Introducing AX64 Time Machine - hybrid imaging/snapshot software

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

  1. MerleOne

    MerleOne Registered Member

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    I also noticed in the past incompatibilities between AOMEI Backupper and AX TM, installing Backupper would stop the tracking done by AX TM, I finally got rid of the latest.
     
  2. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Well it's interesting. In all my testing AOEMI has never failed me. Unforutnately I can say that about AX64 and it's successors
     
  3. Kit1cat

    Kit1cat Registered Member

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    Not sure, I up dated Aomei to the latest version, ran Aomei backup, no problems. Opened AX64 no problem, rebooted computer and tried AX64 again and it came up with a error message about AX64 could not run because driver file missing, reinstalled AX64 but got the same error message, could not restore using AX64 from within windows, so done a full restore from outside windows.
     
  4. Kit1cat

    Kit1cat Registered Member

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    Aomei have updated there update but I get the same problem, error message, "AXTM driver not installed, backups cannot be made"
     
  5. MerleOne

    MerleOne Registered Member

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    I recently restored my Lenovo running Win 8.1 with backupper pro, it went well only when I chose to restore the full drive, not just C:, so I keep AOMEI and leave TM away (which is BTW discounted today on BdJ).
     
  6. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    <Yikes!> Who the heck, from ZeroWeight, would authorize the sale of AX64 Time Machine v1 (abandonware) on BitsDuJour for $5 a machine copy?

    Sounds like the light bill just came due down in NSW :rolleyes:
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2016
  7. khanyash

    khanyash Registered Member

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    TheRollbackFrog, Peter2150

    Can you guys tell me, does AX64 V2 automatically takes "Full Backup" after certain number of snapshots or after certain number of days?
     
  8. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    No, but it will take INCs that take as long as FULLs in terms of time if your System is interrupted in an unusual way. It also will MERGE forward its FULL occasionally depending on your schedule. It should not be taking additional FULLs that are as big as a normal FULL. It is designed to have 1-FULL and many INCs depending on schedule.
     
  9. khanyash

    khanyash Registered Member

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    AX64 V2 works fine for me on Win 10 64 Anniversary Fully Updated
    I have done many successful HOT restore.
    Only 1 time HOT restore had prob And WARM restore was successful.
    And only 1 time WARM restore had prob And COLD restore was successful.

    It also handles interrupted on-going backup by system restart/shutdown/hard shutdown good i.e if I remember correctly, interrupted on-going backup (incomplete backup) was not there in the backup folder.

    I had uninstalled it coz I noticed it taking big backup like full backup so I thought it does full backup after certain period of days or certain number of snapshots But guess it was like you mentioned incremental backup that take as long as full backup due to unusual system shutdown.

    I will install it again & see... And will also see how it handles interrupted on-going backup by system restart/shutdown/hard shutdown.
     
  10. khanyash

    khanyash Registered Member

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    TheRollbackFrog, Peter2150

    Yesterday, I went through lots of posts in this thread right from the start.
    Both of you guys were testing it quite heavily.
    You guys had mentioned couple times AX64 V2 Beta is kinda not full imaging as it was not doing something or something like this...was it ever fixed in AX64 V2?

    And 1 incremental backup bad in the chain affects restore operation...this also applies to AX64 V2?
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2017
  11. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    If you are using V2 the ax64 name was dropped. Use Xeroweight that is the correct name for V2. I don't remember a problem with full imaging. It just wasn't reliable. As far as I am concerned any failure in any mode would rule it out for me.
     
  12. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    To my knowledge, the original HOT restore (restoration under your LIVE Windows) disappeared under v2, which then provided only a WARM (difference or DELTA restore under WinRE) or COLD (FULL restoration under WinRE) restore. The HOT restore disappeared after v1.4.1.48.
     
  13. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Ther were lots and lots of bugs under v2 that were never repaired properly, and when the product moved to FlashBack, additional bugs were discovered. To my knowledge, this application has NEVER been clean since its inception.
    As mentioned to you in a previous thread, any imaging application using Incremental imaging will fail in its restoration if that Incremental chain is broken with a bad file. And if that application never even checks its images at creation or restoration (AX64), a "successful" complete restoration most likely will be faulty and the user may not even know it. I experienced this during BETA testing of AX64 Time Machine v2.
     
  14. MerleOne

    MerleOne Registered Member

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    +1 for me !
     
