question about Macrium Reflect

I have been using the Macrium Free Reflect to backup my C drive. The C
drive is 223G (according to W7) and is about half filled. I use a 1T D
drive for files, etc. I backup the D drive manually to a USB drive,
file by file. Anyway, when using Reflect on the C drive I get 2 options
on the opening screen. One is "Image selected disks on this computer"
and the other is "Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup
and restore Windows". They both seem to do the same thing. I would
assume that the "Create an image ..." would only do the windows stuff
and not any of your files, but it seems to do it all ... maybe. If I
use the "Image selected disks ..." I assume that is would do everything
on the disk. So, does anyone know the differences? Am I missing
something?

Art Todesco wrote:
I have been using the Macrium Free Reflect to backup my C drive. The C
drive is 223G (according to W7) and is about half filled. I use a 1T D
drive for files, etc. I backup the D drive manually to a USB drive,
file by file. Anyway, when using Reflect on the C drive I get 2 options
on the opening screen. One is "Image selected disks on this computer"
and the other is "Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup
and restore Windows". They both seem to do the same thing. I would
assume that the "Create an image ..." would only do the windows stuff
and not any of your files, but it seems to do it all ... maybe. If I
use the "Image selected disks ..." I assume that is would do everything
on the disk. So, does anyone know the differences? Am I missing
something?

At the partition level, it works like this.

1) In the right pane, there are tick boxes all over the place.
Click a "row" in the right pane (a single disk), and notice
there is an "Image Disk" right below that row.

That command only applies then, to the disk in the row
you selected. You tick the boxes to select partitions
in that disk for imaging (whole partitions backup).

2) Now, instead of that, two menu items on the left are "global".
Say you have M disks in the right pane, and you tick N of them.
Some of the disks, you leave unticked.

When the left hand menu says "Image selected disks", it is
going to image *all* the disks you ticked on the right. If
you have two disks ticked, it will backup the selected partitions
on two disks. I didn't realize this option existed for the longest
while.

3) The option on the left, to backup the OS partitions, should
be selecting a smaller set of partitions. If System Reserved
is marked "Active" and "System", then it has /boot/BCD in it
and needs to be backed up. The C: partition is marked "Boot"
which means "I have the C:\Windows files". Those are the options
that should be captured during the OS style backup.

So that's one "local" or "single disk" option, plus some
more "global" options.

The danger with the "global" ones, is you tick the destination
disk at the same time as the source disk(s). If so, the imaging
command should tell you that "the destination is included in
your backup" and that isn't allowed because "it's a loop". So
at the very least, when using the global settings in the upper
left when the Backup tab is selected, it's up to you to make
sure the destination for the backup .mring, isn't located on
any of the partitions being backed up.

In this example, I set up two disks. An OS disk. And
a data disk that has a 2GB file on it. When I select the
top left option, to backup selected disks, my backup is
larger than if I do the OS partition option.

https://s10.postimg.org/iqix03ah5/ma...al_options.gif

Paul

On 3/5/2018 3:27 PM, Paul wrote:
Art Todesco wrote:
I have been using the Macrium Free Reflect to backup my C drive.Â* The
C drive is 223G (according to W7) and is about half filled.Â* I use a
1T D drive for files, etc.Â* I backup the D drive manually to a USB
drive, file by file.Â* Anyway, when using Reflect on the C drive I get
2 options on the opening screen.Â* One is "Image selected disks on this
computer" and the other is "Create an image of the partition(s)
required to backup and restore Windows".Â* They both seem to do the
same thing.Â* I would assume that the "Create an image ..." would only
do the windows stuff and not any of your files, but it seems to do it
all ... maybe.Â* If I use the "Image selected disks ..." I assume that
is would do everything on the disk.Â* So, does anyone know the
differences?Â* Am I missing something?

At the partition level, it works like this.

1) In the right pane, there are tick boxes all over the place.
Â*Â* Click a "row" in the right pane (a single disk), and notice
Â*Â* there is an "Image Disk" right below that row.

Â*Â* That command only applies then, to the disk in the row
Â*Â* you selected.Â* You tick the boxes to select partitions
Â*Â* in that disk for imaging (whole partitions backup).

