Introducing AX64 Time Machine - hybrid imaging/snapshot software

One that will seem great value in the event of a sudden hard disk failure or system meltdown.

 

Or the "oops" moment that you need to quickly recover from.

 

Fingol, especially for you and the others who don't want to spend money on software - we might hold a one day free giveaway of the current version sometime after we release the next one. It won't include either support or free updates, but still I guess a lot of people will find it interesting.

Also there will be periodic sale events, so you might want to follow us on Facebook or Twitter (both links are on the bottom of www.ax64.com page)

Isso

 

Hello Isso...Would you please post sale events here also as many do not do Facebook/Twitter?

 

Dearest Isso,

I believe, I found the solution. Let me do some testings and I will post the results soon.

Best regards,

Mohamed

 

Hi Isso,

I will do the Giveaway first and then couple of days later release the update.

Best regards,

Mohamed

 

Sounds good I'll keep an eye out for this.
Thank you

 

If I understand you correctly AX64 currently supports only making a backup of the C-partition ?

A nice feature to implement is encrypting the backups. You might use TrueCrypt to accomplish this, so not too many unnecessary costs (licences) must be made.

 

As far as I know, you can make an image of partition that is not a system partition, but you can't do it at the same time - I guess. I may be wrong, because I have only 2 partitions on my laptop. Anyway I think it is feasible

 

Hi Rainwalker, sure I will.

Isso

 

Dear Mohamed,

Fantastic news! I'm looking forward to the results.

For doing the Giveaway first - I'm just thinking that would upset the paying customers. What do you think?

Isso

 

Hi ijskonijn,

As artoor mentioned AX64 backs up only one partition at a time, and it may be any partition. Mostly it's the system partition (C: ) though.

For backup encryption - we have plans to add it in one of the upcoming releases.

Isso

 

Folks,

I have a request to those who experiences problems with Windows XP recovery media. Could you please create an ISO file with the latest AX64 version 996, upload it somewhere and send the link to me? Please also include the description of the problem. Thank you very much

Isso

EDIT: another request to whose who experiences the hang on restart - please run msinfo32 on those machines and send the NFO file to me. Thank you

 

Don't you have a ftp to which we could upload the .iso ? You could PM us the login/password. Just a suggestion. Or could someone recommend an upload solution.

 

Dropbox, box.com, Google Drive... there are many ways to share files nowadays.

 

Thank you MerleOne, I PM-ed the ftp details. As Marc mentioned there are a number of services that might be even easier to use.

Isso

 

Dear Isso,

The driver of AX64 appears to be very aggressive and it prevents the Windows to shut down properly. This has been reported by the users of Windows XP and on some Windows 7 machines too.

On Windows 8, the Shut down is not a Shut down like on Windows XP, Vista and 7, but rather it is hibernation for fast reboot. It doesn't matter if the computer is desktop or laptop.

Thus, in Windows 8 with the AX64 installed, the machine doesn't go into proper hibernation on Shut down. Therefore, on cold reboot, it goes into infinite loop which I have reported earlier. One way is to avoid improper hibernation Shut down, is to Disable Fast Startup/Hybrid Boot. See the attached image and the link:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-resolve-windows-8-boot-issues/


Best regards,

Mohamed

 

Dear Isso,

Anytime, when a company does Giveaway, it upsets the paying customers, if the Giveaway is not a major version. For example if the Giveaway is v1.05 and the paying customer are still using v1.07, and not the next major upgrade 2.xx

Also, the Giveaway recipients feel cheated if the company is giving away v1.05 and the site lists the latest version as v1.07.

The reason for the Giveaway is to make some of the Giveaway recipients as "Paying Customers".

Thus, if the Giveaway is for v1.05 and the site lists the latest version as 1.07, then Giveaway recipients feel cheated and they don't become paying customers.

However, if the Giveaway is for v1.05 and after one week or so, the version v1.07 is released the Giveaway recipients are no longer eligible for upgrade, then if the changes are substantial, they might become "Paying Customers".

Another way is to make the recipients of Giveaway as "Paying Customers" is to Giveaway a crippled version to them. In this manner the past "Paying Customers" are not upset too, as they get a better version than the Giveaway.

For AX64, a crippled version might be, that it doesn't include the "Automatic Backup", thus forcing the recipients of Giveaway to become "Paying Customers". Call this crippled version a "Standard Version" vs "Professional Version", which the past "Paying Customers" have purchased.

Best regards,

Mohamed

 

Excellent suggestions there.

 

@Mohamed

Thanks for bringing that particular matter out for review for everyone per the "hibernation" vs "genuine full throttle boot" scenario. The Windows 8 "hybrid" boot from hibernation can be of some concern and you pointed that out well. It's a technique obviously appropriated by MS from their cheat sheet. lol
Appreciate the referenced link. It's a useful read especially for us new Windows 8 users.

On one of my laptops that is Windows 8 i removed the battery and run it solely from wall current. I can see now where the mode of boot is uniquely different in 8 then previous platforms. Until time AX64 is updated soon with UEFI/GPT support, i experienced some ups and downs with this MS release myself. Sometimes it was nearly impossible for me to simply get 8 to carry out what should be the simplest of functions to regain control with a REFRESH to retain user programs intact and in one piece. REFRESH does this effectively, system restore doesn't. It took some effort recently just to access System Repair screen since the USB Recovery Pen failed miserably and short cutting from the active system wouldn't enter it either. Making a stupid simple DVD repair disc DID however allow the system to activate and complete the REFRESH cycle successfully.

Your bringing this Windows 8 hybrid boot matter to light in this thread is useful in more ways then one. This Windows 8 standard hybrid boot method might have interferred with windows being able to access the Recovery Partition as expected from my USB Recovery Pen that was 16Gb and contained the copied Recovery Files but repeatedly reported it could not repair with an error message.
I'll have to look into this and explore it more now.
Frustrating stuff to say the least but now there's something else to study to determine whether or not if the "hibernation" factor is somehow involved. Footnote: With the battery out you can easily perform hard shutdowns then measure the differences between boot scenarios. lol

I felt it imperative to reply and touch on this post because my recent issues with Windows 8 once again proves the absolute neccessity for a program as well conditioned as AX64 TM is geared toward which will go a long way to eliminate the lost productivity time and frustration windows is bound to present to users of this platform 8.

Thanks Isso. for your continued wonderful support here of your unique Time Machine program and it appears certain that it's only going to improve and get even better with time.

Regards Easter

 

From the TeraByte forum...

 

Hi BrianK

Can you link to that particular setting in Power Options or either post a screenie or point directly where i can disable that BUG?

It's all very clear now why the complaints on this issue is spreading about various net forums and racking up Google reports on a search for it.

Thanks Easter

 

Easter...

 

Odd. That setting is not showing at all in my laptop following that path. Maybe it's tuck away in another screen someplace else.

Thanks for trying.

 

Do you have hibernation turned off?

I just checked my settings and I don't have it either. Maybe you have to have hiberfil.sys to see that option.

Also....