Macrium Reflect Standard worth it?

[LittleDude]

I have seen the version comparison on the website but I would like know if anyone can point out the benefits over the free version in the real world. I have the standard trial but some features are disabled. I'm only planning on doing full backups. I tried the Linux rescue disk, it worked but a little slow to load, but I'm hoping not to need it too often. Is the Windows PE disk really that much better? What about the Recovery Boot Menu option(disabled on trial)?
If I had found a decent discount I probably would have just bought it already...very impressed so far. Any input would be greatly appreciated

[philby]

Hi LittleDude

I bought a standard version license a long time ago - before the WinPE license was thrown in with the free version.

If I were thinking of buying now, I wouldn't as I only do full backups too and there is nothing I need beyond basic imaging apart from the WinPE element.

philby

EDIT Forgot to mention another reason I bought at the time - I wanted access to Nick et al on the support forum, which I gather is still for paid-up users only. Support has always been super-fast (queries always answered very quickly) and very helpful.

[morph000]

Bottom line - if you lost all your data, would you regret not having spent $58 for PRO ?
I've used a few packages and wasn't happy with them, so I bought Macrium PRO. Cold imaging is definitely the way to go !
I must say it's beautifully written and works superbly. The Brits seem to be naturally good when it comes to writing software.
You can always tell when the programmers are GOOD

Top notch support too (not that I've needed it), as their support forum demonstrates.

Peace of mind is everything when you're talking about irreplaceable date, often into terabyte range, as mine is.
I've lost data due to drive crashes over the years and that awful sinking feeling you get is something I never want to experience again
Up to you though

[sukarof]

I have not tried the Linux recovery disk so I can not say if it as good as the PE disk. DVDs and CDs always takes "long" time to load, regardless of if it is Linux or PE ime Thats why I use the boot menu provided in Macrium and have the images on a separate drive. And if you dont do alot of restores (like me who does at least two or three every month, often even more) a slow loading CD shouldnt really be a problem?

All I can say is that all the restores I have done (lost count by now, maybe 30 or so.. since june) have all been successful with the paid version. Not even a glitch so far. I cant see why the free version should be less reliable.
I trust Macrium 100% after all these successfull backups and restores. With SSD it restores the image within 5 minutes (Windows 8 64bit installation) 6 minutes later I´m back in business

But with that said and if you trust the linux environment I dont see the need for you to buy if you only do full backups and dont need the recovery item in the boot menu (ie you will have to use the linux disk to restore) Personally, as mentioned, I use the boot menu and differntial and incremential options alot so for me it is definetely worth paying (if not else to support a great piece of software so there can be a free version )

[zfactor]

imo there pro version is way overpriced. and make sure if you ever want to move it to a different computer you REMOVE your lic from the existing one its installed on or you will get a message saying the lic is already in use and i had a heck of a time getting them to reset it to reuse it on a new system. unless you need the additional things pro gives you get the standard or a different program again this is from personal experiences with them.

[philby]

But with that said and if you trust the linux environment I dont see the need for you to buy if you only do full backups and dont need the recovery item in the boot menu (ie you will have to use the linux disk to restore)

sukarov - just for clarification; the WinPE option is now available in the free edition, though constructing it is a bit more involved than with the standard edition. So you can use both Linux and WinPE recovery environments.

philby

[twl845]

Originally Posted by LittleDude

I have seen the version comparison on the website but I would like know if anyone can point out the benefits over the free version in the real world. I have the standard trial but some features are disabled. I'm only planning on doing full backups. I tried the Linux rescue disk, it worked but a little slow to load, but I'm hoping not to need it too often. Is the Windows PE disk really that much better? What about the Recovery Boot Menu option(disabled on trial)?
If I had found a decent discount I probably would have just bought it already...very impressed so far. Any input would be greatly appreciated

FWIW, They just had the PRO version on sale atBits-Dujour for about $24 a few months ago. It could be some time before they do it again if at all, so I sprung for the Standard at $44.

[AbbyJack]

Originally Posted by zfactor

imo there pro version is way overpriced. and make sure if you ever want to move it to a different computer you REMOVE your lic from the existing one its installed on or you will get a message saying the lic is already in use and i had a heck of a time getting them to reset it to reuse it on a new system. unless you need the additional things pro gives you get the standard or a different program again this is from personal experiences with them.

FWIW I had a situation where my license didn't get released and I sent an email to support where they reset it within a day.
No trouble at all.

[zfactor]

i did in the end get mine fixed but it took some doing. i also had a few other issues i will not get into here reg the 4.2 to 5.0 update mess.

