Macrium Reflect

Discussion in 'backup, imaging & disk mgmt' started by Stigg, Nov 23, 2013.

  1. Hadron

    Hadron Registered Member

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    Thanks...
     
  2. FanJ

    FanJ Updates Team

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    I cannot get v5.3.7253 (Pro) using the internal option "Check for updates" on version 5.3.7220 (Pro), on Win 7 Pro 64 bit.
    It is telling: "No updates found".
    I don't know what is wrong. Any help? Please.
    Thanks in advance!
     
  3. WSFfan

    WSFfan Registered Member

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    Last edited: Dec 23, 2014
  4. FanJ

    FanJ Updates Team

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    Thanks WSFfan!

    I got the newer version 5.3.7256 now via the internal updater. Maybe they were updating the server to put the newer version online.
    I had already tried manually downloading from your link but got a file without extension.

    Happy Holidays!
     
  5. Hadron

    Hadron Registered Member

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    Thanks again.
    Another quick fire update after a buggy previous update.
     
  6. snippits

    snippits Registered Member

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    Trying the free version on Windows 7 64 bit, and I have had no problems cloning a hard drive to a SSD. I have also imaged and restored, and everything has turned out good.

    Where I did have a problem was with the rescue media/Windows PE 3 boot disk. I could not use the program on the boot disk because I had no mouse or keyboard control. I knew it was because the boot disk did not have the Intel Series 8 USB 3.0 64 bit drivers. Thing is when creating a disk, there is no option to add the drivers during disk creation, and no it would not add the drivers automatically because I have three coasters to prove it.

    Well, after some net research I found out that I could manually add the USB 3.0 drivers in the boot folder of Macrium/USB/Drivers. Ding now I have a working boot disk.

    It was a royal pain in the xxx to get the boot disk fully functional, and I saw other people having the same problem. A prompt to add drivers during boot disk creation would be a good start to fixing this issue.
     
  7. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Hmmmm... sounds like a waste to have mice and keyboards plugged into high-speed USB3 ports, unless that's all you have in your system (haven't seen one like that).
     
  8. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Hi Froggie.

    I have one a new Lenovo Laptop. All it has is USB 3.0 Ports. But I didn't have any issue with Macrium or AXTM recovery environments.

    Pete
     
  9. snippits

    snippits Registered Member

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    My mouse and keyboard are plugged into the USB 2.0 ports on the back panel. The thing is with the Intel Series 8 chipsets USB 3.0 drivers still have to be installed since they are backwards compatible with USB 2.0.

    From what I researched, Macrium is supposed to automatically add the drivers during boot disk creation, but It's not clear to me if it's limited to paid and free trial.

    I did try AOMEI Backupper too, and had the same problem with having no mouse or keyboard control using the boot disk, but AOMEI does have an option during boot disk creation to add drivers, which worked fine once I got the correct drivers.

    Here is the link to Intel about which Windows 7 USB 3.0 driver one would need when using an Intel Series 7/8 chipset. Further links on that page to download the drivers.

    http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/usb3/sb/CS-034342.htm
     
  10. jwcca

    jwcca Registered Member

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    PE5 - a.png PE5 - b.png
    You need to update to PE 5 and you'll be OK.
     
  11. snippits

    snippits Registered Member

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    @jwcca

    I did see the advanced option to choose the Windows PE 5.0 media, but it did require an additional round about 400 mb download. I have it sorted now by manually adding the Windows 7 Intel USB 3.0 series 8 chipset drivers to the Macrium boot/USB driver folder, and I now have a fully functioning Windows PE 3.1 boot disk.

    Thanks for the help!
     
  12. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    Since Windows 7 doesn´t have drivers for USB 3.0, it´s always necessary to add them to WinPEs based on Windows 7. WinPEs 5 are based on Windows 8.1, which does have drivers for USB 3.0. But they can be very inefficient (slow) compared with the drivers added to Windows 7, depending on the hardware used, so it´s not always "better" to use WinPE 5 in these cases.

    I also use a laptop in which all the USB ports are USB 3.0.

    Macrium should already support WinPE 5.1, based on 8.1 Update.
     
  13. jwcca

    jwcca Registered Member

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    Even if they are inefficient (slower) it's not a big deal since this is only for the recovery disk which won't be used often by most people.
    It's unlikely that anyone would actually notice that the USB mouse or keyboard is significantly slower during recovery. Even though you do need them, you do very little with them.