2) Now, instead of that, two menu items on the left are "global".
Â*Â* Say you have M disks in the right pane, and you tick N of them.
Â*Â* Some of the disks, you leave unticked.

Â*Â* When the left hand menu says "Image selected disks", it is
Â*Â* going to image *all* the disks you ticked on the right. If
Â*Â* you have two disks ticked, it will backup the selected partitions
Â*Â* on two disks. I didn't realize this option existed for the longest
Â*Â* while.

3) The option on the left, to backup the OS partitions, should
Â*Â* be selecting a smaller set of partitions. If System Reserved
Â*Â* is marked "Active" and "System", then it has /boot/BCD in it
Â*Â* and needs to be backed up. The C: partition is marked "Boot"
Â*Â* which means "I have the C:\Windows files". Those are the options
Â*Â* that should be captured during the OS style backup.

So that's one "local" or "single disk" option, plus some
more "global" options.

The danger with the "global" ones, is you tick the destination
disk at the same time as the source disk(s). If so, the imaging
command should tell you that "the destination is included in
your backup" and that isn't allowed because "it's a loop". So
at the very least, when using the global settings in the upper
left when the Backup tab is selected, it's up to you to make
sure the destination for the backup .mring, isn't located on
any of the partitions being backed up.

In this example, I set up two disks. An OS disk. And
a data disk that has a 2GB file on it. When I select the
top left option, to backup selected disks, my backup is
larger than if I do the OS partition option.

https://s10.postimg.org/iqix03ah5/ma...al_options.gif

Â*Â* Paul
Thanks for the great detail. So, one other question, what's the
difference if I select "Clone this disk" or "Image this disk"? It's
funny, I've never looked at the details and just blindly plowed through.
I once replaced my laptop's spinning drive with an SSD. I had no
problems cloning or imaging or whatever. After finishing the job,
everything worked as before, just faster. This was a great fix for a
laptop that was not the speediest PC.

In message , Art Todesco
writes:
[]
Thanks for the great detail. So, one other question, what's the
difference if I select "Clone this disk" or "Image this disk"? It's
funny, I've never looked at the details and just blindly plowed
through. I once replaced my laptop's spinning drive with an SSD. I
had no problems cloning or imaging or whatever. After finishing the
job, everything worked as before, just faster. This was a great fix
for a laptop that was not the speediest PC.

Clone will make a copy of the source disc on the target disc - a clone;
you could then shut down, swap over the discs, and it should then boot
just as it was. Even if the new disc is bigger, you'd have partitions
the same size you did (it's easy to use the extra space with a
partitioning tool, even the built-in one).

Imaging will make one big file on the target disc, which contains all
the _information_ from the source partitions (even discs I think): think
of it as a giant .zip file, if you like, except it contains partitioning
information (including hidden partitions if you include them, which you
should). A disc with an image file on it won't boot; you need to use
Macrium to "unpack" the image back to a disc.

On the whole, cloning is used when you have a new drive (or SSD) you
want to move to, and imaging is used for backup against disaster (such
as ransomware or a drive dying); you can get several images on a big
enough disc, so several backups. By default (you can change this), the
image is only as big as the total of the actual _data_ on the source
partitions, or even a bit less as the default is to do some compression.

To restore from an image, you need to have Macrium running, so if your
disc has died and you want to restore to a new one, you have to have
made the Macrium boot CD: do it NOW if you haven't. (It'll fit on a
mini-CD, at least Macrium 5 will - I think the later ones will too. I
find a mini-cd easier to keep with my backup drive; YMMV.) I tend to
boot from the mini-CD when _making_ my image backups: I don't feel at
ease backing up a Windows system that's actually running, though Macrium
(and many of the others) is quite capable of doing that. (If nothing
else, it stops me using the system while making the backup, so there's
nothing - no change or addition - that I'd assumed is on the backup but
isn't. YMMV.) Since I partition so that C: is OS-and-software only, and
I only image C: and the hidden partitions, a backup (even via USB2)
doesn't take me long.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I
have one. -Cato the Elder, statesman, soldier, and writer (234-149 BCE)

An older version of the Macrium Rescue Disc may not work with a newer
version of Macrium. Make sure your Rescue Disc is compatible.

