Introducing AX64 Time Machine - hybrid imaging/snapshot software

Thank you Baldrick, great to hear it!

Isso

 

Hi SpotOn,

Yes it has been resolved way back when we released the beta. Too bad I can't edit my original post as the limitations 1, 2, 4, 6 mentioned there are resolved a while ago. Mods, could you help? Thank you

Isso

 

Hey Panagiotis,

Great to see you back and thank you! I'll do my best to create a forum on our website as soon as both products are merged.

Isso

 

Thanks a lot for the information Michael! Indeed the problem applies to CD and ISO creation only.

Isso

 

Hi Peter,

Sorry to hear it. We are currently working on a new restore method that will be 100% bullet-proof. I'll do my best to get it released soon.

Isso

 

Thanks a lot Scoobs! For drive letters - yes, your C: drive is seen as D: in the recovery media, thus the program restores the correct drive. Again, if it doesn't warn you that it can't find the drive, it means it restores the correct one.

Isso

 

stapp,

AX64 keeps that information in the registry. That's a common way to do it and pretty much all other programs do the same.

Isso

 

Froggie,

The only network-related thing that AX64 doing is opening your web browser with Welcome web page that contains some useful links. This happens only once - on initial install.

Otherwise the program never connects to the internet.

Isso

 

Hey Isso

Thanks again for your excellent support

Need be said that you're the best and we appreciate all you do everywhere and everytime, and especially for giving us AX64 TM. Keep up the good work and all the best on a successful merger.

EASTER

 

CRYPTIC MESSAGES​

Hi Isso,

It would be nice if you could on your Website create a page with error codes and what they mean. Like Sandboxie does.

For example, error messages 31 and 32 one gets while one is trying to create "Recovery Media". One can then look them up on your Website and try to get some meaning out of them.

Best regards,

Mohamed

 

Which "beta" are you referring to.. 1.0.3.7? The reason I ask this is because we discussed this issue in late August and the issue had not been resolved with any of the versions at that time or maybe I missed something since then.

 

Hi Mohamed

Nice idea. Perhaps include it in the Knowledge Base as an appendix or even Section 6.?

Have a peaceful weekend.

Regards


Baldrick

 

Thanks Baldrick,

Like your idea about including it in the Knowledge Base!

Have a nice weekend too.

Best regards,

Mohamed

 

ISSO:

I tested 1.3.0.7 on my 32 bit XP system and it worked fine. It also created the Recovery CD OK.

I still have 2 issues with the recovery CD, however.

1. After booting the Recovery CD, my USB wireless mouse will still not work. I need to reboot with a ps/2 mouse attached. I know at least 1 other person reported this. This is not a big issue but an annoyance.

2. When the Recovery CD is booted it says I am using XP SP2, and, of course, by now it is and has been SP3. Not sure if that has anything to do with the usb mouse not working.


Otherwise, all seems OK for now.

Thank you as always!

 

Wow! This is exactly what I've been wanting a way to do. It would be wonderful if you wrote up a guide about this...

 

It's really pretty simple if you understand the flow and reasoning of AX64 TM...

Here's the multipath I described...

Each of the descriptive points in that image is nothing more than an AX64 snapshot. I first created the CLEAN Install snap, followed by the complete APPLICATIONS INSTALLED snap, then established my NORMNAL SYSTEM baseline snap... that took care of Branch #1.

I then did a RESTORE to the APPLICATIONS INSTALLED baseline and created my HoneyPot (removing most of my AV/AM detectors and preparing for the worst). I then snapped my HoneyPot Baseline.

I then did a RESTORE to the APPLICATIONS INSTALLED baseline and began to install all my specialized graphics software... when that configuration was ready I snapped the GRAPHICS BASELINE.

Now I'm ready to play in any environment by just restoring to my baseline of choice and beginning my work... it's really not rocket science. When you return to a previous restore point and continue from that point on, you are always creating a new BRANCH... it can't work any other way. As you move along a given BRANCH with, let's say. software testing... just dump the snaps you know longer need in that branch, in many cases going back to a baseline and deleting everything you created after that point (no branch point passed the baseline). I do this all the time... it's fun The whole thing works very well, and when it's done on an SSD, it's pretty derned fast to move between branch points.

Your SNAP naming convention becomes very important at this point... you need to identify the BRANCH and the logical point along the branch.

That's really all their is to it...

 

Greetings all. I've been a silent reader for quite some time here, but the post I'm going to reply below really piqued me, and forced me to register

I have heard/read about this method, and really interested in it.
However, I have 1 thing holding me off: updates.
I assume that you either:
(1) never updates your OS and all apps which are common in all branches
(2) regularly making/installing the same updates for OS & common apps in every branch

Could you enlighten me?

 

Today I tried to delete an old snap from within the AX64 browser and the merge failed (I got an error message). To be on the safe side I renamed the AXTM folder and began a new chain.

Would I be correct that if I had tried to do a cold restore the restore would likely have failed? Any idea what could cause a merge to fail?

BTW, I am still using version 1120.

 

Thanks man

 

RollbackFrog.

My sincerest thanks for such a concise and in-depth reply.

You speak my language.

Total analysis in techno-terms. Makes it much easier to impliment a favorable flowchart pattern plan for it's best use.

EASTER

 

This does appear to be the case,create CD error 31 create ISO error 32 USB OK.

 

Shoot, this is really interesting stuff, Froggie, thank you. This is the kind of stuff that I do with FDISR, having completely different configurations of my system and booting between them.

A couple of questions. Approximately how many snapshots do you keep at a time, just an average? Also, how do you keep track of where you're at and where you're booting to? Do you keep special notes like I keep with FDISR so you don't get confused?

This is one special feature of FDISR that I adore and I know that AX64 would even be faster.

Thanks again,
Acadia

 

When you change branches do you go straight from the end on one to the end of another?

I tried this idea a while back and got a failure to restore so assumed it was not an ideal way of using AX. I did report it to Isso but cannot remember the result now.

 

Ahhh... Mxyzptk, the mischievous one

Path #2 is the only way that will work, the BASELINE cannot be modified and have it reflected throughout the branches. As the BRANCH endings are modified (updates, service packs, app changes), a new ending snap is performed and earlier branch snaps (older baselines) are deleted (merged).

No other way that I know of. If you go back and update the FRESH INSTALL or the APPLICATIONS BASELINE, you'll have to recreate the branches and clean up the old ones.