Introducing AX64 Time Machine - hybrid imaging/snapshot software

I keep all my Active@ system backups on an eSATA drive so thought I would try with AXTM. It took marginally longer than the internal drive - 4mins 44 secs. I think the last internal drive was just over 4mins.

You say you are going to put your disk back to be an internal one. Presumably you are using some type of docking station. Could it be that that is causing the problem or the eSATA lead.

 

Hi Brian,

Welcome to this thread! Sorry, I'm not sure why the problem is happening, and although I have no experience with BootIt, I guess it shouldn't affect the creation of the Recovery Media. When you mention that none of the media is bootable, do you mean that they are lacking proper boot sector, or do you mean that they are not recognized by BootIt?
Thank you.

Isso

 

Hi guest,

Thank you for sharing the results. The backups speed seems to be too slow to me. What are you using as the backups destination? Thank you

Isso

 

Hi,
I once used a program monitoring sector changing (http://www.activeimage.net./products/desktop), at that time I used version 3.1 and noted the following issue : when my PC would crash, freeze, the sector tracking was also damaged and subsequent incremental backups were missing some changed sectors, the only workaround was to create a new full image. I finally abandoned it because it was not reliable enough, my PC was not very stable due to a video driver and gave me BSOD quite often. So I had to perform full images quite often, losing the benefits of fast incrementals.

I really think that having changes analyzed when taking the snapshots is necessary.

 

MerleOne,

We paid a lot of attention to crashes, power failures etc. The program handles them properly. If the PC is shut down improperly the program just takes more time to do the next incremental. So no need to do full backup, or care about it an any other way.

Isso

 

That's very good to know !

Yet another question : is it possible to mount a snapshot as a virtual drive. So one can for instance use chkdsk on it to be sure the image is correct.

Thanks !

Edited : sorry for asking that last question, I just saw the answer is on the ax64 website...

 

Of course you can mount it. See the second screenshot here for available operations.

Isso

 

Hi djg05

You are correct...I am currently using an Akasa Duo docking station connected by eSATA.

The reason for switching the back up drive to an internal/SATA connection is precisely to see if I get faster snapshots as a result...although I am concerned that you seem to have had very little improvement in terms of the change when you did it.

And let me also say that whilst I understand that the length of time that is required to complete a snapshot is dependant on what has changed since the last one taken Isso advised that in general hourly snapshots (where there is normal activity on the disk, i.e., no defrag, not installation or uninstallation of apps, etc.) should take circa 30 seconds...and I have been getting times of several minutes (a couple of minutes when doing successive snapshots with very little activity between them).

I am hoping that it is down to eSATA, whether the driver or lead, etc., and that my change in backup drive connection can prove that...or else I might have to try USB3...or something.

Regards



Balders

 

I am not sure what connections you have on your docking station, but on mine, which admittedly was a cheapy off Ebay, I cannot physically connect the USB lead and the eSATA lead at the same time. It can only be one or the other. If you have both leads connected maybe you could try removing one.

The time I gave for the backup was for a full one.

 

Balders,

A couple of questions:

1. What's the size of your backup files when you take them with a little interval?
2. Could you open the Task manager->Resource Monitor and see is there any program that has substantial constant disk activity? Maybe some sort of background defragmenter or something.

Isso

 

Isso,

I tried the recovery CD in three computers (all with BIBM installed) and the CD boots to a flashing cursor. I tried the UFD in two of the above computers and it freezes on "EMBR missing" which is a BIBM error message. I inactivated BIBM on one of the computers but the CD still booted to a flashing cursor.

I'll have to uninstall BIBM from one of the computers and start again. Give me some time.

BIBM has a custom MBR and code in about ten of the early First Track sectors.

AX64 worked fine (backup and restore) on the computer where I created the boot media.

 

Hi djg05

Apologies if I gave the wrong impression...but I have only connected via eSATA but have the option to connect via USB...but I have not connected by that method and the manual does stated what you have...DO NOT connect both USB & eSATA at the same time.

Feel better about the timing you gave...my full back up currently takes some 15-20 mins...and that for 133 Gb. So I am hoping a SATA connection improves things, especially as I have SATA6 which is supposed to run at some 6Gb/s...but would currently be happy with SATA3.

Ragrds



Balders

 

Hi Isso

Thanks for the enquiry.

Have currently uninstalled completely ahead of installing the latest version this weekend, and internalising my back up drive. Will get back to you re. your questions as soon as I have reinstalled & done the hardware change.

