Macrium Reflect

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

  1. oliverjia

    oliverjia Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2005
    Posts:
    1,926
    Yes
     
  2. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2011
    Posts:
    4,945
    Location:
    The Pond - USA
    That is correct. Since I multi-BOOT with Windows, I image the Linux side of the System while I'm running in Windows. Otherwise, Rescue Media is the only way.
     
  3. Scott W

    Scott W Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2008
    Posts:
    659
    Location:
    USA
    I'll probably do the same, but when I ultimately abandon Windows (which I plan to do on both my desktop and laptop), it would still be nice to be able to do hot backups!
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2018
  4. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2011
    Posts:
    4,945
    Location:
    The Pond - USA
    Without a sub-System like VSS on Windows, this is almost impossible to do without special drivers (which is what the original imaging people did with Windows prior to VSS). There is no similar function under Linux (LVM partially accomplishes similar tasks), although they've messed around with it from time to time. Without being able to freeze that FileSystem (required for stable, accurate HOT images), the image could be very unreliable for many filetypes as well as the FileSystem itself.

    I think the Linux Devs are working on a feature similar to VSS. BTRFS will probably be the future of Linux snapshotting...
     
  5. Scott W

    Scott W Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2008
    Posts:
    659
    Location:
    USA
    Frog, are you aware of this? -- it's way over my head!
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2018
  6. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2011
    Posts:
    4,945
    Location:
    The Pond - USA
    It's actually not too far over your head, Scott... it's more of a Linux MOUNTED volume vs a Windows LOCKED volume apples to oranges scenario.

    The app states it cannot, reliably, snapshot a mounted read/write volume which is exactly the same in the Windows environment without VSS or a special supplied driver by the app author (IFW/phylock or Reflect/pssnap). It can easily perform that function on any unmounted volume (it's not changing if it's not mounted... aka "unlocked" in Windows). The ability to snapshot a LVM (Logical Volume Managed) volume has the shortcomings of LVM in general... there can be issues.

    There's another app from R1Soft called SERVER BACKUP MANAGER that can snapshot a mounted read/write Linux volume. It does so successfully because it does supply its own special driver (like Reflect & IFW do if VSS doesn't exist). I believe it also works in the Windows environment as well.

    All the snapshot apps that run without VSS, even with their own drivers, cannot guarantee the consistency of many of the databases used in either of the OS environments. VSS has the ability to "warn" database apps (if they register themselves to receive that warning) about an upcoming FileSystem freeze which allows those apps to make their databases "consistent," usually by flushing all their high-speed DATA caches out into the database file itself, making it now consistent.

    Accurately backing up consistent LIVE FileSystems is not an easy task for any application in any OS environment. That's why COLD IMAGING (hello @oliverjia :)) is always accurate and consistent... the volumes being imaged are never Mounted/locked/in-use in any way other than in the imaging operation itself (no changes going on).
     
  7. Scott W

    Scott W Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2008
    Posts:
    659
    Location:
    USA
    Gotcha (I think). :doubt:
     
  8. TheRollbackFrog

    TheRollbackFrog Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2011
    Posts:
    4,945
    Location:
    The Pond - USA
    By the time you get to Linux full-time (I will be running a Windows VM under Linux just to run those pesky apps I really need that don't exist under Linux), there should be alternatives available for HOT imaging, maybe not as efficient as Reflect when it comes to restorations but at least as efficient when it comes to imaging.
     
  9. Scott W

    Scott W Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2008
    Posts:
    659
    Location:
    USA
    Well, I'm now looking at live Linux distros on my old XP desktop to see which are light enough to run as fast as XP, or faster (and hopefully, Windows-user-friendly)! Once I find the right one I'll replace XP on that desktop so I guess I'll be doing cold backups with either MR or IFL.

    I probably won't be installing Linux on my laptop until 2020 (end of support for Win7). Win10 is definitely not in my future!
     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2018
  10. Banzi

    Banzi Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2013
    Posts:
    397
    Location:
    Scotland
    Hi,

    Can someone please tell me my ReflectMonitor.exe seems to use a lot of memory even though there is no scheduled backups? (all backups done by booting from USB recovery media) It seems to increase in memory use memory use the longer the PC is not rebooted or shutdown. My PC is on 24/7 & is only restarted if needed by windows update or anti-virus program update. T the moment it is using 1.4gb of memory.
    reflectmonitor.JPG
     
  11. lofac

    lofac Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2018
    Posts:
    125
    Location:
    .
    This could be a sign of memory leak in the program. Is this behavior being consistent even after a system reboot or at least restarting of the application?
     