    I can sympathize with someone who has a cellular IP plan, 400MB could push the user into the next cost bracket or force the user to restrict other downloads or browsing for the billing period. But once you've downloaded PE5, you don't have to download it again every time you update Reflect, unless there are new components in PE 5 such as new/improved drivers. If you haven't changed mother boards, you don't need to do that. Unless of course you are planning on getting a new mother board and want to use Reflect Pro to, in effect, do a 'bare metal' restore to the new hardware and want to have all the latest drivers already to go.

    J
     
  14. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    Obviously. I was referring to operations to create and restore images, which involve USB external disks. I always do these operations from boot media.
     
  15. jwcca

    jwcca Registered Member

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    Fair enough Robin, I've only used boot media twice, 2011-July using Shadow Protect when moving from an HDD to SDD and 2013-10 using Reflect when moving from the small SDD to a bigger SDD. I've made images from within Windows more frequently but still no more than 10 over the years. If you're doing things more frequently then it may be more of an impact on you.
    Granted, after making a new boot disc I boot to it to make sure that it's working and then shut down after seeing it's OK.

    I bought Reflect Pro as a bare-metal restorer, so I do keep my media updated to have the 'latest' drivers should I decide to, or have to, buy a new mother board etc. but First Defense is what I use on a regular basis for backup on the 'current' system.

    J
     
  16. Kev914

    Kev914 Registered Member

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    I am considering this as a possible replacement for Ghost 15. I have been reading about it, here and at the Macrium site. I saw one post where it was said that VSS needed to be set to automatic for this program to run. Is that true? Is that true of most backup programs? I saw my VSS is set to manual. I researched this one line and some people you want it to be manual and others say you want it to be automatic. Some said if it was automatic that windows would save a whole lot of restore points. So I'm not sure what is true.

    Did anyone have Ghost before switching to this program? Did you have to uninstall Ghost before you could test this program?

    Does anyone use Ax64 Time Machine with this program?

    Thanks.
     
  17. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Ghost did not have to be uninstalled, but once you find out how good Macrium, you will.

    I run Macrium with AX64 without problems. AX64 uses a tracking file but Macrium does not... they work blissfully together.
     
  18. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Kev914, I run VSS as a manual service (W8.1.1) and whenever Macrium runs it starts the service, runs the backup, then stops the service when it's done. I see no problem running the service in MANUAL. It's the same for W7.

    Most imagers use VSS for their imaging requirements... IFW (Image For Windows) also provides its own service (phyloc) but will run either way.
     
  19. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    HI Kev914

    I also run Macrium Reflect Std, with AX64 TM. They are a great combo
     
  20. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

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    I also have VSS service set to manual and have no problems with Macrium making daily incremental backups.
     
  21. Hadron

    Hadron Registered Member

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    My Volume Shadow Copy Service is already set to "Manual" by default.
    Is that OK?
     
  22. Antarctica

    Antarctica Registered Member

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    Hi Peter
    I am using Macrium since two years and it saved my life with the last december windows update fiasco. But can you explain me please the benefit of using AX64 TM in tandem?
    Thanks
     
  23. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Simple. Time. Macrium is wonderful in the time it takes to do an incremental. But when it comes to restores it takes the normal time most imaging software takes to do a restore. AX64 TM, can do a system restore in as little as one tenth that time. So for me I can try a system change, and if I don't like it undo it so much faster then I can with a Macrium restore. But Macrium stands behind it with it's amazing reliability.

    Pete
     
  24. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

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    Antarctica, sorry to jump in for Peter here but I believe we both use it in the same general way.

    AX64, to us anyway, has not quite proven itself as a full blown IMAGING tool, but works well as a snapshotting tool (there's some work needed there also). Macrium has more than proven itself as a complete IMAGING tool and is relied upon by millions of users for that capability. The system needs to be protected at certain intervals, something to go back to if disaster strikes... that's what Macrium provides. The ability to reasonably quickly bounce around between snapshots to reverse installations, go to pre-test system configurations, etc. is best done by tools like AX64. The snapshot moves are much faster using a tool like that rather than an imager. Of course if your system is loaded with high speed SSDs (for the OS and for the snapshot storage device, an imager alone for both requirements may work just fine. SSD to SSD speeds are quite impressive.

    When and if AX64 finally works all its kinks out, it should be both a good snapshot AND good imaging tool, and at that point may be a good single solution to both requirements.
     
  25. Kev914

    Kev914 Registered Member

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    Thanks for the information. So it's looks like I'll be getting Macrium.
     
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