said you haven't experienced and that you also say you are not aware of and tend to believe?
     
  24. timmy

    timmy Registered Member

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  25. mxyzptlk

    mxyzptlk Registered Member

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    A little update, I confirmed that the BSOD I mentioned earlier was unrelated to AX64. However, the rest of my narrative there still stands.
    And for the record, yes I use OneDrive. One of my reasons using it is because it comes from the same factory as the OS, I was & still hoping that they would support each other performance-wise & all (I could be wrong, though).

    OneDrive has an "Exit" option from its icon in notification area, so I think it's quite easy to close. I just wish & hope that AX64 & OneDrive & Windows can have a better communication, so I can be free from micro-managing them.
    Also, I don't like the idea of restarting the computer before doing something (that's why softwares such as AX64 advertise that as features). I stop using the computer when AX64 doing its thing, that's the only "interruption" I'm willing to have. Oh, and I don't have SSD, and no Win 8 either, so booting time is not that negligible.

    The unreliability. Well, except the OneDrive incident I shared previously. However, as I have said, I'm still not sure if it's really AX64's fault.

     
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