Toolwiz Time Machine

I understand your point. However I am inclined to think that such feature isn't so useful like it seems - at least to my point of view; main purpose is to allow restore back a normal state the OS.

In fact I don't use it to dance between snapshots, at all, since mainly I want to revert to a original state if something is not ok.

Even with my images backup (from Macrium and Redo) I never needed to dance with them forward or backward; I don't need too much images since I remove old image backups.

My deep respect to Toolwiz team also.

Unfortunately James seems to have "serious problem with his health":

 

I just installed TTM to give it a try on XP/SP3, but everything is greyed-out at the bottom even after starting TTM, so there is no way for me to make a snapshot. Anyone know what the problem might be?

Edit: I see what the problem is. If you start TTF, you can't take any snapshots. I thought I was starting TTM.

Which leads me to the next question - how do I use or stop TTF?
I only installed TTM and I don't see anything related to TTF except to start it.

Al

 

When Start TTF, TTM engine will be stopped.

 

Is the only way to stop TTF is to restart the computer .Is there a stop button to stop and reboot,or do you just do a restart

 

Looks like booting is currently the only way to stop Freeze mode. Hopefully they will add some command line switches in the future.

 

My understanding is that it is necessary to restart the system to exit the virtual mode with ALL virtualization products that use disk sector redirection to virtualize the system partition. This is equally true of Shadow Defender, Returnil, Deep Freeze, TTF, etc. The reason, as I understand it, is that it is necessary to lock the system partition when entering the virtual mode. The lock can only be released again by rebooting to return the disk to normal operation; it is a consequence of the technology used.

AFAIK the only light virtualization products that don't require a reboot to exit the virtual mode are those that use file system redirection, not disk sector redirection. I believe that Fortres Grand's Clean Slate is an example of a virtualization product that uses the file system redirection method to virtualize system changes.

 

Thanks,Shadow defender has an option to exit shadow mode and reboot.
This is not the case here,there are no options

 

If it helps, the procedure for starting and stopping TTF is described here: http://dottech.org/25943/alternativ...me-freeze-allows-you-to-safely-test-software/

 

You don't get any TimeFreeze GUIs with the component included in TimeMachine. Command line /freeze or /unfreeze doesn't work in TTM either.

Al

 

project is dead? no any news or update.

 

Is there a way to restore in TTM if system is un-bootable?

Thanks

 

Aigle, I believe Post #37 answers that question...

 

Thanks, any ISR software with no such feature might be pretty useless at times when you need it most.

 

Disk-image backup is your last line of defense...

 

No, the current version does not support a CD restore.

 

I only have 1 snapshot, so does anyone know what will happen when the cache gets full?
It won't disappear, right? This would be a serious design flaw.

 

Had installed it a while ago. Something bad happened (BSOD). Toolwiz Time Machine is not the cause, it's because of Always On ASLR and uninstalling by video driver (to update it to latest). So I boot to safe mode, made ASLR to Opt In and reboot again. After that I decided to test (Toolwiz Time Machine to test it's restore capability after a crash or BSOD and not just ordinary restore) and restore using Toolwiz Time Machine (Prior to bsod) and boom, I have a PC with a somewhat broken video driver (screen was low resolution, etc). Decided to reinstall AMD driver and do an SFC scan. Got it fixed. This was during the BETA, but the final version they released was the BETA I was testing.

 

I'd never heard of Fortres Grand's Clean Slate so I searched it. Does sound like a good way to test anything that does require a reboot. This is assuming that after the reboot you can still return to a state prior to the new application installation. Install or enable before a test or MS update. If all goes well keep the change and than disable or remove FGCS. However, having said all of that, it appears to cost $70. Way to much just to save time.

 

Unfortunately, yes, the snapshots disappear. It is the reason that I stopped using it as the cache tends to fill quite quickly and there's no warning that the snapshots will be deleted. The developers do suggest making the cache considerably larger than it is in the default setup to help this, but the principle is that same - when it's full, snapshots are deleted .

 

I agree that "would be a serious design flaw" - IF it were a imaging application.

TTM is a snapshot based program (without mess MBR) and it isn't suitable for:

. Who think their action must be like a imaging software;
. To keep many snapshots thinking that user should have the hability to dance between snapshots when desired and in any time;
. Who have many applications working in background and doing too much file changes (content and/or physical).

E.g.:
1~ If a user has a app. like a defragger that does a background defragmentation (like PerfectDisk), TTM'Cache will increase too much until it needs to be reseted;
2~ When I do a defrag and optimization with 'MyDefrag' all snapshots are removed.

It seems necessary to remember:

It wasn't designed for:
. To keep snapshots always and to toy, dancing between snapshots forever;
. To replace an imaging based software.

It is working like a charm when I want:

1. To try an application that needs a reboot; after trying for some days I recover the system like it was before install;
2. To see how some changes in system (Registry tricks, etc.) does and to revert if not interesting...

Once I use 'Toolwiz Time Freeze' almost ever in "Frozen Mode", I use TTM in situations like described above or when I need any additional possibility later to revert system changes.

Since I use TTF normally, I don't need to use TTM 'Freeze' feature, that should be suitable for who only want to use TTM to try app. that needs - or not - reboots!

 

IS it compatible with Solid State Drive's with TRIM?

 

i think yes. btw, no news for a long time.

 

I recently tried TTM, and liked its simplicity. My issue I had with it was after testing a restore of a snapshot, it seemed to go well, but when I looked in event viewer, it gave a report regarding NTFS problem, but the system fixed it.

So there was some sort of NTFS corruption or a problem, but windows fixed it. I did not like seeing that error for the file system. I could not find any report that this happens regularly, but it did for me. Is it just the manner in which it restores, or is it a constant issue? I found nothing on Toolwiz forum about this error report.

Otherwise, I like what they are doing with it although limited in function, it did work, but caused some sort of NTFS problem. Anyone else ever see this report within the event viewer after a restore with TTM?

Thank you!

Jim

 

Why is this tool not listed on their web page?
It is out of beta....

And what happened to James?
Is he still around?
I received no answers to my last three emails...

 

Apparently, time machine is not being offered any longer? No access to their forum regarding this, as I wanted to ask about the NTFS problem when I tried this out, but their site appears to be having problems again, or they are no longer offering Toolwiz Time Machine?

Jim