TeraByte Product Release Thread

Am I alone in thinking that IFW is supremely efficient? It seems to achieve far better compression ("normal" setting) than either Acronis TI or Macrium Reflect with no significant sacrifice in speed, if any at all. Backing up all four of my system SSDs results in IFW image files of total size 86.7 GB as compared to MR's 93.9 GB and ATI's 94.6 GB. The differences are not attributable to any comparable changes in any of my system drives' contents.

BTW, is there any way to include more than one drive in a single IFW backup?

 

A little product history...

IFW has always had multiple compression "styles" available, some to be used for space compression (at the sacrifice of some speed) and some to be used for speed at the sacrifice of space savings. This is what users have seen for years prior to v3. At the introduction of v3, Terabyte added multi-threading (expanded use of multi-core CPUs) to their product which really sped up their space saving high compression algorithms. Now we get both SMALL and FAST images.

Shortly after the v3 release (v3.03, I think), FileSystem metaData comparison was added to improve timing for both partial imaging (Differentials and Incrementals) and a massive improvement in restoration times (like Macrium Reflect's RAPID DELTA RESTORE). Then shortly after that, a tracking option was added to improved even more the taking of multiple partial images during existing System sessions.

IFW's reliability has always been kind of legendary (when I used it for years in the v2 days it NEVER failed me), but with the introduction of v3 with its CPU multi-threading and FileSystem metadata analysis, it has become an outstanding product in its class... AND it's CHEAP!

 

The word is INEXPENSIVE, Froggie. Never cheap.

Thanks for that history. It explains a lot. The comparisons, in my case, were all based on full backups so the differences must be attributable mainly to IFW's very efficient multi-threading rather than any metadata contribution to detecting changes. The more I use the product, the more impressed I am with its operational advantages. Just wish I could include all drives in the same backup.

BTW, I'm working on including shell integration and file associations in my WinPE Builder script download for you whenever you get around to it. Should be updated later today or tomorrow at the latest.

 

Oooookay... inexpensive it is, and VERY LOW COST too!!

Page 30 in the manual says that ain't gonna happen. You'll just have to use multiple scripts in your BATCH file, I guess.

 

Hmmmm... that's an ICON technology I've never used before. Sounds like it might hurt the poor thing. Is it faster than <click>ing?

 

Yup. Definitely nor a major issue. I'll just have get used to that fact and adjust my habits accordingly. Hard for an "old geezer", but not impossible.

 

Pete I've seen you singing their praises before, can you provide a link, seeing I will shortly start using TeraByte stuff?

 

Merriam-Webster says...

Definition of geezer
: a queer, odd, or eccentric person —used especially of elderly men

I don't know you personally, @Arvy , but other than the elderly part, I see no compatible terminology in the Webster definition that applies to you in any way.

Please keep up the great work and information you bring to this Forum!

 

At least some of my friends might think that eccentric fits quite well. But I'll try to keep that part to a minimum here. Thank you very much for the kind words ... and for your own very welcome and valuable contributions as well.

 

OMG, this is turning into a LOVE FEST... it's gotta end

 

PDD, there's a "sticky" at the top of the Forum for Pandlouk's great scripts along with the follow-on discussion... should be able to get you started.

 

You mean here: https://www.terabyteunlimited.com/ucf/viewforum.php?f=4? Don't see it ...

 

Nope, at the top of the Wilders Imaging Forum (the one you're on now )

 

I think the reference is to the Wilders forum sticky entitled Incremental Rotate Scripts for "Image for Windows" by Pandlouk.

 

Ah, thanks guys , from another 'old geezer'. Will use 'idiot' mode first, then explore these scripts.

 

Arvy,

Have a look at tbibckup.tbs in the scripts folder. It might be suitable.

 

It looks like its an all or nothing...

 

Thanks, Brian, I'll definitely give it a try, but as Froggie says, it appears at a glance to be an "all or nothing" proposition unless I can find some way to curb its enthusiasm. I do want backups for all my data drives to be run separately from all my system drives. But it's not really a major issue as I'm sure I can put some kind of automation script together in due course for that purpose.

@TheRollbackFrog -- Your shell integration and file association option is now included in the WinPE Builder Script and I've posted some additional screenshots showing all the right-click options. The right-click drive to backup works as is, but that one still needs a little more refinement to let the user choose the destination.

 

I think so. I haven't tried it.

Say you had 4 drives. You could use "Show Command" to make a multi-partition backup for each drive. Only for the partitions you want to backup.

Then make a master batch file which calls the 4 batch files...

call batch1.cmd
call batch2.cmd
call batch3.cmd
call batch4.cmd

Running the master batch file would backup all 4 drives.

 

Thanks, Brian! We're just spoiled Macrium brats 'cause Reflect does allow you to mix partitions and disks in the same image request... but I'm sure we'll get over it

 

Done and updated on line. Any backup destination that is available when the system is booted to the WinPE environment can now be specified as the default destination in the WinPE Builder Script Options and it will be used automatically for right-click drive backups.

 

Many thanks, @Arvy !

 

For your information. Various TeraByte Unlimited apps for Partitioning...

BootIt Bare Metal (only boots in MBR mode)

Partition Work in IFL (IFL boots in UEFI or MBR mode)

PartWork for UEFI (only boots in UEFI mode)

Partition Manager in TeraByte Explorer (runs in Windows, Linux, IFL and TBWinRE/PE)

TBOSDT for BootIt (command line)


I mainly use Partition Work in IFL for UEFI systems. BIBM for MBR systems.

Edit...
Partition Manager in TeraByte Explorer also runs in TBOSDT (MBR boot) and TBOSDT for UEFI.

Several years ago I had an Asus tablet with an Atom processor. The processor didn't allow a Linux boot so IFL couldn't be used. The firmware was UEFI but didn't have MBR support. So I was stuck for partitioning apps as most of the above weren't available. TBOSDT for Bootit was used from a TBWinRE. Command line partitioning is "interesting".