Solved Image your system with free Macrium

[alan10]

Do I need to make a new Rescue Disk each time or will the program prompt me when I need to make one?

Yes, No, and Maybe.

A bug was introduced at [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetic]Version 5.0.4870.
"For some customers a restore or clone could result in a corrupt Master Boot Record"[/FONT]
This was quickly replaced with 5.0.4908

If you have a Rescue Disc based on [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetic]5.0.4870 it might make the PC un-bootable.[/FONT]
In which case you need to get a later version.

I suggest that when you have a Rescue Disc that can do everything you ever need on your current machine, do NOT discard it but keep it in reserve in case the next Rescue CD should fail at your point of need.

More recent versions may work better and faster,
and may even fix a potential bug in some situation.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

There are update versions of Macrium that come out fairly often. Do I need to make a new Rescue Disk each time or will the program prompt me when I need to make one?

I'm so nervous about images anyway that I make new rescue disks whenever I upgrade. The Linux rescue disks are particularly shaky. And of course test any new disk you do make.

And I'm not entirely clear on how important it is to constantly upgrade Macrium and don't look very often. I'm hoping they haven't gone the way of Firefox and have new versions every month.

 

[bigmck]

And I'm not entirely clear on how important it is to constantly upgrade Macrium and don't look very often. I'm hoping they haven't gone the way of Firefox and have new versions every month.

Every time I get a new version of Firefox, something changes a setting and does not work right. I spent all day yesterday trying to get Firefox to work like it did the day before. Finally I found a button to reset and things started working right again. Very frustrating.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Finally I found a button to reset and things started working right again. Very frustrating.

Tell me more about that button and how to get at it. I may need it in case System Restore won't do it.

I don't have any current Firefox problems, but it's a day to day proposition.

 

[bigmck]

Finally I found a button to reset and things started working right again. Very frustrating.

Tell me more about that button and how to get at it. I may need it in case System Restore won't do it.

I don't have any current Firefox problems, but it's a day to day proposition.

I never thought about System Restore, wish I had............In Firefox go to "Help" and "Troubleshooting Information". There is a "Reset to Default" button. It sure cleared things up for me.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

In Firefox go to "Help" and "Troubleshooting Information". There is a "Reset to Default" button.

Hmmm......

I see 2 buttons:

At the top: Copy all to clipboard

In the application basics section next to "profile directory": Open containing folder

None in the other sections. Maybe because I am already at default? I am running version 10.0.1 with 4 add-ons, which I wouldn't think is "default".

I've got about 15 things shown under "modified preferences".

Maybe 10.0.1 does not offer that button? I'm damn sure not going to upgrade just to get the button.

 

[bigmck]

It is on the right side near the top. I am running FF 15, so it is possible the Reset Button is new since version 10.

 

[mjf]

Do I need to make a new Rescue Disk each time or will the program prompt me when I need to make one?

Yes, No, and Maybe.

A bug was introduced at [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetic]Version 5.0.4870.
"For some customers a restore or clone could result in a corrupt Master Boot Record"[/FONT]
This was quickly replaced with 5.0.4908

I think it is good insurance to keep a separate MBR backup anyway. Using say:
MBR Backup - Back up your Master Boot Record (Freeware)
Apart from the potential of the MBR boot code being corrupted by malware, I think it is important to have a backup of the partition table in the MBR.
If you need to restore the MBR from a boot CD/DVD as opposed to an operating Windows system then the above program can be run from the mini XP environment of a Hirens boot CD.

 

[lehnerus2000]

I don't see it either

Hmmm......

I see 2 buttons:

At the top: Copy all to clipboard

In the application basics section next to "profile directory": Open containing folder
...

It is on the right side near the top. I am running FF 15, so it is possible the Reset Button is new since version 10.

I'm running FF 15.

I can't find the button you mention.

​

 

[bigmck]

Here it is on mine. I don't know why you don't see it.

 

[alan10]

Here it is on mine. I don't know why you don't see it.

You are both running 32 bit Firefoxes with the differences :-
Versions 14.01 c.f. 15
and 32 bit is not the "native" for the 64 bit operating system.

Additionally, perhaps the button only appears if your system has detected major issues and/or is NOT in the default state.

 

[bigmck]

I had my laptop when I post the screenshot which was 14.01. My desktop is FF 15.0. It is on both, but what the poster said above makes sense that the button would not show if the browser is already in the default state.

 

[bigmck]

Macrium Reflect Problem

I opened Macrium and was going to update to I believe it was Version 5, I believe it was Build 4995, not sure of Build. The version I have now is Version 5, Build 4694. It started to update and an error came on the screen, see below. I am not sure what this means. Anyone know? Thanks,

 

[whs]

There are update versions of Macrium that come out fairly often. Do I need to make a new Rescue Disk each time or will the program prompt me when I need to make one?

Usually the old rescue disks work very well.

