New to Macrium & Wondering about recovery CD/DVD Options

Discussion in 'backup, imaging & disk mgmt' started by Daveski17, Mar 14, 2015.

  1. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    Hello, I have Macrium Reflect Free Edition 5.3.

    macriumedition.jpg

    I was wondering about the burning of a recovery disc prompt which pops up on opening.

    macrium gui popup.jpg

    I believe it can also be initiated here:

    createdropdown.jpg

    I was just wondering if the burning of a recovery disc was recommended by most Macrium users as it appears that an image can also be restored directly from an external device such as a portable hard drive (which I plan to store the image on) without a recovery disc being employed.

    rescue environment.jpg

    I got this far with the rescue media wizard.

    I'm a total noob with imaging software and don't really know what I'm doing. The Macrium forum is only open to members who have the paid version so I'd be grateful for any help. Thanks. It looks fairly straightforward. I also believe I need to create a folder/directory on the portable hard drive device for the image itself to be located in. Is it necessary to burn the recovery disc first before connecting the external drive to the computer via USB port and making the image?

    Thanks, Dave.
     
  2. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Hi Dave! Yes, a Recovery Media is REQUIRED to be able to restore any taken image to the original disk, if required. The Recovery Media is nothing more than a mini Windows operating system and the same Macrium version that you installed under Windows. When you run it, Macrium will come up under that mini Windows and will allow you to do the recovery, if necessary. If you don't have it and your disk goes haywire and requires a restoration, you'll be dead in the water without one.

    During the creation of the rescue media, you can create the CD/DVD directly or you can create an ISO (CD/DVD image) and burn your own disk when necessary.
     
  3. pling_man

    pling_man Registered Member

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    You need to create a recovery disk (or USB device) so that you able to run Macrium Reflect should you ever be unable to boot Windows (when disaster strikes).

    The recovery disk contains a copy of Macrium Reflect and the drivers needed to access your discs (internal and your portable drive with the images), keyboard, screen etc.

    The Windows PE option is a good choice.

    Its a good idea to make the disc, then practice booting from it and check you can browse your image files. Do this NOW rather than wait until you are in the stressful
    situation of trying to do an actual recovery.
     
  4. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    Thanks for the reply. I take it the ISO image can be stored on an external hard drive prior to making a recovery CD/DVD, but I will need to make a recovery CD/DVD if I ever want to restore the stored image on my computer?
     
  5. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    So I could either make a recovery disc (CD/DVD) and/or USB device recovery file? If this is the case could I store the recovery file (ostensibly instead of the recovery CD/DVD) on the same external drive as the ISO image? Or is it best to make a recovery CD/DVD?
     
  6. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    I'd make both Windows & Linux Rescue Media. You can keep the iso files, burn cds, on bootable usb or sdcard. I'd burn them on cd just to have them around if needed.
     
  7. clubhouse1

    clubhouse1 Registered Member

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    V6 doesn't seem to have a linux option.
     
  8. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    I've burnt a Windows rescue media DVD. The next step is making an image and saving to an external hard drive.
     
  9. stapp

    stapp Global Moderator

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    Go for it !!
     
  10. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    I'd burn a Linux one also. That's me.
     
  11. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    I will soon. :thumb:
     
  12. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    I'll probably do that as well eventually.
     
  13. Compu KTed

    Compu KTed Registered Member

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    @Daveski17

    If you decide to use portable devices (USB) you might consider using the encrypt and password protect
    options in Macrium. Could also do that to image you save to your external hard drive if so desired.

    As always make sure you keep password in safe location and don't forget it. You'll need it
    to restore your image.

    Note: Would try making several image backups along the way. How often may depend on system
    changes such as updates to OS and apps. Then test your backup by doing a restore to see that
    everything is working properly.
     
  14. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    Thanks. That's good advice. I'll probably make a fresh image on a monthly basis or something at first. I think quite a few people make a fresh one just before Microsoft's Patch/Bork Tuesday. lol
     
  15. MPSAN

    MPSAN Registered Member

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    I do not think FREE does support passwords. I use free and have made a Linux rescue CD. Works fine here in Win 8.1 Pro 64 bit. IF he is using USB 3 for his external drive, I am not sure the Linux CD will work. His best bet is to make an image and then boot the rescue media to see if he can see the image.
     
  16. Compu KTed

    Compu KTed Registered Member

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    You mean MS can make a blunder on updates? :)

    If you receive an update notification the change log will indicate if you need to rebuild the rescue CD/DVD.
    Also the Windows PE rescue enviroment can be used for making image/clone backups as well.

    Note: I take it your aware of the backup option limitations in the free version of Macrium Reflect
    verses the paid version.
     
  17. Compu KTed

    Compu KTed Registered Member

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    Unless something has changed and I'm unaware of it I was able to encrypt and set a password in free version.
    I used the Windows PE rescue environment to make a backup image to the external hard drive.
    Then proceeded to look into options to set password and encryption. When it came time to restore the
    image I entered password and restored sucessfully.
     
  18. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    OK thanks. I'm not too bothered about a password.
     
  19. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    I trust MS updates about as much as I trust antimalware/virus app updates lol!
    Thanks, I was wondering about new Macrium versions and having to make a new rescue disc.
    I know there are some limitations to back-up on the free version.
     
  20. MPSAN

    MPSAN Registered Member

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    OK, I will bring mine up now and look for the option. Also, I am backing up a GPT 4 partition 512GB SSD to an Internal 3 TB WD Black drive. It takes 4 minutes to backup 49 GB. I have done several restores and all is well.

    UPDATE, I do not believe that password protection of the IMAGE is in the free version. However, I don't care very much.
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2015
  21. Compu KTed

    Compu KTed Registered Member

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    To clarify I found the password and encryption options in the bootable Windows PE rescue CD/DVD and not in
    the Macrium Reflect program you install. Also was an older version and build.

    Looks like I'll keep my older version with encryption and password protection as options.

    untitled.JPG
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2015
  22. MPSAN

    MPSAN Registered Member

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    OH..so you are using FREE as well? Not sure of your version, but did you CREATE the image from the WinPE rescue CD/DVD? I did not create one as I thought that the Linux rescue was fine for now. Again, I do not see password options from the Windows environment when creating an image.
     
  23. Compu KTed

    Compu KTed Registered Member

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    When I built WinPE free edition version 5.3 build 7290 I had the following advanced options:
    Compression
    File Size
    Auto Verify Image
    Comments

    There were no options for password and encryption in this version that I could find.

    When I built WinPE free edition version 5.1 build 5444 I had the following advanced options:
    Compression
    File Size
    Password (includes 4 settings for AES encryption)
    Disk Space Management (3 options available)
    Auto Verify Image
    Comments

    Note: When you choose "image the disk" and follow the steps (before actually commiting to imaging)
    you should see "advanced options" in lower left corner. Click on it to show available options.

    I was able to create and restore images from the bootable WinPE rescue CD/DVD.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2015
  24. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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    I plan to save the entire disc image to a (portable Toshiba) external HDD. If I've understood this correctly, when I need to rollback or restore an image to my computer I run the Recovery Media DVD (I have already burned) and select the stored image from my preferred drive, in my case a Toshiba portable HDD, and run it?

    My first question is before I click the 'Image this disk...' icon below enabling the wizard, do I uncheck the Toshiba external drive (E) that is connected to my computer via a USB?

    check uncheck GoNoGo.jpg
     
  25. twl845

    twl845 Registered Member

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    The external HDD is your destination drive when you make your image. Unless I don't understand, if you uncheck the destination drive where will your image be filed, so you can recover the image to your C Drive if needed?
     
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