  12. Banzi

    Banzi Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2013
    Posts:
    397
    Location:
    Scotland
    Yeah if I reboot the system the memory use of ReflectMonitor.exe is about 3mb, the longer the system has been running the more memory that process uses, I have seen it as high as 3gb. If I end task that process it restarts & uses about 3mb then it increases the system is up. Screenshot is taken after ending the process & it restarting itself.
    reflectmonitor.JPG
     
  13. lofac

    lofac Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2018
    Posts:
    125
    Location:
    .
    I have seen several reports of similar behavior from the program, I think the only solution is to contact the developer and provide logs to go through the issue to get a possible fix.

    You could also try adding it to your antivirus exclusion list and see if that makes any difference.
    Also from task manager, in 'Details' tab, from menu 'View' show: memory commit size, non-paged pool, see how much it goes up for reflect process.
     
  14. Banzi

    Banzi Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2013
    Posts:
    397
    Location:
    Scotland
    Will try your suggestions, it's annoying me as I used the free version for a year or two with no issues, I then got a good deal on a 1 year license for the home version & that's when this issue started, the free version was fully uninstalled then a reboot before installing the new v7 home version.
     
  15. jwcca

    jwcca Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2003
    Posts:
    772
    Location:
    Toronto
    Has anyone installed Reflect V6 Free on a tablet?
    I just had the auto update from W8.1 to W10 on the tablet and I'd like to make an image, nothing more, no incrementals, no schedules, just bare bones imaging of the W10.
    Can I download not only the "installer" to my main PC but also download the full app to my main PC and then copy the full app to the tablet to install it?

    Edit: I tried running the installer on my PC and found that it would download and install the main app on my PC so I have to run the installer on the tablet. I guess the worst case would be that Reflect won't install on the tablet but won't trash the tablet in the process, I'll give it a try later today.
     
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2018
  16. puff-m-d

    puff-m-d Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2002
    Posts:
    5,703
    Location:
    North Carolina, USA
    Hello,

    A new update has been released, version 7.1.2885...
    Homepage
    Download Page
    Release Notes
     
  17. Minimalist

    Minimalist Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2014
    Posts:
    14,881
    Location:
    Slovenia, EU
    Thnx :thumb:
    Updated using internal updater. Download was 43,8 MB in size.
     
  18. puff-m-d

    puff-m-d Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2002
    Posts:
    5,703
    Location:
    North Carolina, USA
  19. fouriron

    fouriron Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2005
    Posts:
    36
    If I wish to restore my Windows partition which in on a GPT disk using the Macrium recovery installed on a USB drive, do I need to boot the USB in UEFI mode or does it not matter?
     
  20. crofttk

    crofttk Registered Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2004
    Posts:
    1,979
    Location:
    Eastern PA, USA
    It doesn't matter. As long as your machine can successfully boot the rescue media into the rescue environment, then Macrium can do its job of simply writing the imaged partition to the destination. Hopefully, you used the option when creating the rescue media to prepare it for booting BIOS or UEFI either one - then it's even less of a question.
     
  21. fouriron

    fouriron Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2005
    Posts:
    36
    Thanks. And yes, I did create the rescue media for booting both BIOS and UEFI
     
  22. Brian K

    Brian K Imaging Specialist

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2005
    Posts:
    12,115
    Location:
    NSW, Australia
    With Windows UEFI booting you should have CSM disabled. Then you won't see Legacy/MBR choices in the Boot Menu.
     
  23. kronckew

    kronckew Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2006
    Posts:
    455
    Location:
    CSA Consulate, Glos., UK
    I leave the CSM (Compatibility Support Module) in the Bios settings on Auto, so if i do have a bootable mbr disk or usb device it will be selectable on boot overrides. on a macrium restore if you are restoring from a mbr image to a gpt/uefi use the advanced option to deselect rewriting the imaged mbr back to the disk. same on visa versa...
     
  24. Rico

    Rico Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2004
    Posts:
    2,286
    Location:
    Canada
    Hi Guys, Soon I'll switch 1 tb hdd and move to 512 gb ssd. I have the latest paid Macrium, does it matter, choice of "Image or Clone" for the transfer. I understand that image is one big file, and expands, so as to be the same, as when imaged onto the new drive. Some say it does not matter, others say Clone.

    Which ever one used I plan to transfer all, existing partitions to ssd. The 512gb ssd will be 10 - 20 times, more storage space, than the transfer. Depending on clone or image used for transfer, can i easily assign all non used space to (c:) using clone or image.

    I've used Macrium image to restore & every no & then practice, restore on an old laptop

    Thanks
    Rico
     
  25. aldist

    aldist Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2017
    Posts:
    1,103
    Location:
    Lunar module
    Use Clone. After the cloning operation is complete, shut down the computer, physically disconnect the old HDD, then boot from the new SSD.
    The activation of Windows will fly off, you will need to activate it again.
    Reflect supports cloning a smaller disk to a larger, larger disk by a smaller one.
    First read Knowledge Base here:
    https://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW7/Cloning a disk
    https://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW7/Clone - Avdanced Options
    https://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW7/Backup, imaging and cloning
     
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.