Introducing AX64 Time Machine - hybrid imaging/snapshot software

Lately I have used Rollback RX together with the AOMEI Backupper 1.6 quite a bit. After doing a restore from an AOMEI image you normally end up with a functioning Rollback installation (unless you have wiped your HDD by overwriting it with zeros).

But for the reasons Froggy has explained I would never try to go back to a previous Rollback snapshot in this situation. The first thing I always have done after a successful restore with AOMEI was to create a new baseline in Rollback, and so far I never had any problems...


Cheers
manolito

 

Manolito, but AX64 is capable of this also, but only if you make a backup with Rollback installed and functional, and you restore your backup again into the environment of active and functional Rollback. My test was different, though.

I made the AX backup having Rollback installed and functional, next fully uninstalled Rollback and attempted to restore the backup made when Rollback was installed and functional. And though this restored all my Rollback files in the Shield folder, Rollback was not functional because its MBR wasn't restored. Frogman explained it - it looks that one would have to make an MBR backup from outside of Windows and restore it in such a case manually from the same environment (Froggie, correct me if I'm wrong). Will test this and will let you all know later.

And of course I realize that the restored backup would return my system to Rollback's baseline. If one decides to make such a backup and restore it, then of course updating the baseline beforehand is a must. As well as after the restore.

 

I believe that it would probably have worked if you had not uninstalled Rollback before restoring your AX64 image. (I remember that before I switched from AX64 to AOMEI it did work for me)

When you make a restore with AX64 it will not touch the MBR on the HDD (unless you explicitly force it in the advanced options). And so AX64 would leave the Rollback pre-OS part intact. Please try it...


Cheers
manolito

 

Manolito, I knew what I was doing, I was just intentionally testing it this way whether full-fledged Rollback environment could be restored by restoring my AX64 backup. And regarding the MBR option - I already mentioned it, it didn't work either way. Froggie explained it - MBR backup would have to be made separately from outside of Windows. AX will not copy Rollback-changed MBR.

 

...and please remember, it's not just the Rollback system that needs to be restored (Rollback and its pre-BOOT loader), all those protected, unseen snapshot disk blocks either need to be restored, or guaranteed that nothing was touched on the surface of that HDD to affect them in any way. If they've been affected in any way, Rollback's snapshot database is trashed and previous snapshots are useless in a parent child relationship.

In the past, the only way this was ever guaranteed was to use an imager, OUTSIDE OF THE PROTECTED WINDOWS OS, that imaged the ENTIRE surface of the disk (RAW or SECTOR-BY-SECTOR incl. MBR + Track 0). This of course led to very large backup images, but usually resulted in a complete recovery of the system, Rollback and its snapshots included. Prior to "Image For Windows" v2.78, this was actually possibly under the LIVE Protected Windows system using IFW's PHYLOCK driver and a small REGISTRY tweak... that capability has since disappeared.

 

Hi Guys.
I decided to write to appease the people. Work on the project has not stopped. We will try to release the next version as soon as possible.

Denis P.

 

Hi Denis

Thanks for the update. We are waiting patiently...and expectantly...

Regards


Baldrick

 

Well, just for good measure and admittedly not important really for the purpose of this thread, I reinstalled AXTM yesterday (latest version on Win7) after STILL continuing to use FDISR for 10-12 years. I never had a single problem on my first test run with AXTM but reverted to FDISR because I knew it would work. But, this AXTM program is truly unreal (at least on my Win7 system). Hot restores have never failed, played with the recovery cd ... how could they possibly make it any easier? It takes brilliant programers to make such a powerful program so EASY to use!! AND SPEED, forget it, you wouldn't even believe me, you'll accuse me of working for the company or something (this is on a SSD).

Acadia

 

I have to concur! My earlier experience(s) was with Comodo Time Machine on an XP desktop and Vista laptop. Much needed, as I'm a software junkie, and it worked really well. Then I built this x64 W7 SP1 machine. Around the time this thread started I had made up my mind to purchase RollB the next time it went on sale. This thread also started around the same time that it was revealed on this forum about RB not supporting trim. That was a deal breaker! I have to say, snapshots and restores are mere seconds with AX. I love it! If you are having any issue with the hot restores disable startup apps and/or Automatic services one at a time and there is a good chance you'll find the culprit.

 

Ahhhhh... he's final taken the PLUNGE!

