ax64 alternative

I recently migrated over to an x64 windows 10 system. The operating system itself is great, but some of my staple security software acts hinky with it; Sandoxie causes boxed application to randomly crash and display improperly (even with the newest beta build). So I'm looking to shake things up a bit and remove sandboxie, and probably shadow defender, in favor of working alternatives. Does anyone know of something similar to ax64, with which we can custom schedule backup creation?

 

Not sure if you've considered it already, but some have ditched AX64 for Macrium Reflect - it allows custom scheduling which can be further refined with Task Scheduler.

edit: it has quick restores similar to AX64.

 

I too have moved from AX64 to Macrium Reflect 6 and I highly recommend it. Its not as simple to set up as AX64 but is more powerful and much more reliable.

 

That does work. And I admit that their delta restore function is intriguing. However, I was looking for something to bridge the security gap between the currently defunct Sandbox and my current imaging program, Drive Snapshot. That's where ax64 would have fit in nicely. But it's only half-cooked, apparently. I like Drive Snapshot. I love it's powerful simplicity. Plus, it's paid for and I don't like the idea of having to shell out $69 for functionality that I, in large part, already have. Any other ideas?

Thx.

 

Nope! AX64 was "publicly" on the "bleeding" edge of developing imaging-based snapshot technology that was unique to the industry. Along the way the development effort took a crooked turn and is now in the middle of trying to straighten out that turn and get back on track.

In the meantime, Macrium has released REFLECT v6, which has honed in on and produced a very successful version of a similar technology that AX64 has been working on for over 2-1/2 yrs. Macrium is a company with an impeccable reputation in the area of disk imaging and it shows, big time, in the recent release of REFLECT.

Now you seem to be interested in getting some value out of your DS investment... fair enough. But if you want additional snapshot functionality on the cheap, it appears only available in very questionable technologies (AX64... maybe in the near future, and Rollback RX <not cheap>... I think most of us know where that technology is coming from <and probably headed >). If you want reliability AND functionality, yer gonna have to pay for it.

 

I think it worth noting that even here in this thread there were users recommending Macrium Reflect over ax64. I would think that would be because of features.

True.

I never said that I was looking for anything "rollback" related. I simply said I was looking to "bridge the security gap" to Drive Snapshot. In fact, the argument can be made that I was looking for a sandboxie alternative more than anything else. But, let's about about rollback software.

Cheaper (or free) imaging/Rollback/Delta imaging software does exist, and one needs to look only Keriver, AOMEI Backupper, or AOMEI OneKey Recovery to find them. My point is not everything needs to cost and arm and a leg. Undoubtedly was new software released in the two-ish years I've been away, and I'm trying to find alternatives to what is currently broken

 

+ 1 here to all of that!

 

That's interesting. It seems like people here really like Macrium Reflect. Can I assume that people that recommending it are using, at the very least, the home version product? The reverse of the application does not include Rapid Delta Restore (RDR), which is the aspect of macrium that I am interested in the most, if this is the feature that will enable me to "rollback" my system. However, I have not been able to find any information as to what exactly was on with our RDR. I know that the changes between the disc and the image are analyzed, with the resulting changes being migrated over to the hard disk. But how is this different than regular storing? Is be the only advantage to RDR, or is there some sort of intelligence behind RDR restorations is not more than normal reimaging?

 

Some people use the free version which doesn't include RDR - presumably they're not looking for ultra-quick restores. All the paid versions include RDR:

http://www.macrium.com/pages/comparisons.aspx

You can roll-back your system without RDR - and indeed with any imaging software - it will just be slower.

Regular restoring will overwrite the entire partition. RDR will only overwrite the changed sectors. The main benefit is speed, but it also potentially has positive implications for SSD life (if restoring to one).

The only software that can do delta restores (quickly) I believe are AX64, Macrium (paid), and Farstone.

 

I have recommended Macrioum 6 (paid) and I am using it. Why would someone recommend something they would not use themselves. I also have an AX64 license and was sorry to see it fall by the wayside but I have no regret about paying for MR6. Its been rock solid and it will restore your system as fast as, or faster, than AX64. As noted previously the only thing I miss about AX64 is its ease of setup. That is, there is nothing to do besides install it. No scheduling etc. With MR6 you have to select the schedule you prefer,,,,,which of course gives you a great deal of flexibility as to your schedule,,,,,something completely lacking in AX64.

 

I think it's been covered but I'll try and clarify... RDR is only a feature available when using restorations, and as has already been mentioned, it only restores the disk sectors that are different between where the disk is currently and where it was at the snapshot you are returning to (known as a DIFFERENCE RESTORE).

As far as imaging is concerned, it is a standard FULL/DIFF/INC imaging system... they all work basically the same. For INCs they detect the differences between the last image and the current system and write them to the disk as an INC.

Where it differs is in the restoration process... restoring only changed sectors where most other imagers restore the whole volume/disk, using your baseline followed by any DIFFs/INCs that have been taken along the way to get to your restore point.

The (2) big keys here are the set'n'forget backup schemas and RDR. It also has the capability to "clean up" your SSD prior to restoration. It does this by sending TRIM commands to the SSD (if the option is selected) for all the blocks that are about to be restored as well as blocks that will be freed up after the restoration is complete. This feature is not critical as the SSD will handle an unTRIMmed restoration just fine and if you OPTIMIZE your SSD, via the OS (regularly or manually), old unused disk sectors left over after the restoration will be cleaned nicely via the OS' TRIM function.

 

Yeah, I pretty much need to be told the same thing about 10 times in order for me to understand something (or so the girlfriend tells me).

That's nice to know. I was going through the macrium settings and I saw that the SSD trim settings were enabled by default. Perhaps this is because I have an SSD? In any case, that seems to be a very good picture for me to use (as trim is enabled on my SSD as well).

 

I'm using X64 W10! Before dumping Sandboxie, try installing their betas. I've been doing that and the only issue I've had recently is trying to install software. e.g. I absolutely hated W10's mail client, which I wanted to use as my pop3 (only) client. Since you can't even import contacts I installed Thunderbird, however, if the PC would go into sleep, Thunderbird would be gone at wake up. It was happening with a lot of installations configuring 10 the way I want it. I discovered that if I "Disabled Forced Programs" until after the installation was finished, any and all apps worked normally.
As for Reflect, go for it! Incremental restores are pretty much like AX64's hot restores!

 

You could take a look at Eassos System Restore..
You can try it for free for 30 days,and if you decide you like it/it suits you, you can get it for a major discount via Softpedia.

 

I image from an Intel SSD to various portable 5400 rpm USB hard drives. I only do full images. I have 4 favorite imaging programs but Macrium 6 stands out. A restore with any of the other 3 programs takes about the same time an the image creation (35 to 40 minutes.) With Reflect 6, and image takes the normal 35 to 40 minutes to create. But, a big but, restoration via Reflect 6 is 3 minutes. THREE minutes! Blows everything else away! Needless to say, I don't spread my eggs into many other baskets anymore...

 

I get that. I just purchased Macrium Reflex 6 Home Edition, and what stood out to me were some of what you mentioned. I to am using an SSD, and it's sweet that macrium doesn't just treat them as other disks. They have TRIM support as well and Rapid Data Re-deploy, which does enable fast restores. I've used many imaging apps in the past but I'll use macium now.

 

I bought the home license earlier this week aswell, and am not gonna look back to any other solution anymore.. Macrium simply is the best..
Well,maybe I will take a look at that eassos system restore later,since it has an snapshot feature,and supports external drives..