Macrium Reflect

mjf said:

The Note: at the link says only if you have a valid license key.

I know, that's why I said I think you can use the installers for the free version. It's the same app after all.

mjf said:

@nenny
I still consider that there is still some uncertainty that Macrium will continue to support a free version of their product.

ZERO UNCERTAINTY.

Officially you have to buy a license to :-
Qualify for email support from the developers;
Post on the forum with problems.
I think it probable that licensed v5 enhancements would be rolled out to free v5 for those capabilities that are not crippled,
e.g. A better/faster way of creating a FULL backup could be incorporated,
but do not expect to see Incremental and Differential backup added.

It is obvious that the obsolete v4 is still supported in that the v4 Forum is still open for posting problems that are responded to.
Only the Wish List v4 sub-forum is locked at
Macrium Support Forum

The developers now focus on enhancing the current product,
but I believe Bugfixes will still be rolled out for v4.

Just noticed there is no GPT support now with the free edition.

Odd.

I'm still running MBR for the foreseeable future but a move to GPT is inevitable.

SIW2 said:

Just noticed there is no GPT support now with the free edition.

Odd.

GPT is not the same as GPT dynamic (dont know why - just know it is)

Early this year with the Licensed v4.2 I had no problem creating and restoring images of my MBR primary HDD and holding the backup files on a GPT Dynamic secondary HDD.

Having learnt from Acronis disasters I chose not to restore/replace my functional C:\ without first restoring to unallocated space on the Primary, and using Winmerge to compare the contents of the new restored partition with C:\.
I would have liked to dual boot to the new partition but lacked the confidence to configure what I had never previously configured.

Then I tried restoring to unallocated space on this GPT Dynamic HDD and Macrium could not recognise any usable space.
Macrium Support advised me that it worked with GPT BASIC and gave a simple procedure to convert.
That allowed me to experiment with both restoring and creating images of partition on GPT BASIC.

Licensed v5 now deals with GPT Dynamic and also RAID as well.

I believe that it is reasonable for people using Enterprise grade RAID GPT DYNAMIC systems to have an incentive for buying a license,
but that does not necessarily mean the Free version will not deal with GPT BASIC.

N.B.
I tried the recent Free Trial and that has no problem creating and restoring images on my GPT BASIC
The commercial licensed Standard version also omits GPT Dynamic from its capability,
but probably retains the Standard v4 capability of GPT BASIC
Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

I was think about a UEFI BIOS using a GUID (GPT) partition table on the boot disk. Then there is the need for compatibility of this with either an MBR or GPT data disk.
(acronym soup is not deliberate!!!!)

Thanks Guys for all the info.

I will make the pe rescue disk and try it if needed in the future.

I also download the free Macrium Reflect v5 just to be on the safe side.

Thanks again.