Macrium Reflect Free--new Edition (6.) issue on boot menu

compiler · 09 Jul 2015

Ok, I installed the new version of Reflect. One feature I like is that it can create a boot recovery menu.
I did this and in fact I tested it. It made me reboot and upon reboot it gave me the choice of booting from W7 or from Reflect (Windows PE 3.0).

I would like it to only give me that option when I want to restore an image. But I get the boot option every time I boot up. It's not a big deal as it boots into Windows7 after about 4 seconds (unless, of course, I choose the Reflect boot).

I don't think I like that. How can I eliminate it?

Mel

Lady Fitzgerald · 09 Jul 2015

As far as I know, you can't eliminate it. Besides, if you could eliminate it, the only way you would be able to use it is if you are already booted into Win 7 and can get into Macrium Reflect. If you run into a problem that keeps you from rebooting into Win 7, you would be out of luck unless you had a rescue disk or USB stick (btw, it's a good idea to have one handy anyway in case the drive Win 7 is on gets so messed up, nothing will work). Frankly, four seconds isn't very long even though it may seem like an eternity when sitting there staring at the screen but then again, if you are staring at the screen while rebooting, you can just hit the enter key as soon as it pops up.

If it's really all that bothersome, you could just disable it entirely and depend on rescue media to do a restoration (although it probably would be slower, especially if using a CD or USB 2.0 stick).

Btw, Win PE 5.0 might be a bit faster in use than 3.0. It's Win 8 based but will work fine on Win 7 machines.

compiler · 09 Jul 2015

Lady:

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I did create a boot CD, tested it, and it works.
But I've been rethinking matters, and I think I will keep the boot menu for the reasons you cited. It is an extra layer of security (what if the boot disk fails). Incidentally, one way to solve the problem I posed would be to actually do a restore! I do have some previous image files. But I think I'll just keep things as they are. I should have realized this would happen when I created the boot menu via Reflex!

Mel

Ranger4 · 09 Jul 2015

On Reflect V5 you can disable the Boot Menu option from within Reflect. It's under Other Tasks from the menu list at the top.

As you say having it working is an extra security option, but only if your motherboard doesn't need replacing. If you motherboard fails then that option will be lost, so you definitely need the recovery CD. Which should be tested to make sure it works.

As lady F has said making & testing a PE 5 would be a good idea.

Lady Fitzgerald · 09 Jul 2015

Ranger4 said:

On Reflect V5 you can disable the Boot Menu option from within Reflect. It's under Other Tasks from the menu list at the top.

As you say having it working is an extra security option, but only if your motherboard doesn't need replacing. If you motherboard fails then that option will be lost, so you definitely need the recovery CD. Which should be tested to make sure it works.

As lady F has said making & testing a PE 5 would be a good idea.

The same is true if the boot drive is dead or wiped. That said, I have restored many times from the boot menu; it's much more convenient and faster than using separate recovery media.

compiler · 10 Jul 2015

Ranger:

I use the Free Version. I am pretty sure that in version 5, there was no option to create a boot menu. This just appeared in the new version 6.0 Free.
I looked under other tasks and I do not see the option to disable the boot menu.

But I think I am willing to live with the current situation. As Lady said, it would seem to be quite convenient to utilize the boot menu to do a restore.

Incidentally, I have never had to do a Restore. I am getting rid of an old XP Dell Inspiron laptop. So I did create an image and later restored from the image just to get experience doing it. It worked like a charm and took maybe 25 minutes at most to restore. It was good practice. At least I feel like I'll know how to do it when/if I have to. Hopefully the machine would be able to boot via that boot menu or at worst from my recovery disk.

Mel