In message , John Keiser
writes:
An older version of the Macrium Rescue Disc may not work with a newer
version of Macrium. Make sure your Rescue Disc is compatible.

(If you send an email at the same time as posting to a newsgroup, please
indicate in the body of the post/ email that you're doing so.)

Any image or clone I have will have been _made_ with my Macrium CD, so I
don't anticipate any problems restoring from them with it. (I don't use
the installed Macrium at all - I haven't even installed it on this
machine; although Macrium is quite capable of doing it, I feel uneasy
about imagine a Windows system from inside itself. I always boot the CD
to make my images.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

No, I haven't changed my mind - I'm perfectly happy with the one I have, thank
you.

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , John Keiser
writes:
An older version of the Macrium Rescue Disc may not work with a newer
version of Macrium. Make sure your Rescue Disc is compatible.

(If you send an email at the same time as posting to a newsgroup, please
indicate in the body of the post/ email that you're doing so.)

Any image or clone I have will have been _made_ with my Macrium CD, so I
don't anticipate any problems restoring from them with it. (I don't use
the installed Macrium at all - I haven't even installed it on this
machine; although Macrium is quite capable of doing it, I feel uneasy
about imagine a Windows system from inside itself. I always boot the CD
to make my images.)

John raises a good point though.

I have multiple Macrium Rescue discs floating around in the
room here, and this issue is a *constant* nuisance. I run
all sorts of different versions of Macrium and a 6.1 CD
won't restore a 6.3 backup image.

I record the version number used to make a backup, in
the file name of the output file, so I can visually
identify the "minimum CD version" to grab before I
do a restore.

For an example of naming convention:

WIN8P5E_before_Win10_Dec31_2017_5_3_7149-00-00.mrimg.7z

That one was recorded in version 5.3.7149 (while in Windows),
saved as normal to .mrimg, then compressed in .7z Ultra
format for least wasted disk space. I think all my CDs
can restore that one.

The title tells me, I was testing Digital Entitlement of
a Win8.1 OS on December 31 (the supposed "last day" of
activation). The backup was made, so I could return the
disk to mint condition after the experiment.

Most people make "scheduled" backups (with random file names)
as part of a disaster plan. I make backups mostly to avoid
the side-effects of some of my experiments :-) Disaster
planning is purely by accident here, and is a side effect
of making backups (randomly).

Paul

On Mon, 5 Mar 2018 09:00:18 -0500, Art Todesco wrote:
I have been using the Macrium Free Reflect to backup my C drive. The C
drive is 223G (according to W7) and is about half filled. I use a 1T D
drive for files, etc. I backup the D drive manually to a USB drive,
file by file.


Hopefully you don't mean literally one file at a time.

If you haven't looked into Robocopy, I strongly recommend it. It's
already installed with your Windows. I use t many times a day,
synching various folders among my work computer, my USB stick, and
two home laptops. (They don't all get used every day, and I have
batch files to robocopy the folders I care about, so it takes very
little time to do this.)

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://BrownMath.com/
http://OakRoadSystems.com/
Shikata ga nai...

On 3/6/2018 7:17 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
On Mon, 5 Mar 2018 09:00:18 -0500, Art Todesco wrote:
I have been using the Macrium Free Reflect to backup my C drive. The C
drive is 223G (according to W7) and is about half filled. I use a 1T D
drive for files, etc. I backup the D drive manually to a USB drive,
file by file.


Hopefully you don't mean literally one file at a time.

If you haven't looked into Robocopy, I strongly recommend it. It's
already installed with your Windows. I use t many times a day,
synching various folders among my work computer, my USB stick, and
two home laptops. (They don't all get used every day, and I have
batch files to robocopy the folders I care about, so it takes very
little time to do this.)

No. I just drag and drop the whole D root directory (cntl A) into the
backup HD. The only problem, and it's really not a problem, towards the
end, there are several files with the same name and W7 asks if I want to
overwrite them. But in either case, I don't care about them, so I just
dismiss it.

