Introducing AX64 Time Machine - hybrid imaging/snapshot software

I know a few bloggers so I'll use Twitter, shouldn't take very long for them to pick this up.
Forum mentions, you got it

 

Thanks a lot Bionic, much appreciated!

Isso

 

I installed the beta and so far so good! No issues as of yet! One thing that would be a nice addition is maybe a tray icon where you can right click and then kick off a backup. Also the ability to maybe pause hourly backups by left clicking the tray icon?? Just a thought! Or even better an option to pause hourly backups when full screen applications are running (games) to avoid any sort of background performance issue. I know all this adds complexity so maybe future versions, as long as the core product is fast and stable that's what I am looking forward to most rather then a bunch of features. I will do some test backups and restores and let you know if I run into any problems..

 

Latest beta also installed here with no probs so far. Will be seeing how she plays with RB Rx (based on the advice given earlier in the thread), not that I am planning to keep RB Rx if the testing goes as I hope, as AXTM should be able to replace both that & ATI...

By the way, agree with Moons suggestions...would as usability/flexibility but perhaps that is something to be added once the product goes commercial and people are flocking to buy it/use it (I do hope so as it looks like just the ticket...

 

Hi:

I just checked your website and could you up a video on how does its snapshoting features works? The feature similar to comodo time machine or rollback rx or toolwiz time machine?

Right now I am only interested on that feature, rather then the backup features? I am using comodo time machine right now and would like to switch to AX64 when out of beta.

Its great to have another free app beside toolwiz time machine for replacing comodo time machine to look forward to.

 

noons, Baldrick

Thank you, I'm looking forward to your comments! For tray icon - if you enable automatic backups the program will be minimized to tray, and that tray icon has a menu that allows backup. I guess I need to keep that tray icon even when automatic backup is not selected - carfal mentioned it before.

 

Hi taleblou,

There is no separate snapshotting feature, the backup itself is a snapshot. There is some confusion about those two terms, but I guess any fast backup may be called snapshot. That's what AXTM does.

Sorry, AXTM isn't going to be free when released. Perhaps later we'll introduce a free version, but I'm not in a position to do it now.

Isso

 

Since Comodo and Toolwiz time machines are often compared to AXTM, I'd like to mention the differences:

Both Comodo and Toolwiz apparently are working by redirecting the write operations to a protected storage located on the same drive that they are protecting (copy-on-write). This approach has one advantage - the snapshotting operation is very fast. However there are serious flaws:

- If the power goes off, or a blue screen happens, there are very high chances that your file system (Comodo) or snapshots (Toolwiz) will become corrupted with no way to recover it.
- Significant deterioration of file system speed (try to copy а big file or a large number of files and compare the speed to a clean system)
- If HDD fails, you have no way to recover the data
- If the partition is modified by another OS (multiboot), or by recovery environment, it'll be corrupted
- Problems with SSD support
- Need to hijack the MBR


AXTM, in contrast, saves all data to a separate (internal, external or network) drive and in nutshell it makes no changes to the file system that it's protecting. You can do whatever you want - cut the power, modify the drive externally, even crush the HDD. You will be able to restore the system just like with any imaging program. However the ease of use, the high speed of backups, and especially speed of restores (albeit slightly slower than Toolwiz or Comodo) allows you to use the program as a substitute for snapshot programs (as well as imaging programs).
Finally there is no footprint on the file system speed - it's as fast as a fresh system.

Hope this makes sense. When I have more time, I'll put up some comparative analysis. As a developer of AXTM I may be slightly biased, but not much

Isso

 

Thanks for answering all of my questions. In regards to the above answer, I just remembered something. I did do the network mapping thing. I'm not certain that network mapping is very reliable. I have a HTPC and i installed a previous alpha build (can't remember what version) and AX64 lost connection with the network drive. No matter what i did i couldnt get it to see the mapped drive even if i removed and recreated the mapping. I could access the folder through Windows Explorer and even through WHS (2011) itself. In the end i gave up.

I dont know if you improved this in v1.0.866 but i think a better implementation would be how IFW do it. See below



They show the whole network and you can directly select the location through WORKGROUP. Would this be difficult to implement?

EDIT: Also the above would be better for the Recovery media. I think the last time i looked at the recovery media i wasnt able to figure out how to map or access the network drive. In IFW Recovery media i use the "enter unc path here" section in the above picture and input the server path, user and password and i have connection. Any insight?

 

Hi Isso

I tried AX64 Time Machine for the second time, and speed wise it is a vast improvement.

I have one question for you.

When I created the first full backup and subsequent differential? backup I filled in a log with details of what the backup was about. Once the backup was completed I can find no way of accessing that information that tells me about the backup.