  15. MerleOne

    MerleOne Registered Member

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    I tried several versions of a similar product, Advanced Image Protector : the main issue was the same, sometimes the modification tracking system was fooled and the imager didn't notice, so subsequent images were corrupt at restore. And also tracking was lost for many number of reasons. I preferred to get back to more robust solutions, like Macrium Reflect or AOMEI Backupper Pro. Now I have a question regarding both these imagers & Win 8/10 but it's not the right place to ask them...
     
  16. khanyash

    khanyash Registered Member

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    I am running the last stable V2, 703 Build.

    HOT Restore - Start within Windows (Advanced settings have "HOT restore" selected) - It takes around 8-12 mins to restore here.

    Pre-OS Console - (Advanced settings have "HOT restore selected & greyed out & FULL restore selected too) - I uncheck FULL restore & it takes around 15-20 mins to restore here - This is WARM Restore for me.

    Pre-OS Console - (Advanced settings have "HOT restore selected & greyed out & FULL restore selected too) - It takes around 25-30 mins to restore here - This is COLD Restore for me.
     
  17. khanyash

    khanyash Registered Member

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    But I see all imaging products by default have "verify image" disabled by default.
     
  18. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    that is because there is no assurance that if the image verifies it will restore. Think of the verify as checking a box when you receive it. If damaged the product inside for sure may be suspect, but if the box is okay, that still doesn't guarantee the product is undamaged. Same is true of images.

    The best way I've found of checking an image is mount it and see if you can play a video file in the image. If you can you have good odds with restore.

    But to me you are playing with fire with any of the ax64, FB builds. I've tested and wanted them to work and they all have eventually failed me.
     
  19. khanyash

    khanyash Registered Member

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    Ok, will do this with the images, Thank You.
     
  20. khanyash

    khanyash Registered Member

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    I have never used any previous version or builds of AX64/FB. When I became interested, V2 703 Build stable was there So my journey with AX64/FB started with 703 Build.

    Now I have used FB for around 10 months And I test software often & revert to clean state So have done around 50 or more restore operation.
    Everytime I start with HOT restore, if it fails then WARM restore, if it fails then COLD restore.
    HOT restore was always successful except 1 time And WARM restore took care of the situation. WARM restore had prob 1 time And COLD restore took care of the situation.
    I have directly tried 2-3 times COLD restore And was everytime successful.

    After every restore operation, I check everything on my system like programs, files, Windows settings, programs settings, browsers settings, etc... And also do chkdsk & sfc /scannow And never had any probs.

    The 1 time prob with HOT restore & WARM restore was that it got stucked during restore operation i.e restore operation go to 1-100% & it got stucked around 34% with HOT restore & around 68% with WARM restore for a little long time than usual So I did hard shutdown & tried COLD restore & was successful & checked the system & no probs.

    Occasional prob may happen with any software, right?

    So my experience is good with FB, atleast yet. And the system I am using it on, data is externally backed up & OS I am ready to reinstall if anything goes wrong.

    I query many things here from you guys And all the info from you guys, I know the pros-cons, etc... of these software So Thank You guys for your time & support & concern for the users.
     
  21. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    I use 4 different imaging programs on 3 machines. Never had a failure. I don't think even one restore failure is acceptable, and if one happens that software is discarded.
     
  22. khanyash

    khanyash Registered Member

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    What are those 4 imaging programs?

    Currently I tried Macrium, Aomei & Todo.

    Macrium is simply the best especially with its incremental backup/restore speed, good for users like me who test software often & revert to clean state But IB is in paid version only.

    Aomei incremental backup is slow kinda takes half of the time of full backup.

    Todo incremental backup is impressive And fast & beats Macrium incremental backup speed/time here But incremental restore is not that fast (took 28 mins to restore) like Macrium. Incremental is available in free version too.

    FlashBack incremental backup/restore is fast i.e backup is fast like Macrium & restore is fast i.e around 10 mins & beats other software except Macrium incremental restore.
     
  23. clubhouse1

    clubhouse1 Registered Member

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    Never had a problem with AX64 or FB, but then I'm pretty useless computer wise, I haven't had an unexpected virus, malware or any kind of computer infection in many years, never had a encounter with ransomware, lack of skill and experience I guess :)

    I envy you guys!
     
  24. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Macrium, Image for Windows, Drive Snapshot, and Acronis. I also have had success with AOEMI. When I tried TODO I used home. I looked at workstation, but stopped when the first thing I needed was an account.
     
  25. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    My problem with them was simply random failures, on restore.
     
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