Macrium Reflect Features

Discussion in 'backup, imaging & disk mgmt' started by Gorkster, Mar 18, 2012.

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  1. rkasse

    rkasse Registered Member

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    I was an applications programmer for many years but never got much into operating systems or pc operations so I am a little unsure about some of the terminology (hot image/cold image). I have been reading many post on these forums and many on the Rollback rx forums about backup imaging and I feel that I have a good idea of what is going on but please do not hesitate to set me straight if I seem to not quite get it.

    Yes, I image with RBrx installed but also plan on imaging with it uninstalled during those few times when during RBrx clean up.

    I boot my machine in the normal way and start Reflect from its desktop icon. I then select "create image of the partitions required to backup and restore windows" Using this method I did not see any metion of "sector by sector" and did not make any such selection that I am aware of. I assume this all boils down to a Hot Image from within windows and not sector by sector. Please confirm.

    I mounted the backup image in a virtual drive and reviewed the data which all seems to represent my current system's data.

    Not that I am aware of.

    From all that I have read on the forums I think I understand the problems that may be encounted when imaging with RBrx installed.

    I believe that the way I have imaged will provide a copy of my latest windows state (i.e. Rollback’s current system state) without capturing any of rollback’s snapshots and after restoring I would need to uninstall and reinstall RBrx to make it functional.

    KOR, I would very much appreciate it if you would confirm my understanding of the backups and if I am doing it correctly.

    p.s. I am not interested in capturing any of Rollbacks snapshots.

    TIA - rkasse
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2012
  2. aladdin

    aladdin Registered Member

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    Thank you for your candid and complete answer. Sector to sector imaging is also called, "complete partition/disk" imaging. Basically, it images all the sectors, including the unused sectors. Here is how it work when Rollback Rx is installed and one tries to perform an image:

    Within Windows (HOT Imaging):

    1. Any imaging program will capture the current snapshot of Rollback Rx with normal imaging. And, after restoring the image, Rollback Rx has to be uninstalled and then re-installed. Basically, any imaging program will capture the current status of the computer when imaging was done. This will result in a regular image.

    2. If one needs to capture all snapshots and Rollback Rx is to remain intact, then one needs to use IFW for imaging, with PHYLock.sys and registry tweak. Imaging has to be done on all sectors basis, thus resulting in a very large image of IFW and consuming a lot of time.


    Outside Windows (COLD Imaging):

    1. Any imaging program can be used to capture all snapshots and Rollback Rx is to remain intact, provided this imaging is done on all sectors basis. Again, this image done by any imaging program will be result in a very large image and will consume a lot of time.

    2. Any imaging program can be used to do imaging, on a non sector basis, normal imaging. This is a very dangerous situation, as it will capture only the baseline snapshot of Rollback Rx, which can be two months old. This will not only result in a small image, but back to two months old image. After restore the image, Rollback Rx has to be uninstalled and then re-installed.

    Best regards,

    KOR!
     
  3. rkasse

    rkasse Registered Member

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    Great summuary, thanks.
     
  4. Raza0007

    Raza0007 Registered Member

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    You can make Easybcd work on windows xp, you need to use an older version of Easybcd 1.7.2 I think. I tested it last year on my winxp inside Vmware and it worked fine. The steps are slightly complicated but if you are up to it, you can follow the instructions in post#23 on this tutorial of mine.
     
  5. rkasse

    rkasse Registered Member

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    Rollback Rx is just waaaaay too convenient. Just 5 seconds to take a snapshot and a rollback requries a simple reboot plus about 30 seconds.

    Also as I noted later on in this thread in post #38, a full backup with Macrium Reflect took 36 minutes on my machine.
     
  6. TheMozart

    TheMozart Former Poster

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    It used to take me around 30-35 minutes to do a backup with Macrium Reflect, but then I reinstalled W7 and installed everything to D:\Program Files instead and kept my C: as basic to a base W7 install as possible and now it only takes me around 8 minutes to backup W7 and 8 minutes to restore using Macrium Reflect:) :thumb:

    And occasionally, I will do a backup of D:\Program Files.

    Have you tried taking this approach rkasse?
     
