Suspect System Images - Possible warning

Today I tried to perform a Macrium system image restore (image date 28 March 2015). It got through to completion but reported an error when it was time to boot. I didn't note the specific error. This has never happened before.

I then tried a system image restore of a Windows system image (image date 22 March 2015) stored on a different ext HDD. It got through to "completion" but reported a restore error (some file missing). This has never happened before.

I then tried another Windows system image restore (image date 4 March 2015). This succeeded.

What's different? MS issued bunch of update on 10 March 2015. So it may be that these updates have impacted the reliability of system images (Macrium and Windows) after this date. So it would be interesting to know if anyone has installed these updates and successfully restored an image made after they were installed.
The only other difference I can think of is Malwarebytes and Norton Definition file updates.

If this is a general issue your recent system images may be useless.

Macrium is one of the best according to many! I [along with some others] use Acronis True Image. When you're making the backup images, did you boot a Macrium-created boot disk, and let 'er do the backup? Or, are these backups on the fly, in the background being made?

RolandJS said:

Macrium is one of the best according to many! I [along with some others] use Acronis True Image. When you're making the backup images, did you boot a Macrium-created boot disk, and let 'er do the backup? Or, are these backups on the fly, in the background being made?

I always make Macrium images using the installed Macrium not from the Rescue disk. With Windows you must use the installed program. I have made 100+ system images and lost count of the number of restores to existing and new HDDs/SSDs (~50 I'd say). It has become a very routine operation for me. I've been using Windows and Macrium imaging for years.
This recent bad experience is totally new and I am warning others. Your images using Windows or Macrium will work and your Macrium verify will work but they may be useless when it comes to a system image restore.

I made another new Macrium (5.3.7299) Image from a system image restore made prior to the 22 important MS updates of 10 March 2015. This new image restored without problem.
I installed the updates and the system image restore failed (broken pipe).
Conclusion:
System images made after the 10 March updates are unreliable. I don't know which of the updates are the culprit but problems from updates is becoming all too common and this is a big one.

Thats really worrying. My latest Macrium image is from 4 April, so I dare not attempt a restore from this image. The Macrium forums don't mention this issue...yet.

Very concerning. My last image was taken 27th March so I'll put a note on it to use that one as my next backup if needed. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

You might try and run a check disk (dskchk) on the backup drive. An old Macrium Support Thread suggests the problem may be a disk read error.

carwiz said:

You might try and run a check disk (dskchk) on the backup drive. An old Macrium Support Thread suggests the problem may be a disk read error.

A media read error took down one of two ext usb HDs; well, I had to run the FixIt on it. Carwiz's correct, backups and restores depend upon media being free from problems.