Macrium Reflect- leaving junk?

PE is a windows based environment. The same one that you use to install Windows itself Macrium 5 uses the latest version 3.1. Linux is of course the open source Unix derivative.

I think there is also an option to create a bootable USB stick if you prefer.

Senteaf said:

kado897 said:

PE is a windows based environment. The same one that you use to install Windows itself Macrium 5 uses the latest version 3.1. Linux is of course the open source Unix derivative.

ignatzatsonic said:

Here's some details on Windows PE:

Windows Preinstallation Environment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has a lot more flexibility than the Linux disc, but you may not need any of it. It can't hurt and may be more likely to boot.

I tried to create a bootable Linux disk with Macrium 5.0 Free Edition. I made the disk, but it would not boot.

Instead, I made a Win PE disk which does boot--and I can still boot from a Linux disc I made with an earlier version of Macrium. The Linux discs produced by Macrium may or may not be bootable--you have to test them.

kado897 said:

I think there is also an option to create a bootable USB stick if you prefer.

So there are:
1. WPE - which is available only in Macrium paid version.
2. Linux bootable recovery disc - which is available to burn on a disc through Macrium Reflect
3.
And the last one is...USB?
How do I create a bootable USB?
I want the simplest boot-able recovery disc, the smallest and not all the advanced features, yet.

1. PE is available in the free version if you download the WAIK.
2. The wizard gives you the option either to burn a CD or create a bootable USB. I think that is only the PE version though not Linux.

No problem Senteaf.

Senteaf said:

kado897 said:

Yes the bootable PE is best but try the Linux version first. It may be OK in your environment. I must admit that I haven't tried the latest version of the Linux disk. I believe it has changed with V5 for the better.

would you please explain what the differences are?
What does it actually mean "Linux version" or "Linux" when you talk about programs which are not run inside Linux kernel based OSs?

ignatzatsonic said:

The PE disk is a bootable recovery disk, but not a must. It's an alternative to the Linux recovery disk. You can use either. The PE disk may be more compatible (bootable) with your system. As I recall, you have to make some downloads and jump through a few hoops to build the PE disk.

Regarding your partitions. A very small (200 mb or less) should be the Windows "system reserved" partition that contains your boot files. Any other larger partitions are likely either for system recovery (to factory conditions) or may contain tools provided by the system manufacturer.

Okay I am a confused - on the Macrium tutorial you can see there is a button to burn such a recovery disk on a CD/DVD/USB storage. therefor eliminating downloads and hoops and jumps.

Yes there is a 200MB partition, probably for the MBR if I recall correctly and other required boot files.
besides the 200MB partition, the 500GB of the OS and user files, there two more partitions - one for the recovery solution and another one which I can not even see in process explorer and can also not even rename/delete. It is weird because I am an admin. I don't see any way the Manufacturer could block my access.

pincushion said:

Usually there is a boot partition of a hundred MB or more and a Recovery partition of 10 GB or so. These might not be visible. One of the things about imaging, in my view, is to get the OS partition down to the minimum necessary so that images will be smaller.

To do this on my system for example I try to keep all data from programs (Spotify, BBC Iplayer etc) elsewhere along with personal data (easier to back-up too). Also since mine is a desktop I don't use hibernation and have my swapfile on another partition - although many imaging programs don't include the swapfile anyway. With just the OS and programs on the system partition I find this can be kept down to 50 - 80 GB and space used might be around 30 - 40 GB. Hence images will be kept to a managable size and only take about 10 minutes or less. I find I image about every week or so, depending upon software installs or other updates.

Hope that helps. :)

kado897 said:

I totally agree about keeping the minimum amount of data on the OS partition. I have most of my data on separate disks and use other means to back that up.

I know, I have those two partitions you mentioned.
But I also have another invisible partition which I can not even modify in any way. It has around the same space as the Recovery partition has.

Good idea but the problems emerge in case you choose/have to recover your system to get rid of viruses, or any malicious code.
It could stay in your Personal Data partition(which in most computers is at the same as the OS isn't it?) and then infect the OS partition after a restorations is completed. Now it is not such a good idea :)



Thank you all, you are very helpful :)

Well that is the point of having effective anti-virus that scans any files you download no matter where you save them. My anti-virus usually has a few false positives but has never let any malware on to my system. Restoring an image will get around most malware issues and since I have used my method for at least a decade without any malware of any sort then I would assume it has been successful. Choose whatever method you think will work for you.

I should add that I run with the Devil by operating as administrator so theoretically I should be at more risk than other more sensible people.

Understand your concern ... because the FREE version, after installation, connects to the Internet when it is first launched. That's because it comes with an embedded key -- and needs to verify that. I know, that's weird for a FREE version -- but that's how it works. It will also connect to the Internet again every time you launch it -- but that's because it looks for product updates, thus preventing you from having to do that yourself.