Acadia, as the thread has mentioned... even though you've seen no HOT restore failures, a lot of us have disabled our AV/AS/Firewall just prior to the HOT restore and have had great success in lowering, if not removing, the occasional HOT restore failure. This is probably a decent modus operandi until the WARM RESTORE feature has been fully tested and available for us BETA testers to beat up on.

Welcome to... the DARK SIDE!

 

LOL!! Dark Side, No! Just the latest REAL thing. And to make the very old, nay, ancient (but excellent) FDISR work on my system I had to hack the master boot sector. Enough, I say, enough! Time to move on but you've got to know that I am EXTREMELY cautious about new programs; I belong to that old fashioned philosophy that states, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". But the SPEED of this AX64 on my Win7 SSD is insane, border line "This really isn't happening!" (And to state again from my post above, it takes really good programers to make all of this soooooo easy to use ).

Acadia

 

Are you referring to what used to be AX64 or to RealCopy? There is not much being posted about the latter, neither here nor on its new dedicated site.

Norman

 

It appears by the websites that both are in development.
Have I missed some news about what is going on?

 

Alas!!! There really do still exists a rare few compatibles folks left who still subscribe to failsafe basic ancient philosophy.

Nice to know there's always still a ripe environment for them, and us.

(PS) With the holdings of an AX64 TM as well as FD-ISR the desktop merrily lives on!


EASTER

 

Frogman, while this (=red highlighted) could have been true with previous RBrx versions, the last v10.2 (build 2698745870) doesn't behave that way and any attempts to copy the system's MBR returned identical files (hash comparison) whether made from Windows or WinPE. What does this mean? Are these both original MBRs and RBrx now stores its boot info elsewhere (where-? - PBR?) or are these both now Rollback-amended MBRs?

 

Confirmation, please, from any or all who would know...

W8 -> W8.1 (upgrade) = Successful RECOVERY MEDIA creation (CD/DVD)
W8.1 (Fresh Install) = unsuccessful RECOVERY MEDIA creation (CD/DVD)

Is the above correct? Basically, are the (2) files missing for a successful creation only missing on a fresh W8.1 system?

Thanks for your help...

 

I went through an upgrade and can't create a recovery media.

 

It can only be created from Windows 8 and not 8.1 at the present time. Should have made it before you upgraded to 8.1.

 

What makes you think I didn't?

 

Hi Froggie,

This was first brought to attention in IFW thread.

In IFW: W8 -> W8.1 (upgrade) = Successful RECOVERY MEDIA creation (CD/DVD)

In AX64: W8 -> W8.1 (upgrade) = Unsuccessful RECOVERY MEDIA creation (CD/DVD)

So, there is something else is missing in AX64 beside the (2) files missing for a successful creation.

In IFW: when W8.1 (Fresh Install) was made, these two files were copied from W8 to W8.1 and then Successful RECOVERY MEDIA creation (CD/DVD). IFW has these files in its own sub-directory.

Best regards,

Mohamed

 

Hi Froggie,

IFW keeps all these files in its own sub-directory, therefore the two missing files can be copied from W8 machine to a W8.1 machine.

AX64, doesn't keep these files in its own sub-directory and pulls them together when a Recovery Media is built. Maybe, AX64 should as a temporary fix use the same method as IFW.

Best regards,

Mohamed

 

Hi Pete! You can turn the AUTOMATIC MODE on and off at will. AX64 uses a crude naming mode to determine whether it's an AUTOMATIC snapshot to be merged eventually. Anything made with that crude name will be considered for automatic consolidation once automatic is turned back on... no automatic merging while AUTOMATIC is turned off, I believe.

 

hi
i'm interesting to try and if i like ax64 time machine
but i would use it like a backup and restore tool only ,using the recovering media

how does it work?
is linux based?
or a winpe cd?

thanks

 

Mantra... it is nothing more than a very easy INCREMENTAL imaging application, with some very special (and high speed) additional LIVE snapshot/restore capability.

BUT... once you see the utility in this very special imager, you will be quite surprised. It's snapshotting capability is excellent! It currently has almost no scheduling capability available, but it can automatically take HOURLY incrementals and automatically MERGE them (for reduction in total # of incremental files). Manual incrementals are never merged except under your command.

It's WinRE-based (similar to WinPE with additional custom driver capability). The RECOVERY MEDIA is created manually by AX64 TM itself upon your request. It builds this media from the WinRE (Windows RECOVERY ENVIRONMENT) located on your active OS (if W7/W. XP is handled differently.