  7. rkasse

    rkasse Registered Member

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    Since you have mentioned this approach earlier I have been giving it some thought. It certainly has some merit. For now I still have to get comfortable with Macrium. I've only had it for two days!

    How often do you image with Macrium?
     
  8. TheMozart

    TheMozart Former Poster

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    I am rather fanatical about this so I create an image everytime I install something new or make some major changed.:D

    But seeing it only takes around 8 minutes, I don't mind.
     
  9. ams963

    ams963 Registered Member

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    Okay please help me with this. Can I take hot images with Macrium even if my VSS is not working properly?
     
  10. TheMozart

    TheMozart Former Poster

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    have you tried it?
     
  11. ams963

    ams963 Registered Member

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    No I've not tried Macrium Reflect yet. But I've tried Keriver, EaseUS, O&O diskImage, etc. And they give some kind of vss not supported thing on the interface when creating a hot image.

    And I've read on many forums that restoring a hot image which had no vss support would cause error in system.

    Now I know terabyte's image for windows do not use vss. That is why I am wondering if macrium would cause any problem as well.
     
  12. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

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    Looking this program up on Youtube. I like it :D might have to add this.
     
  13. LoneWolf

    LoneWolf Registered Member

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  14. Cruise

    Cruise Registered Member

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    I'd be interested in learning why you guys believe Macrium Reflect is a better free imaging solution than Keriver 1-Click Restore? o_O

    Cruise
     
  15. Scott W

    Scott W Registered Member

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    Mozart, I'll take a shot at answering that question...

    Taking snapshot: Macrium = 8 minutes, Rollback = 4 seconds!
    Restore snapshot: Macrium = 8 minutes, Rollback = 1 minute!

    Also keep in mind that for most users, disk-imaging takes quite a bit longer than 8 minutes, whereas Rollback doesn't vary much at all from the times I noted.

    That's not to suggest that disk-imaging isn't vital - it definitely is (as KOR implies, Rollback is of no use if your disk crashes). Nevertheless, us Rollback users love it's conveniences! :thumb:

    Scott
     
  16. ams963

    ams963 Registered Member

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    Does Macrium Reflect use any other method other than VSS to make hot images if VSS is broken in system?
     
  17. rkasse

    rkasse Registered Member

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    I did my first restore of a full backup using Macrium. All went well but I have a question. When attempting to do the restore I was forced to reboot using my WinPe boot cd as opposed to Macrium loading the PE and proceeding to reboot and restore.

    Is this just because I am on the Free version of Macrium or is there something I did not set up correctly?
     
  18. rkasse

    rkasse Registered Member

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    After doing my first Macrium restore I uninstalled Rollback Rx and did a full backup. The backup time dropped to 22 minutes from 36 minutes.

    On the humorous side, when doing my first attempt at a restore I noticed that it was 98% complete and reached over my keyboard to grab my glasses. My wrist hit the <ESC>ape key and the restore was immediately cancelled.:argh:
     
  19. prius04

    prius04 Registered Member

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    One issue, for me at least, is the fact that you have to specify which storage drive to use at the time 1-Click Restore Free is installed (it can be changed at any time with Pro, but not Free). With MR Free that can be specified and changed at any time after installation.
     
  20. TheMozart

    TheMozart Former Poster

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    Why? The free version works perfect for me and does everything I need and want :D
     
  21. prius04

    prius04 Registered Member

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    I think so. I believe their own driver is called pssnap or something similar thereto.
     
  22. TheMozart

    TheMozart Former Poster

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    Keriver 1-Click Restore won't allow me to backup other partitions, e.g SYSTEM, D: and E: etc and is very limited in options. SO I went with Macrium.:thumb:
     
  23. prius04

    prius04 Registered Member

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    Because some people care about (or need) differentials/incrementals, boot menu recovery, password protection, encryption, GPT/dynamic disks support, ability to restore to dissimilar hardware, etc.

    But it's outstanding if MR Free is all you require - can't beat that price! :D
     
  24. prius04

    prius04 Registered Member

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    Yep, not included.
     
  25. Raza0007

    Raza0007 Registered Member

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    One of the best features of Macrium is the quick incrementals. If you are not using that you are missing a big part of Macrium experience.
     
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