...and, yes, Macrium has been asked for the ability to redirect the LOGs to a different area (non-imaged area)... just so that doesn't happen. So far, no response.
I suspect one of the complications for redirecting logs might be the fact that as shown in the screenshot a few posts up, Reflect does "inject" a job log for a restore into the system, even if the restore is executed from Rescue. I don't know this for certain, but my guess would be that Macrium accomplishes this by checking the restored file systems for the presence of a \ProgramData folder that contains the folder hierarchy for Reflect, and if so, it adds the restore log files there. If redirection were supported, some complications would arise. First, the redirected location might not even be available in Rescue due to being offline, encrypted and still locked, etc. But more fundamentally, even though Rescue Media does employ some tricks to try to ensure drive letter assignment is consistent with Windows (which WinPE/RE itself does not guarantee at all), that doesn't always work reliably. But drive letters are how most paths are defined. So suppose Reflect's folder in ProgramData had a tag file specifying the alternate log location of D:\MyReflectLogs. The volume that's assigned "D" in Rescue will not necessarily be the volume that's assigned "D" in Windows and that the user intends to use for logs. This can be worked around by identifying the target by its unique volume identifier rather than its drive letter, as Reflect allows to be done for backup destinations, but that has challenges of its own. If the user ever reformatted or replaced their "D" drive, either of which would change its volume identifier, Reflect would stop using it for logs until the user pointed it at their new "D" drive so that the unique volume identifier was updated appropriately. That won't be intuitive to most people, which I suspect is also why that's not the default targeting mechanism for backup destinations either. I'm not saying it can't be done. I'm just saying it's not necessarily as easy as, "Just add an option for this!" Although adding such an option might be simpler if Reflect did NOT bother trying to write restore logs for jobs performed within Rescue. I was actually surprised when I first saw that.
@jphughan ..."The volume that's assigned "D" in Rescue will not necessarily be the volume" That is the volume No. that is assigned [to] the SD card installed on my laptop for which I had chosen to store the image: So, all is well I guess.
Does automatic checking for updates not work in the free version? In the settings, I checked "Daily checks for software updates when macrium reflect loads". (also "restart macrium reflect after patching"). But it never gives any notification that updates are available. I haven't tried the "hourly background checks for software updates", but I guess it probably also won't work. I thought maybe this is an option only for the paid versions.
Update checking works the same way in Free and the paid versions. The daily checks only work when you launch Reflect interactively. Background execution of scheduled tasks don’t count as a launch for daily update check purposes. The hourly background check option should work though unless maybe you’ve disabled certain services or background applications related to Reflect or have some application blocking them? Or given that both mechanisms seem not to work for you, do you have a firewall that might be blocking outbound connections?
This computer does not have Macrium Reflect installed. Using a bootable MR flash drive, a full system image was created. How do I create a differential or incremental image now? I don't find such an option when booting from a USB stick (analog Prompt -> Full - or Diff - or Incr).
I might first mention, to my knowledge, that if the computer you're imaging does not have REFLECT installed, it is against the license to use a Rescue Media on an unlicensed System. You might wanna check out your license conditions first before trying to do this.
Yes, Macrium rather unintuitively buried an option to create a new backup inside the Restore tab specifically to allow Diff/Inc backups to be created from within Rescue, where XML backup definition files aren't used. This was one of the things that prompted me to submit a thread in the Wish List section of the Macrium forum suggesting a number of changes to the interface that would make it a bit more sensible but would not introduce a sharp learning curve for those already accustomed to the current interface. It was well received by Macrium, so perhaps for V8. But as TheRollbackFrog said, if you have Rescue Media generated by a paid version of Reflect (which would have to be the case if it can make Incrementals), using that on a system that doesn't actually have a license for that paid version of Reflect violates the licensing policy, unless: You have a Technician's license, or You're performing a restore onto a system within the scope of a Deployment Kit license, or You're performing a restore onto a system that will permanently replace the system where your Reflect license was used, such as after a hardware failure.
I haven't tried the background check, but will do it soon. When I run reflect (double click it's desktop icon), it doesn't seem to know that newer versions are available. __________________________________________________ UPDATE: The hourly background check works. It puts a notification in the windows notification center. Still nothing when reflect is started normally. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm running 7.3.5321, while .5365 is the current available version which is shown only if I manually click the check updates button. Antivirus and firewall are just plain win 10 built in, and I've not added any rules for macrium, nor fiddled with any macrium services.