[Joxx]

Since I've been using Windows 7, I forgot about third party imaging.
Whatever it's said, it works out out of the box, fast, no issues.

[andylau]

If you only do full backups, free version is enough for you.
The free version can build Windows PE 3 Rescue Media (RAID support) now.

[Gorkster]

What I use the Pro version for (some of this is available with the standard version as well, and much of this as already been stated):

File and folder backup
Keeps current backups of files on my NAS

Incremental/differential
Unlike you, I use these so I don't have to remember to image every few days

Forum support
It's nice to be able to read and comment on posts.

Backup scripting
I create XML files and tweak the coding a little to get precisely what I need done. For instance, I have a single XML which runs a full backup on the first day of each month and two incremental backups twice per week for the rest of the month.

Support for GPT and dynamic disks
Though my system doesn't use either of these now, I'm sure I'll need this support at some point.

Disk space management
This allows me to "set it and forget it." I only keep two image sets and after a third image set completes and verifies correctly the oldest set is deleted.

Keep Macrium alive
I've used Ghost, Drive Image (bought out my Symantec and incorporated into Ghost), True Image and Reflect. I was happy with Drive Image for the short time I used it before Symantec bought it out, but other than that Macrium is the only company deserving of my cash. A+++++

I basically just went through the comparison you indicated you already read, but I picked out the features I use and tried to give my "real world examples" which is what I'm hoping you were looking for.

[LittleDude]

Thanks for all the feedback...plenty of food for thought

[Solarlynx]

I must thank you all for the info as well. It was useful to read it as I'm in search for imaging company.

[Solarlynx]

I wonder one thing: when I backup the system partition does Macrium backups the MBR of the whole disk? I ask it as when I choose partition to backup I see "System Reserved" partition of 100 MB before the system partition. Should I backup it too?

[pirej]

I don't really know the answer , but i always back up that 100MB partition too, it doesn't take much space to include it in the backup, and i never had any problems while restoring the image.

[Gorkster]

Yes, you should back it up too. It is used by certain windows installations for bootable files. While there are ways to install Windows to not use it, if you don't want to learn about all that stuff just image it when you're backing up your Windows system partition and restore it if/when you ever need to restore. The MBR is separate and is automatically backed up by Reflect (at least when the system partition is backed up if not always - I can't remember which.) And there is only one MBR on a disk, not one for each partition.

[Solarlynx]

Thank you for your answers.

I find Macrium free is really good. Unfortunately it doesn't create bootable flash disk and bloats RAM with 3,6 MB of "Reflect Service - Enables mounting of images".

When I started to make an image of sys partition it said I must repair disk surface first. I ran the CHKDSK (through the sys partition disk properties -> tools, both boxes checked). Then it made the image successfully. When I was uninstalling Macrium, I got BSOD for the first time on my Win-7. Maybe it somehow related to the CHKDSK work and that I have Rollback Rx. I had to go to the snapshot before the Macrium installation.

Anyway if it could create not only bootable CD but bootable flash drive, I would stay with it.

[Gorkster]

You can create a bootable flash drive with at least some versions of Reflect. They have instructions in a KB article on their site. I am not sure if the free version allows this, however.

As for the 3.6MB Reflect Service you're referring to I can see the service you described running on my Win7-64 computer but cannot see a way to determine the memory that service is using. I do see that Task Manager indicates I am currently using 1.65GB of memory. When I manually shut down that service I saw no change.

The only time I've seen a post regarding a BSOD the poster thought might be related to Reflect is when they installed another imaging program, left it installed, installed Reflect then tried to uninstall one of the two. Installing multiple imaging programs CAN cause a problem depending on the programs and how things are set up.

EDIT:
Found how to check using the Resource Monitor. It looks like ReflectService.exe is currently using ('Working Set') 6080 KB. I have some 35 processes running which use less and 48 which use more, so 6080 KB doesn't seem that outlandish. (IE tops the charts with the top two positions of 97,356 and 84,224 KB. Even the process which does nothing but check email for me every 10 mins uses 11,868 KB of memory.) I would think you could shut down the process if you didn't want to use the "mount image feature" in Reflect.

[Solarlynx]

Thank you for your answer. Sorry for my ignorance, how can I shut this service? I use portable ToolBox (nice prog, btw, I think it is from IObit) and there an Autorun manager, where I find no any reference to Macrium. And here my comp skills end

[philby]

Start > type services.msc > hit Enter > scroll down to Macrium Reflect Image Mounting Service > double click Startup type > change to manual.

philby

[Solarlynx]

Thank you. Really live and learn.