On the drive with the backup the saved files are a jumble of letters and numbers. In the Backup Browser I can find no feature to identify what my backups were.

What am i doing wrong please?

Thanks

Terry

 

Hi Isso

No problem.

In terms of the need to keep the tray item even when auto back up not selected...what about offering the option to have it as now, i.e., only when auto mode is switched or permanently, irrespective of the auto mode setting?

 

Hi Isso

Nice synopsis...which clarifies, without IMHO developer bias, the key differences.

Looking forward to a fuller comparision...presumably as part of the commercial launch.

 

Hi
I run 3 Primaries (P1-Win 7, P2-Win 8, P3-Win Xp) selected via OSL2000 boot manager. I have 2 HD's and also run 8 LOGICAL partitions.

For some time I have been looking for a Prog that makes Snapshots like AX64. I tried RollBack Rx, CMT, Keriver etc; and they are all useless to me because they hijack the MBR.

AX64 looks an ideal solution but I have one problem.

I use Acronis TI, and I like to keep all Images on drive G: in folders called Images\P1, Images\P2, Images\P3.

I would like to keep AX64 Backups in these same folders, or sub folders, but AX64 doesn't allow users to set the SAVE folder - it is always X:\Axtm.

So installations on each O.S. would all save to the SAME folder, unless I used a different logical drive to SAVE for each O.S., which isn't really what I wish to do.

Can you consider giving Users the ability to set their own SAVE Folders.

Thanks

 

Hi Isso

Found out how to identify the backup and commentary added. On a personal note I would prefer a more permanent basis than clicking on each backup file in the backup browser. The pop up only lasts a few seconds, it should be a permanent addition in the file browser so you can scan down the list of backups.

Thanks

Terry

 

Hi Isso

This may have been covered elsewhere in the thread (but cannot remember) but should antivirus/security suite seetings have any impact on incremental backup/snapshot speed?

I am wondering (but will try myself) if adding an exclusion or trusted status for AXTM improves the snapshot time as it should prevent the security app from checking every action that AXTM undertakes?

Regards


Balders

 

carfal,

Regarding setting the folder - frankly I was trying to make the program as easy to use as possible, that's why I decided to only present the drives, and not deal with the folders. That way the program can auto-detect the output folder if needed and you won't need to deal with the backup location.

I'm now thinking of adding a button that would allow advanced users to override the default AXTM folder location. That way you'll be able to pick a network folder without mapping too.

For recovery media - you are absolutely right, we'll add two buttons - for mapping a drive and for launching a command line (for advanced users).

Isso

 

Terry,

The comments should be displayed in 3 locations - please see the screenshot.



The list of the backups on the left displays all comments - so you can easily choose the one that you need. Please let me know if you experience different behavior.

Isso

 

Hi Isso. These additions would be greatly appreciated by me and I'm guessing others as well.

 

Hi Isso

Thanks for that it helps.

I comment as follows:

1) I missed the comments on the left hand side of the screen because they were hidden once I had widened the section it was OK. This part is fine.

2) On n my machine I have a dark - ish border at the top of the screen which tends to obscure the writing which is itself a bit on the small side. I can live with this.

3) I stand by my comments about the pop up. Either not necessary or needs to be longer in delay

Thanks for the info. The program is looking good

Terry

 

Hi Terry! Other than Isso's suggestions, you can also resize the pane that contains the description (grab the border and drag) which should allow for more description detail.

 

Baldrick,

I agree. What do you think about task bar - should the program be there, or should it only present in the tray then?

 

Got it, will increase the default width of the left pane and make the popup delay longer. Thank you

Isso

 

Nedwob,

Sure, as I promised to carfal we'll add a feature to override the default location. Just for your information - you don't really need to care about the output folder - even if you save multiple drives into the same folder, the browser will display them all and allow you to select the one that you want to view/restore. You can also hide (collapse) the ones that you don't need. Please see the screenshot.

 

Balders,

That highly depends on the implementation of the security app, so I can just suggest to experiment with the particular program that you use.
I think a properly implemented program should not affect the backup speed.

Isso

 

Hi Isso

Can you help and explain the following:

I installed the latest version of AX64 this morning (886) on Win7

Did a full backup circa 24,000,000KB this took 16 mins

Then this afternoon I Installed Opera portable browser and immediately after did a backup (differential) which took less than one minute

Later on this afternoon I uninstalled mozilla firefox and immediately after did a backup (differential) this took 14 minutes!!!!

I then did a differential backup with Aomei backup (immediately after) which took 10 minutes

I enclose screen shot of sizes of image.

Terry