Macrium Reflect

RBF. Many thanks for such a comprehensive reply.

Regarding the 'Definitions" I must be the only one to find the concept really strange. I take it from what you said, that there is only ever ONE definition file required, and variations on it are by way of different shortcuts on the desktop....or wherever you put them. So with 3 shortcuts, - Differential, Incremental, and Full, all from the same definition file, this covers all the backup variations of Macrium? - or have I got that wrong?

Regarding the WinPE environment, again, as someone who prefers to Cold Image most of the time, I find the lack of differential option strange. Just have to use USB stick I know, but not as convenient for the way I work.

About AX64, to be honest, until V1 gives me problems, I will continue to use it, as I believe the latest Macrium is required to take advantage of the RDR, which is not on the horizon at the moment.

Many thanks again for the help, and also to Pete for his input.

 

You're quite welcome!

Kenny, the DEFINITION FILE is used to describe the storage you want to manage... I use two, personally. You can use one for the whole disk (or many disks), you can use one for your SYSTEM image... however you would like to describe the end result of your effort. Once the definition is in place, you can do any type of imaging against it that you wish... Incremental, Differential or Full (to my knowledge, there are no other kinds of images to take). For automatic backup, the scheduling section of the DEF is used (its optional). Once the definition is in place, you may use the Macrium UI to do any of the imaging types, or, as mentioned earlier, you may create "scripts" (PowerShell, VBS or simple Desktop shortcuts) to do the same without invoking Macrium at the desktop... they offer this as a convenience.

As I have mentioned, I am currently using two DEFs. One I use for GFS automatic backup (7-incrementals merging forward in time, a differential once every week on Mondays <limited to 6> and a full once every 4-weeks on Mondays <limited to 3>) that gives me a minimum 2-mo worth of coverage. The other I use as a protection umbrella for my machine (I make LOTs of system changes and do many risky things with my system)... it consists of 1-full and 28-incrementals <taken hourly from 8am-9pm> and uses the new "Synthetic Full" feature that allows the baseline (original full) to automatically move forward in time once I get to the 28-incremental count. This affords me a protection umbrella that's two workdays in length at all times. Both of these definition schemes are fully automatic (basically Set'n'Forget) via Macrium's scheduling and they both operate on the same partition using different definitions.

Basically, as far as scheduling goes, the possibilities are almost endless.

When a vendor places full capability in a WinPE, at that point they have no way to protect the use of that intellectual property. People can publish the ISOs and the appropriate access codes at will (and they will, believe me) and it would seriously affect their sales model. I believe that's why their product model focuses on reliable LIVE Windows operations (which they can protect as far as application ACTIVATION is concerned) but offers the users basic protection capability in their WinPE environment.

I'm not sure what the above means. It sounds like you're happy with AX64 (many are even in its limited v1 functionality) and that Macrium, as a purchase, is not in your immediate future. But what that has to do with RDR I don't understand...

RDR is here and it works extremely well. As mentioned, it's basically the exact same type of restore AX64 began to offer in v2 as their WARM restore (via WinPE, not LIVE Windows), to try and eliminate the HOT restore issues many users were experiencing. And, no, Macrium isn't required to use it unless you want a quick restore (which I think everybody does... that's why it's provided as the DEFAULT). Turning Macrium's RDR option off offers the same restoration experience that previous versions of Macrium have always offered and pretty much the same as most other imagers on the market.

 

RBF. Great explanation as usual from you. Very grateful for your time.

The use of definition files makes a little more sense to me now, although for my basic usage compared to yours, I can just use one of them, and just select the diff option from it.

I understand more about the licensing issues of WINPE now, so that makes sense, although not ideal for me to do Cold Diff imaging.

On the RDR issue, please remember that I am only using V5 which does not have that option, and I am not in a position to upgrade at this time. This prompts another question if I may. - RDR just sounds like another name for creating a Differential image, or have I missed something? According to the Macrium website, it images only the CHANGES, so to me that sounds very like a diff. It still has to be done outside of Windows doesn't it? Anyway, I will try an look back in the thread to find relevant info on this.

Thanks again for your patience.

 

RDR = Rapid Delta Restore. It's about restoring, not backing up. It restores the changes only, hence is quicker than restoring a full image.

 

Old age breeds confusion!..lol Many thanks for that. So does this RDR work from both the WinPE AND the USB/CD emergency stick?

 

Absolutely...

 

The answer seems to be that I needed to update some MB drivers and BIOS as well.
They were circa 2012, 3 years ago. Not sure which part made things better but after doing that, Reflect Restore worked and I'm now running on my MX100 256GB SSD.
Definitely not a Macrium issue.

 

Kenny, I'm not sure why you're forcing yourself to do COLD images. HOT imaging these days, and especially with this product, is very reliable and uneventful. Since you only do DIF imaging you just need to make sure your reference BASELINE is OK. The imaging operation, within Macrium, can be set up to almost run in the background as far as your CPU is concerned so there shouldn't be too much of an effect on your running system at the time of the imaging operation. Since Macrium uses Microsoft's VSS (Volume Shadow Service), you can safely change files up a storm while the imaging operation is being performed.

