Creating an Image with Macrium Reflect

[mccoady]

My son has Macrium Reflect Pro 5.0 on his Windows 7, 64 bit PC. Windows is on his C drive but he also has a second internal drive (E) he keeps his music on. He does have Carbonite which creates an emergency backup for the contents of both drives.

When he selects 'Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows' besides selecting his C drive should he also be including his E drive?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

My son has Macrium Reflect Pro 5.0 on his Windows 7, 64 bit PC. Windows is on his C drive but he also has a second internal drive (E) he keeps his music on. He does have Carbonite which creates an emergency backup for the contents of both drives.

When he selects 'Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows' besides selecting his C drive should he also be including his E drive?

Likely no.

Will the PC boot and operate normally if E is disconnected?

If yes, Macrium will not include E in the image if you choose "create an image......".

If no, Macrium will include E in the image if you choose "create an image.....". Macrium would do so because it senses that E contains some Windows files.

It's possible to configure a PC so that certain Windows files would be on E. In that case, E would have to be included and Macrium should realize that and include it if you choose "create an image......".

But that's a poor way to configure a PC. More likely, C is all that needs to be imaged and E has no Windows files on it.

One way to know for sure is to confirm the PC will boot with E disconnected. Another way is to post a screen shot of Windows Disk Management in this thread so we can examine the PC's configuration.

Your son could also manually choose which partitions to include--and not use that "Create an image...." choice at all.

 

[mccoady]

There are no Windows files on the E drive it's solely a backup drive for his music.

I will not select E drive to be included in the image. Thanks!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

There are no Windows files on the E drive it's solely a backup drive for his music.

I will not select E drive to be included in the image. Thanks!

I urge you (and him) to go farther than just make an image.

If a drive fails, you can't restore without bootable rescue media, which you make from within the Macrium interface.

You need to test that media and confirm it will boot the PC.

And ideally go part way through the image restoration process as a test to make sure you can find the image file in the Macrium interface and direct that it be restored to the desired partition---pretending you had a drive failure. Otherwise, you could well be confused or surprised when you actually have to restore in an emergency situation.

 

[mccoady]

Well he's using the MF Boot Menu option and we have had to restore to an earlier image before and I know how to do it. I just couldn't remember if he should be including his E music drive in the image backup.

I really appreciate your response. Thanks!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Does that boot menu option work if the C drive drops dead without warning?

 

[mccoady]

Well guess I'm not sure. My son's hard drive recently starting acting up to the point it would freeze trying to load Windows. I was able to opt into MF Boot Menu on reboot but maybe I couldn't do that if the drive completely stopped working.

Suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a bootable rescue disk.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Well guess I'm not sure. My son's hard drive recently starting acting up to the point it would freeze trying to load Windows. I was able to opt into MF Boot Menu on reboot but maybe I couldn't do that if the drive completely stopped working.

Suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a bootable rescue disk.

I don't see how it could work if the drive dropped dead--which it will sooner or later, hopefully later.

You'll see a choice in Macrium menus re rescue media creation. I think the options are Linux-based and Win PE based.

Choose Win PE based. That's more likely to be bootable. The Linux method works, but can be finicky about drivers, so it's best avoided.

You can use a USB stick or a burned disc. But above all confirm it's bootable and that you know how to navigate after you boot from it.

 

[Layback Bear]

What is a (MF Boot Menue)??

If you can complete this tutorial by Golden so we can see what you have.
It will help other give guidance.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image-2.html

 

[mccoady]

Ok will do!

 

[mccoady]

What is a (MF Boot Menue)??

If you can complete this tutorial by Golden so we can see what you have.
It will help other give guidance.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image-2.html

I can't spell should be MR.

 

[ThrashZone]

Suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a bootable rescue disk.

Hi,
Without the rescue cd an image is only half good
Most the time boot issue occur and the rescue disk will be needed to fix that issue with startup repair plus restore a system image in a reliable environment at boot.

 

[Layback Bear]

Take a look at this tutorial with video by whs.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html