Macrium Reflect opens instead of my desktop

derekimo said:

OK, that clears that thought.

What happens if you just let it continue?

It could just be creating the rescue media.

Here's the thing, I was trying to make a backup disk and got an error message with it. Turned the computer off for the night (forgot that disk was in the drive) and when I went to turn it on, the disk activated the program. Just clicking Exit in the "free" version of Macrium Reflect doesn't exit you out of the program. They also don't offer support for the free version so I had to do the factory reset (twice I've wiped out my computer mind you!) and the booger doesn't get wiped out all the way. I know, hard to believe but it's still there somewhere. I don't know how! It's not listed in the Startup either. Can't find it in the registry either. Acer (manufacturer of the computer) is supposed to be sending me Windows 7 disk so I can hopefully get it back nice and clean! It's a puzzle and Macrium Reflect just keeps telling me that the disk has to be in the drive...it ain't! I have installed numerous programs using that drive today. Thanks for your help!

I understand that the disk is not in the drive, but from this pic,



You can see the WinPe and it loading a driver across the bottom.

The Macrium program doesn't do that when it starts, it's either creating or loading the rescue disk, both safe operations which is why I asked what happens if you let it continue?

It sounds like now that you shut down the computer while it was still creating or loading the rescue disc.

Sweetp59 said:

I tried to do recovery disks after this but got an error that the third disk didnt take. I accidentally left that disk in my cd player.

To me it sounds like the OP was creating a Backup Image and saving it to optical disc when the problem started.
A bootable Rescue Disc fits on a single CD/DVD, it doesn't need 3 or more discs.
It's best to save Backup Images to a hard drive.

It sounds like some setting is stuck in BIOS now causing it to try and continue from where the error occurred when booting up.
I would try a BIOS Reset.
See if there are Bios Reset instructions in the Acer documentation for your specific PC model, or ask Acer for these instructions.

One way to reset Bios is to remove the CMOS battery for 10+ seconds and then replace it.
But that's not always the easiest way, depending on the PC.

DavidE said:

Sweetp59 said:

I tried to do recovery disks after this but got an error that the third disk didnt take. I accidentally left that disk in my cd player.

To me it sounds like the OP was creating a Backup Image and saving it to optical disc when the problem started.
A bootable Rescue Disc fits on a single CD/DVD, it doesn't need 3 or more discs.
It's best to save Backup Images to a hard drive.

It sounds like some setting is stuck in BIOS now causing it to try and continue from where the error occurred when booting up.
I would try a BIOS Reset.
See if there are Bios Reset instructions in the Acer documentation for your specific PC model, or ask Acer for these instructions.

One way to reset Bios is to remove the CMOS battery for 10+ seconds and then replace it.
But that's not always the easiest way, depending on the PC.

I was creating the Recovery Disk in the Acer Recovery when the third CD did not finish recording. I went in (F12) and looked at the Boot menu, changed it to P: and rebooted TWICE and it worked! Thank you so much for your help! As I told Macrium Reflect, there is no CD, no storage device hooked up BUT yet there's residue somewhere that was causing this issue. They finally got back to me last night after many attempts to get help and this was their reply:
"Please can you double check that there are no CD/DVD in your drives and any USB storage devices are disconnected from your computer. You could also enter your computer BIOS and make sure the hard drive is set to be the first boot device. Please be assured that Reflect is not capable of "Hijacking" a computer and if it was installed the factory reset you applied would have removed it.
We do have a utility which can completely remove Reflect but it will only work if you can get into Windows."
Here's what the Bio window looked like too! Not sure if that will show you what it was doing or not. Thanks again for your help! Awesome support here at Sevenforums!!