Regards and respect



Balders

 

Isso,

BIBM was uninstalled from one computer and in addition LBA-1 to LBA-62 were zeroed and Win7 boot code written to LBA-0. The CD still booted to a flashing cursor and the UFD booted to EMBR missing. So the boot media have been tainted by being created on a BIBM system. More later.

 

Thank you Brian, frankly I don't see how BIBM might affect Recovery Media creation, but I'll be eagerly waiting for your test results to see what might be the problem. Thank you

Isso

 

No worries - it was just a thought

My C drive is much small than yours at 28GB so pro-rata yours does not seem that bad. Maybe Isso will give an opinion on this?

 

Yes, the full backup speed is quite good, it means that hardware is most likely ok. I guess the problem is only the incremental backup, and that's quite strange. Let's wait for more information from Balders.

Isso

 

BTW I've asked the Wilders site admin about a possibility to create a sub-forum for AXTM.

Still, I think for the discussion of new features feedback.ax64.com seems to do pretty good job. With a quick look I can have an idea about the features that are required the most, and plan the priorities accordingly. Also I can easily keep the users updated on the progress of each feature, which is very nice.

Isso

 

Hi Isso,

Remember the problem with the Rovery Environment not seeing the partition where I stored the snapshot? Well, first of all I want to apologize if this sounds funny or even stupid. But... the snapshot was there all the time. The thing is the the Recovery Browser was displaying C: (whis is my Windows System Files partition) instead of D: (the partition where I store downloads and images).

So basically, the Recovery Browser sees my snapshots and can restore them, but for some reason it doesn't read my partitions correctly.

Either that, or I'm doing something wrong.

By the way, the Recovery Media creation under XP still doesn't work for me, even trying with the newest version. It creates the Media and everything but I can't boot from it.

 

Isso, I think you are right about the feedback.ax64.com site, it really works well for suggestions/feature requests, but think about all the help given by non-ax64 personnel here at Wilders. I think you can consider having a sub-forum here for community help, a beguinner's guide, and stickys for tips/tutorials.
You can keep the feedback site for bug tracking/feature requests. But what happens when you/your staff are not available? People can always come here and ask and get answers from other users.

Wilders = Online help, community support, reference info, announcementes (new versions/beta periods).
feedback.ax64.com = Bug reporting/tracking, feature requests.

Both sites (Wilders sub-forum and feedback.ax64.com) can be combined very well to fit your user's needs.

 

Hi Everyone,

I came in late but have read the entire thread on AXTM. It has been exciting reading, watching it develop over the last few months. Congratulations Isso, on the debut release!

Forgive me if the answer to my question can be deduced from Carfal’s posts, but I have not seen this question addressed directly.

If I install RBRX 10 and take a snapshot called “AX Install,” then install AXTM, then find that AXTM does not play well with my system, can I then simply use RBRX to rollback to “AX Install” and pretend I never installed AXTM?

Thanks! sb

 

Isso,

The UFD was "cleaned" in Diskpart and used in AX64 to create boot media. (BIBM computer) It didn't boot in the BIBM or the non BIBM computer. The full error was..

BootIt EMBRI 4.00
EMBR missing - System Halted

So BIBM code is being written to the flash drive when it's being "created" in AX64.

In the non BIBM computer a UFD was used to create boot media. This flash drive booted into the AX64 recovery environment in both the non BIBM and the BIBM computers.

In summary, having BIBM installed on the computer results in the production of non bootable AX64 media. If you create the bootable media in a non BIBM computer then the media work fine in BIBM computers.

 

Hi David

Think that there is some confusion here. My drive as a whole if 500 Gb, of which 133Gb is used...the rest is 'free space'. I am not sure how AXTM deals with 'free space' either on initial (full) backup or on the subsequent snapshots (incremental backups).

Could that be a problem? Not sure but certainly would agree that initial back up time look comparable on s size basis...so it is the incrementals that are of interest and as soon as I have reinstalled the latest version I will try to provide Isso with the information requested.

Regards



Balders

 

Yes, that is the whole point of RB Rx!

But I suspect that you will find things are the other way around and it may be RB Rx that does not play well with your system. AXTM will have less impact on your system and is far less likely to cause you system issues than RB Rx...it is the nature of RB Rx as it is far, far more system invasive that AXTM, when installing/installed.

 

Hi atomomega,

If you mean Backup Browser, then that's correct - browser is displaying the internal contents of your backups, not your file system. I've added a watermark on the lower right corner to indicate it.

For XP recovery media - sorry, I haven't had time to look into it. Will start working on it in a few days. I have your recovery media files.

For forums - I completely agree with your point of view

Isso