Introducing AX64 Time Machine - hybrid imaging/snapshot software

Personaly I am more intersted in the backup speed then the recovery speed. I might do a couple of backup's a day, but I only restore when need be.

 

I'd say that's for the best. It would be similar to RBrx as the restore is initiated in windows but requires the reboot for the process to start. It also would help if there's a option for a countdown (3 seconds) in case of changing mind. I most usually need to do the restore using remote control software (so if it goes wrong I'm dead), so as long as it's automated I don't mind trading some time for stability.

 

How can you not support them if AX64 is to be Windows 8 compatible?

 

AX64 *IS* Windows 8 compatible. It's not Windows 8 your asking for compatibility here... it's some REMOVABLE drive that makes itself look like a FIXED DISK you're asking for support for.

AX64 LLC has made a conscious decision to not support, currently, FIXED DISK recovery media. It supports REMOVABLE UFDs and CD/DVDs. It's not their fault that some manufacture of UFDs decided to make its storage elements look like FIXED DISKs.

REMOVABLE UFDs work just fine with Windows 8... why did that UFD manufacturer have to make it look like a FIXED DISK? Surely not for Windows 8 support.

I guess I just don't know the issue here as far as some manufacturers making their UFDs look like FIXED DISKs. Someone feel free to chime in so I can learn.

 

OK, Froggie... I'll chime in

The only "special" thing about these "special" UFDs for Windows 8 is the ability to run the "Windows To Go" platform under Windows 8 Enterprise systems. In just looking at the OVERVIEW of this capability, it is unique in the Windows 8 ENTERPRISE environment only, and has absolutely nothing to do with using UFDs and creating AX64 RECOVERY MEDIA.

"Windows To Go" requires these specially certified storage elements to run this environment. That certification, apparently, requires the elements to look like fixed disks (I have no idea why other than some of that Trusted Platform Environment requirements like SECURE BOOT needs). For USB manufacturers to get into this act (Western Digital has a hard disk doing this), they need to look like fixed disks also.

If you don't wanna get caught up in this "special" WINDOWS TO GO UFD environment, be careful what you buy in the way of a UFD and be certain it's not CERTIFIED for this environment.

 

Perhaps an option like in YUMI would work? You know the check-box that shows all drives?

Also using YUMI, what option under step 2 should I use for the .ISO you provided? I tried the "Try Unlisted ISO (via SYSLINUX)" But that doesn't work because there is a config file missing, also tried "Try Unlisted ISO (GRUB)" but when I boot into that my keyboard and mouse are not active, is this because the ISO wasn't created on my system? :S

 

Frankly, I'm simply amazed at how well AX64 can pull off this 'magic trick.'

In the past, I've only trusted cold-images

Kudos

Putting the recovery media in the bootmenu seems like the real winner (although likely only for the technically inclined used)

 

Dearest Isso,

What an excellent idea for hot restore of snapshots and at the same time it is supposed to work 100% of the time. We the Wilders' fully support this excellent add-on.

BRING IT ON!

Isso, you are the best,

Mohamed

 

Thanks for the clarification, much appreciated.

 

The data all exists in the browser access to the snapshots. Simply navigate to the file or folder in question, hit copy, and then open Win Exp and paste where you need it. No need to mount the snapshot as a virtual drive at all to do this.

 

Fast is good but 100% reliable is better. I would happily wait an extra 40 seconds (as long as I could see that something was happening) to know my restore was going to happen properly. As it is now each time I do a restore I hold my breath. I really do not want to do a cold restore. Yes, the need to do a cold restore is relatively rare, and when considered as maybe 1 time out of (say) 25 it sounds not to be a problem. But when that one time happens and you need your PC now waiting the 1 to 1.5 hours for the cold restore will be a major PITA. Still, if it were simply a user option that would certainly be fine but I expect most will opt for the bullet proof method.

 

agree a bit slower but more reliable is better imo

 

Just to add my 2 cents (or whatever denomination fits), although I don't totally understand the possible new way of doing a hot restore, I really like the idea of user choice.

For me, I've only done probably 2 or maybe 3 hot restores in total since I installed AX64. For me, it's a huge security blanket. I kind of feel like Linus (from Snoopy) with AX64. I feel more secure with it.

