Macrium Reflect 5 released

I see there is the much awaited version 5 of Macrium Reflect. I wonder though if there is anything that makes this a worthwhile upgrade from 4.2
Any comments

 

What's new in version 5?

Version 5 includes many new features over the previous major release, v4.2 including:

New, more intuitive user interface allows for drag and drop of partitions and direct image and backup file management

Restore multiple partitions at the same time

Reorder and resize restored partitions

Windows PE 3.1 based rescue environment

Automatic Windows PE Driver Injection

Automated restore of system partitions

Direct disk cloning

GPT and Dynamic Disks support*

UEFI Windows boot support, supported only on Vista/7/Server 2008/R2 64 bit

Whole disk restore with partition re-ordering, re-sizing, and shrinking

Integrated email

Integrated Windows Event logging**

Restore images to dissimilar hardware on server class operating systems**

Disk image and file backup archive management

Single backup definition (XML) files for Full, Incremental and differential backups.
It's no-longer necessary to create separate XML files for your incremental and differential backups.

*Applies to the Professional and Server editions of Macrium Reflect only

**Applies to the Server edition of Macrium Reflect only.

 

Thank you. Although I am currently quite satisfied with the 4.2 version. It is an excellent backup and recovery software for home users. I will give version 5 a try.

 

Hmm.. there site seems to be down at the moment.

 

http://macrium.com/ is working for me. *Not* working for me is the link to the free version of the product. Now that I just wrote that, I'm wondering if there even will be a free version of MR 5.

 

Seems the free version is gone

 

Will be a bad loss if so.

 

Free homepage: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

But latest build seems not available...yet?

Softpedia (later build): http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Back-Up-and-Recovery/Macrium-Reflect-Free-Edition.shtml

When I updated from program updater got this, maybe free homepage will be updated? After install got an ad for v5...so maybe no v5 free?

 

Wow...I've been waiting on this release for ages. Came out of the blue! Thanks for telling me about it.

 

I downloaded the version 5 standard and extracted the files from the installer. Seems there is no longer a BARTPE plugin available on the paid versions. I downloaded the version 4 trial and created a BARTPE with the available plugin. It would let me do a cold backup and restore. Free version of the plugin only allows restore. I am in the process of moving on to Todo backup Free as it has scheduled and incremental backups. It will also let you make a WINPE restore CD using Window AIK.

 

cant believe it took them so long to add this, this was a deal breaker for me.

it meant that anyone using the ultimate and pro versions of windows 7 has to do at least 2 separate restore jobs to restore an image

 

Yes, doesn't look too promising. I mean, it wouldn't make much sense to release a new (free) build of V4.2 within a day (or just a few days) of releasing (paid) v5.

 

I have to say I'm not overly impressed with new look of the product. A lot of options and buttons seem out of place or not where you would logically think to find them. Testing images now...which I guess is what is really important.

 

Can any one tell me if it can restore to a smaller partition?

thanks

 

According to the Release Notes, yes: "Whole disk restore with partition re-ordering, re-sizing, and shrinking"

 

not necessarily, it depends on whether it lets you resize BEFORE or AFTER a restore

 

It appears to be part of the "before" process: http://www.macrium.com/help.aspx.

 

thanks

(you might want to exclude the end bracket from your link)

 

'Got a quick question. I sometimes recommend backup programs to friends and usually its Image for Windows/Linux, but some of my associates are PC or GUI challenged. Macrium Reflect sounds like a good alternative, but I was wondering if it had the ability to do backups from the restore media as well? Or can it backup only from Windows?

One of the things I like about IFL is I can backup outside the OS, and the restore media is available on USB flash as well as CD/DVD.

Thanks.

 

Please excuse my ignorance, can anyone tell me what "Windows PE 3.1 based rescue environment" is? Thanks in advance.

 

Thanks, good that it is added at last.

 

It's the lastest version of the Windows pre-install environment...simply put, it's a CD/DVD/USB that you make that boots outside of Windows and is more or less an OS that runs from the media. The 3.1 version is based on Windows 7 SP1. This allows you to do things to your Windows install outside of Windows in a cold scenario.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Preinstallation_Environment

 

Yes you can do backups when you boot up on the reccovery CD - you don't have to be in the Windows environment. The boot disk can also be used to restore the C drive, fix the boot sector and make OS redeploy adjustments if you restore to a new system (i.e. new motherboard), this last item (redeploy) is not in the standard version.
You can also add a boot time startup that duplicates the Boot CD - itr loads faster than the CD

 

Yes you can - I asked them

 

thanks