If you created a SINGLE DIFFERENTIAL desktop shortcut using your established Definition File, all you need do is <double-click> it when you want your image. If there's no FULL, it will create one for you and all images following that same desktop shortcut, will be differentials... seems pretty easy to me

 

RBF. I do agree that my Cold imaging is probably dated now with these new super imaging tools, and I will make the effort to have more faith in Hot imaging. After reading a lot of info here and on the website, I have decided that V6 is not for me. I always require a comment for each image that I take, as then I know exactly what I want to restore, and at what stage the image was taken. That being the case, a definition file shortcut on the desktop, while seeming to be a handy way of doing it, gives me no option to add a comment.

I think Macrium V6 is probably a godsend to advanced imaging users such as yourself who need things like continuous incrementals, and "synthetic" stuff whatever that is, but I feel they will not get many average users who require that sort of sophistication.

Anyway, so grateful for your patience and help on this subject.

Regards

 

Hi Kenny! Although Macrium appears to be a reasonably sophisticated product, it also performs the simplest of functions for users with simple imaging requirements and those users need not get too deep in option territory. Not to sound like a salesman or marketer here (I really DO like the product, though) but I also "occasionally" (not every time) like to comment my imaging operations. Using that umbrella mode definition of mine I also take some occasional MANUAL snaps against that definition and those I do comment. With a few extra <click>s this can be done easily through the Macrium UI (rather than a single desktop <click>).

There is a request in the Macrium WISH LIST to allow for commenting MANUAL imaging operations while using various script modes. Of course the easiest way to do this would be to add a COMMAND LINE option in Macrium itself. Hopefully they'll consider the request and we may see it in a future release/update of the product. If that's your main issue with Macrium presently, I would check back occasionally and see what's happened along the way. It really is a very solid product.

It's been fun chatting with you...

 

I am having a problem with Macrium 6 in that it has stopped the incrementals on the system disk. It has not done any since the 18th when it had done 5 successful ones.

It is reporting unsuccessful 0x80070003 Error.

I have checked the log and nothing is listed for that, also same for VSS errors and have reset VSS all to no avail. Clicking Run Now keeps repeating the error. The other incrementals for data disks have performed correctly.

I have imaged the system disk with AOMEI to the same partition as Macrium and that performs correctly. Incidentally I was surprised how much quicker it was to image the disk - 2 mins for 35MB.

Any ideas please as to what is causing this

Thanks

 

Hello David,

The error you mentioned is not a macrium error it is a windows error. It happens when expected files, folders or registry paths are missing. It can be caused due to multiple issues. Please see the following google search results:

macrium 0x80070003 error

0x80070003 Error


In your case, you should do another full backup with macrium and then restart the increments from the new full backup image.

Hope it helps.

 

Thanks for that but cannot see anything to help. MS reports "This is a normal condition. No further action is required." That is confirmed in the Macrium log where the only entry is under informative log.

I tried another schedule starting with a new full system backup and the same thing happened. However I can run a one off backup without problem. So I am confused. I have written to support to see if they can help.

 

This program is almost bulletproof.
Another successful backup and restore.



PS: Version 6 of the FREE version is taking some time.

 

Last I heard from SUPPORT (a few weeks back), they were still trying to decide what features would be in v6 FREE. That decision's probably pretty easy... what's not easy is releasing FREE soon after the paid release as it may really bite into possible license fees after a new release.

I know it's coming but I don't have any idea about the feature set. I would think with RDR they would surely leave that out, maybe some of the advanced scheduling, but maybe... just maybe they'll put in DIF and INC and make it like v5 PAID. That I would like to see...

 

Regarding Recoverying disk options, am wondering if anyone is seeing any advantages in WinPE 5.0 over WinPE 3.1 versions as far as loading speed in program operation speed when restoring images from recovery disk? Right now, I am using the WinPE 3.l1 option on mhy Windows 7 Pro 64 bit laptop but have thought about doing the 5.0 disk although I know Macrium does not recommend for Windows 7. Would appreciate your input and thanks.

 

The USB 3.0 drivers included in WinPE 5.0 (that is, included in Windows 8.1) don´t work efficiently in my Windows 7 machines. When the Renesas USB 3.0 drivers are added to a WinPE 3.1 (which doesn´t have USB 3.0 drivers), the operations are faster. The difference is very noticeable in my case.

 

Hello,

Version 6.0.541 released:
http://www.macrium.com/Download.aspx?type=home
http://updates.macrium.com/reflect/v6/v6.0.541/details6.0.541.htm

 

Wow, the file system issue with RDR sounds serious, I better update. Is there anyway to see if one is already affected? What would the affects be? Could one fix it or is a reinstallation necessary?

 

You would probably have to go to the Macrium forum to find out how serious that bug really is.

 

That bug was a bug but not very serious. The file structure error was always correctable using ChkDsk, and the worst that happened is when Macrium would do its File Structure Check (if configured) prior to imaging, if the structure damage was serious enough, it wouldn't do the image (it doesn't like to image bad stuff). Once again, a ChkDsk would smooth things over without losing a thing.

The really big difference in the new release is in the WARM RDR process done by the Macrium Recovery Media... it's been sped up so it's as fast as the main system when doing the process of "Looking for changes" (I'd say a factor of 5 to 10 times quicker now). Of course that's only part of the whole RDR process but for smaller snapshots it made a huge difference, for me, especially