However, 1 of those hot restores did freeze on me. I now know that since it froze at 100%, I probably would have been fine to just reboot. But, I didn't know at the time, so I did a cold restore. Other than having to move my external HD from one usb port to another so the recovery CD could actually see the HD, it went fine. But, it did take a couple hours.

So, now, I'm a little anxious about doing multiple hot restores; even though I know that I can. (All the above was in the earlier version of AX64. I actually haven't tried a hot restore with the newest version yet.) I'm pretty busy and I don't really have the time to do cold restores.

So, what I guess I'm saying is that I'd like the choice: if it's a Saturday morning and I'm home all day and it wouldn't kill me to have to do a cold restore, I'd probably go with the current way of doing a hot restore. However, if it was a Monday evening or if I didn't have a lot of time, I'd actually choose the more stable way of doing a hot restore.

Anyway, just my 2 cents or my ramblings at 1 a.m. in the morning.....

 

Isso said,

Cold restore or hot restore you still have an unusable computer while it is happening.

Cold restore or hot restore you still need to restart the computer.

So reliability will cost you 30-40 seconds.

 

"NOTE: SanDisk is beginning production of flash drives configured as fixed disk in 2012 to meet new requirements for Windows 8 Certification."

http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/12830

 

Even so i expect that 30-40 seconds gap will at some point be fully examined for altetnatives and who knows, a new time saving discovery just might surface. Persistence always yield ever newer benefits given enough time & thought.

EASTER

 

can someone clarify whether the new hot restore (via WinPE if I understood it correctly) will replace the old hot restore? will AX64 now mess with the MBR?

the old hot restore worked inside encrypted systems, but I assume the new hot restore would not so this would basically make AX64 completely incompatible with people who use full system encryption?

 

I'll see if I can make this whole thing a little clearer.

The only special CERTIFICATION required of UFDs under Windows 8 is for use with "Windows To Go" ... affectionately known as W2G. W2G is a new operating environment available under Windows 8 ONLY (as far as creation is concerned), that allows users to create a fully BOOTable UFD device that actually will run the FULL Windows operating system (not WinPE/WinRE) out of the UFD itself. This has actually been done before, under the radar, using UFDs but the results have been very mixed due to the slow READ/WRITE access of these devices. Even under this new W2G certification, Windows will require a certain access speed requirement of these new devices. With the advent of USB3, many of these UFD manufacturers can now meet these requirements.

But this need has nothing to do with using a UFD as a general storage device. The main reason for configuring a UFD as a FIXED DISK device is to allow it to enter the world of protected storage media... and eventually a use for it in the SECURE BOOT environment... which Microsoft seems to be taking complete control over even following complaints to the contrary by the European Union as well as the LINUX community (both side issues).

Even SAMSUNG, in the above link, says the following...

"NOTE: SanDisk does NOT support configuring flash drives as bootable device for running an OS."

This sure doesn't sound like W2G support to me... even with this new line of UFDs.

If all the UFD manufacturers start producing ONLY "fixed disk" UFDs (it's only a CONFIGURATION issue with the UFD, nothing else) then AX64 will have to reconsider how it deals with these devices but in the meantime Windows 8 LUVs all "removable device" UFDs unless you wanna create your own portable UFD-based Windows operating system. And even then it may work, just not under the auspices of Windows 8 ENTERPRISE.

 

It very well could be a deal breaker for me. I will see when it comes out. Why not give the consumer a choice?

Silver

 

Why this obsession with speed? I still remember the days when a windows BSOD ment a complete re-install of windows taking a couple of hours and then spending days re-installing and setting up your programs. Far better now when you can have your system up and running in a few minutes with the likes of Time Machine.

 

Don't think it is an obsession...rather an honest expression of views, etc., and, I supposed, that we (or at least some of us) have been spoilt by having the current hot restore functionality which for the most part is very reliable for most users, etc.

At the end of the day it is good that Isso asks our opinion...but am sure that at the end of the day he will do what he feels is best/right for him and HIS creation...

 

Yes I remember those days (and long, long nights) too.
As long as something gets you out of an undesirable situation in a reasonable time with consistancy and stability, that's all I want. Personally I use Casper 7 for my backup/clone and before that I used Acronis Migrate Easy for years with stability and without problem...unlike AcronisTrue Image which always caused problems to the point it was unuseable.