Any Active@ Image users?

I don't see a lot on this forum on this software. Anyone using it? How is it working for you? Thanks.

 

I use it via bootable flash drive (Active@Boot). For last two years, it has never failed me. I have made sysprep images of Windows XP and 7. I use bootable flash drive to deploy those images on other computers and then use their respective keys for activation. It has never caused any problem. Moreover, bootable flash drive made via Active@Boot has other built-in tools, which helps me in partitioning, imaging, data recovery, password reset, exploring data, browsing, etc.

 

I use it and i like it. never failed.

 

I am using it too. Very reliable so far (I just performed one restore). The recovery media builder is probably one of the best one on the market, very configurable.

I also rely on Macrium Reflect (paid) because of its speed on my home PCs

Lsoft is usually slow to produce new versions, but when they do, it brings useful features.

 

Having just tried Active@ Disk Image, I found it relatively simple, pretty fast and my one restore was perfect. It's not quite as simple (or as fast) as my favorite Drive Snapshot, but a lot better than some of the more complex and bloated image-backup programs out there!

 

Cool, thanks. I agree about some being bloated. I really only care about resizing a parition...I don't see myself ever using something like HIR, or converting to a VM, etc. Simple is sometimes best. I use to love Acronis...used them at home and at work...this was back in v8 and some of v9, then it went waaaay overboard. To be fair, they aren't the only one either. I am glad you introduced me to Drive Snapshot...really cool. Haven't done a restore yet but did the offline using a WinPE CD perfectly.

 

You can even launch DS from the Active@image WinPE boot environment !

 

No surprise there - you can launch DS from any PE environment.

Aaron

 

But you may not run Active@image from any PE environment as it requires VSS.

 

You don't need VSS if you run any image software from a PE environment, a simple lock is enough !

 

If your PE environment does not have VSS modules, Active@ Image will pop-up error message, says missing VSS modules.

But I am not sure missing VSS modules will affect its functionality or not. I just see the error pop-up, then close it and delete it.

You may also take a look at this thread :
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=264580

 

OK, I see what you mean. Actually I never tried ADI in another WinPE environment than the one it comes bundled with.

 

My first impression of Active@ Disk Image (above) was based on a standard image backup. Today, I used ADI to create a raw image backup (my typical backup method) and my impression of ADI has now changed.

ADI took 31' 45" to create a 12.1 GB compressed raw image of my 20 GB C-partition. By way of comparison, Drive Snapshot only took 20' 25" to create a 12.3 GB compressed raw image of the same C-partition. Considering that there was very little difference in the compression level of the two resulting images that's a huge difference in backup time!!! Another negative aspect of ADI is that it doesn't offer incremental or differential raw images (DS provides a differential raw image option*).

So now my overall impression of ADI is definitely not favorable.

Aaron

* It should be noted that using DS to make a differential raw image does not save much time over that of a full raw image, BUT the resulting image-size reduction is appreciable!