I have revisited this matter and discovered that you have to recreate your WinPE rescue disk for the latest Macrium release 5.0.4995. This is new and I recommend you have a look at this thread for further detail. http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/250566-important-macrium-users.html

 

[bigmck]

I have revisited this matter and discovered that you have to recreate your WinPE rescue disk for the latest Macrium release 5.0.4995. This is new and I recommend you have a look at this thread for further detail. http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/250566-important-macrium-users.html

Thanks very much for posting this. With your post and the fact I was having a problem with the old version listed a few posts back, I just decided to delete the old one and install 4995. I made the the new Rescue Disk and did a new image and am ready to go. Thanks again.

 

[rogerthat]

Just to add; (Big-up Macrium)

I have managed to make a spare copy clone of my hard-drive with Macrium; where for the past 18 months it has always been IMPOSSIBLE for me to back-up my laptop hard drive files because I have had file-names for hundreds of items of word documents and image files where the file-name was too long and this has always stopped me from being able to back-up my hard drive the usual way (where I have tens of thousands of files accumulating).

My file-names are so long because I USE DESCRIPTIVE FILE-NAMES to find my files, as I have around 300Gigabytes of files on my computer over a few months; including video of family (and work) etcetera.

Burning to CD is prevented because of some of my file-names as the burning software STOPS when it finds a file-name that is too long (over 18 letters on this Windows 7 x64 Ultimate laptop. !!! !!! !!! !!! !!!
Heck; this week it told me that scanned images of official documents which are names automatically given by the scanner (XX12345) (XX12346) (XX12347 etcetera) are TOO LONG (frustration !!!). But that appears to be another `Glitch`?.

My relief with Macrium is that I am able to clone a hard-drive (for free) where I have had 3 total hard-drive failures on my laptop (summer overheating??) in the past 18-months and have lost maybe 800Gb of work and family files of my kids growing up and a vast amount of work (video/images/scans & documents up to 600Mb per file), because of a small percentage of my file names PREVENTING A BACK-UP.

The relief at not having to re-name hundreds of files I am unable to find one by one is in itself a joy.

Well done Macrium.

Is there no other "clone your files" that ignores long file-names to copy only (various types of) DOCUMENTS, to make the process even simpler?

P.S.
After a third hard-drive failure I nearly lost my will to live.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Is there no other "clone your files" that ignores long file-names to copy only (various types of) DOCUMENTS, to make the process even simpler?

Are you unable to simply drag and drop your files to an external drive periodically, without using any software?


Or even copy to another drive through a command prompt?

I'd certainly do that if nothing else. I'd hate to have my only backup rely on an imaging program, Macrium or otherwise.

You might investigate this application; I don't know how well it works:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/File-Management/Cut-Long-Names.shtml

 

[rogerthat]

Erm.... silly me that I am; I (USED TO) have FAITH that modern hard-drives would not fail repeatedly, as for the past (almost) 20 years of using computers, I had never had a hard-drive fail quite like these purportedly modern ones.
I was stupid enough to think that as technology moves on, that it gets more reliable; and each time (in the past 18-months) I thought it would be impossible to go 18.5 years without a hard drive fail and then get one, two or three Hard-Drive FAILS in the space of a set of months from a purported reputably reliable firm and market leader.

The benefits of hindsight eh?

I will check-out the link though. Muchos gracias amigo.

NOTE; I do think that Microslop should have had an OPTION where it gives you the opportunity to agree to or disagree to copy a second copy of any Word and Image and video and sound file to an additional SD internal memory `partition`; but I guess that would have meant having meaningful discussions with hardware manufacturers; when it is easier to experiment on the public at huge profits....
anyway,
that way, at least, when you have a large number of files there is a separate recovery source than the failed hard-drive; as people do not like having to constantly think their hard-drive is going to fail and panic into keeping a million ongoing back-ups which change over the years.
Back-up media would cost how much?
Also; when I have done back-ups to CD/DVD THEY HAVE NEVER WORKED, as I often also tended to use cheaper media (in addition to the fact that complete back-ups [taking hours] tended to fail because of a few file-name length, errors).

`Back on the road`, as they say.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You say a "small percentage" of your file names prevent a backup.

If nothing else, I'd do this:

Run a non-image backup tool such as Karen's Replicator or Synctoy. It should run to completion, copying all the shorter file names, and failing to backup the long ones.

Then look in the log file to identify the failed files.

Then put those failed files in a separate directory and exclude that directory from future backups since you know the files will fail. Then either rename them or possibly use a command prompt to copy them using their 8 dot 3 name. At least that way you have a backup, even if the names are shortened from 255 plus characters.

Wondering how you ever got in the habit of using extremely long names?

Is the problem the length of the file name per se, or is it the length of the path to the folder in question?

I've had maybe 5 instances of files failing to backup due to path length, but I resolved it by either shortening the name per se or changing the path to something closer to the root.

 

[bigmck]

Ignat -- Rogerthat wrote "software STOPS when it finds a file-name that is too long (over 18 letters on this Windows 7 x64 Ultimate laptop."

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Isn't the file length 256? Why would the backup stop after 18 characters? Eighteen doesn't sound right to me.