Art Todesco wrote:
On 3/6/2018 7:17 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
On Mon, 5 Mar 2018 09:00:18 -0500, Art Todesco wrote:
I have been using the Macrium Free Reflect to backup my C drive. The C
drive is 223G (according to W7) and is about half filled. I use a 1T D
drive for files, etc. I backup the D drive manually to a USB drive,
file by file.


Hopefully you don't mean literally one file at a time.

If you haven't looked into Robocopy, I strongly recommend it. It's
already installed with your Windows. I use t many times a day,
synching various folders among my work computer, my USB stick, and
two home laptops. (They don't all get used every day, and I have
batch files to robocopy the folders I care about, so it takes very
little time to do this.)

No. I just drag and drop the whole D root directory (cntl A) into the
backup HD. The only problem, and it's really not a problem, towards the
end, there are several files with the same name and W7 asks if I want to
overwrite them. But in either case, I don't care about them, so I just
dismiss it.

Press ctrl-A first.

Then, press and hold ctrlAlt and use
your mouse to click individual items you
don't want in the file copy. You can edit
the list while holding ctrlAlt.

Then press ctrl-C to copy the edited list.

Paul

In message , Art Todesco
writes:
On 3/6/2018 7:17 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
On Mon, 5 Mar 2018 09:00:18 -0500, Art Todesco wrote:
I have been using the Macrium Free Reflect to backup my C drive. The C
drive is 223G (according to W7) and is about half filled. I use a 1T D
drive for files, etc. I backup the D drive manually to a USB drive,
file by file.

Hopefully you don't mean literally one file at a time.
If you haven't looked into Robocopy, I strongly recommend it. It's
already installed with your Windows. I use t many times a day,
synching various folders among my work computer, my USB stick, and
two home laptops. (They don't all get used every day, and I have
batch files to robocopy the folders I care about, so it takes very
little time to do this.)

No. I just drag and drop the whole D root directory (cntl A) into the
backup HD. The only problem, and it's really not a problem, towards
the end, there are several files with the same name and W7 asks if I
want to overwrite them. But in either case, I don't care about them,
so I just dismiss it.

I used to do that (well, into a folder/directory on the backup HD,
rotating round between three such). It _does_ take a long time, though,
and also doesn't remove from the backup any files you've deleted from D:
since last time. I now use a synching application - I use SyncToy, from
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/down....aspx?id=15155, but
there are others; this only copies files and directories that are new or
have changed since last I backed up to there, with the result that the
process is a lot faster, and also deletes from the backup ones that have
been deleted from D: since last time. It still leaves you with a backup
that can just be accessed without needing any software.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"I'm not against women. Not often enough, anyway." - Groucho Marx

On 3/7/2018 8:13 AM, Paul wrote:
Art Todesco wrote:
On 3/6/2018 7:17 PM, Stan Brown wrote:
On Mon, 5 Mar 2018 09:00:18 -0500, Art Todesco wrote:
I have been using the Macrium Free Reflect to backup my C drive.Â* The C
drive is 223G (according to W7) and is about half filled.Â* I use a 1T D
drive for files, etc.Â* I backup the D drive manually to a USB drive,
file by file.


Hopefully you don't mean literally one file at a time.

If you haven't looked into Robocopy, I strongly recommend it. It's
already installed with your Windows. I use t many times a day,
synching various folders among my work computer, my USB stick, and
two home laptops. (They don't all get used every day, and I have
batch files to robocopy the folders I care about, so it takes very
little time to do this.)

No.Â* I just drag and drop the whole D root directory (cntl A) into the
backup HD.Â* The only problem, and it's really not a problem, towards
the end, there are several files with the same name and W7 asks if I
want to overwrite them.Â* But in either case, I don't care about them,
so I just dismiss it.

Press ctrl-A first.

Then, press and hold ctrlAlt and use
your mouse to click individual items you
don't want in the file copy. You can edit
the list while holding ctrlAlt.

Then press ctrl-C to copy the edited list.

Â*Â* Paul
Actually, after doing ctrl-A first, then just hold ctrl and
'subtract' the ones you don't want. No need for alt. Been doing that
forever.