The update check on Reflect launch only occurs once per day. So if you launch Reflect for the first time that day at 9 AM and the update gets pushed at 10 AM, then your background updater will pick it up, but you won't see a prompt to update within Reflect until your first launch on the NEXT day, because the current day's daily check already occurred at 9 AM.
Thanks. It must not be working. I'm pretty sure I've launched reflect several times since the last update offered on Nov 26. But to be sure, I just turned it back on (and background off) and will see if it picks it up tomorrow. I still haven't applied this latest update patch, so it should be a good test. Even if it never works, I can live with it because everything else has always worked so well
I am using an older version and have disabled checking for updates. You can check for updates manually, just before that check if your Windows Brandmauer has an allow rule for C:\Program Files\Macrium\Reflect\ReflectBin.exe (I have, as you understand, this connection is blocked in the firewall). If there is no permissive rule, then you will receive such a response from Reflect, as in the screenshot, because in this firewall if there is no rule at all, then the Internet access for ReflectBin.exe will be closed, and Windows Brandmauer will not be able to show notifications (alerts).
If everything is as I understand it, then this solution has its own advantage - you can create diff or incr images associated with any selected image on which you select "Other Actions ...", or is it not so?
Sort of. It still has to be possible to create a Diff or Inc on that image in the first place. For example, if you captured an existing image and then performed a partition resize or layout change, then it won't be possible to create a new Diff/Inc in a set that was started before that type of change. I guess for people who simply refuse to use definition files and instead step through the wizard every single time they want a Full image, then yes they could use this mechanism to create Diff/Inc images as children of an existing Full without needing definition files. But I really don't understand why people would do that. A definition file is just a tiny XML file that you need to store somewhere, and it saves all of your job settings, which means after you go through the wizard once, the definition file saves time for running all future backups compared to stepping through the wizard every single time, especially if you customize items under Advanced Options. It also eliminates the possibility of you accidentally configuring certain things the wrong way on one of your runs through the wizard. And it's required if you want scheduled backups. Or maybe it's just a lack of understanding. I've seen people think they need unique definition files for each individual backup they create. I've also seen people choose to save definition files at the end of the wizard and then never actually use them going forward for future backups because they thought that the definition files preserved an important record of some kind. In reality, the people who do that AND step through the wizard every time they want a backup just end up with a pile of definition files that serve absolutely no purpose to them.
Thanks for the answer. I just need it to expand my knowledge. Otherwise, I always use the definition files.
Many thanks, helps me to learn. I don't get the popup window in your screenshot. (unable to ...). It just behaves as if the daily update checking were not enabled. I just added a firewall rule to allow relectbin.exe, so we'll see if that works tomorrow. It's really more a matter of curiosity (I'm not an update fanatic
Update: Just confirming that adding macrium to windows firewall "allowed apps" makes no difference, Reflect remains mute about newer versions available. Checking the option to make daily checks simply does not work. Reflect remains mute, and there are no popups to indicate it failed. Just silence. I bet it is a feature which is not supported in the free version, but strangely, it doesn't even advertise an upgrade purchase offer. Oh well, a minor thing
Well it definitely used to work in the Free version. But maybe a bug crept into a recent release or there's something going on with Macrium's backend setup? I don't have any outdated Free installations to test right now.
Thanks JP, My version is 5321. Should be only a few weeks older than the 5365 latest version which doesn't show up on auto checking (daily). Not a peep! The latest version IS offered if the hourly background checks are enabled. I get a windows notification of new version available. I just hope there are no booby traps if I try to do a restore with images I've made with free version in the past.
Macrium's free edition is installed on my daughter's computer, and it definitely notifies of new updates when available. Have you checked Task manager/startup/Macrium Reflect UI watcher whether it is enabled?
There should be a allow firewall rule, this is unambiguous. Automatic check for updates doesn't work for you, but manual check, like in my screenshot, does it work?
Yes, manual checking works fine. I added macrium in the firewall's " allow an app" section. Maybe that's not enough? Also, I never get any notification that the firewall has blocked it. I'm pretty sure I haven't turned any notifications off. EDIT: I just looked at the firewall advanced settings. Macrium was listed in the inbound rules, but not in the outbound rules. I added both reflectupdater and reflectbin. Then I opened Reflect (for the first time today). Still nothing. Maybe I have to reboot for the new firewall settings to work?
