Solved Image your system with free Macrium

[Scoop]

Forgot to mention the other part of your question, "Repair" media. It's often used to refer to a Windows System Repair disc (or USB stick). It's a handy media to have on hand. I'd recommend creating one for your Win 7 PC. You can repair Windows boot issues on the HDD from the CMD console and repair other Windows OS issues.

To create a Windows System Repair DVD, here's one way:

From the Start Menu, enter this in the "search" field: recdisc

You'll see the recdisc icon at the top of your search results. Click on that icon and the "create media" dialog will guide you through the procedure.

 

[kado897]

If you chose the option shown below Macrium will backup the partitions needed to recover your system...

 

[hawgwash]

Thanks scoop.

 

[malvoglio]

On the Macrium web site, Reflect is offered for download as a 30-day trial.

Will it stop working after 30 days?

 

[hawgwash]

On the Macrium web site, Reflect is offered for download as a 30-day trial.

Will it stop working after 30 days?

Sorry, malvoglio, I'm not the one who can answer that.
Someone who does know will chime in, I'm sure.

 

[essenbe]

I can't say as I;ve never tried it, but I suspect it will as most trial software does. However the free version (Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download) will do most anything most of us need. Just watch out for the add ons. Uncheck them and they will not install. It's C-Net

 

[whs]

This is also a link for a free Macrium.

Download Macrium Reflect 5.3.7220 - FileHippo.com

 

[lehnerus2000]

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition

On the Macrium web site, Reflect is offered for download as a 30-day trial.

Will it stop working after 30 days?

You have to look for "Macrium Reflect FREE Edition".

Check out these posts by essenbe and whs:
http://www.sevenforums.com/backup-restore/43219-image-your-system-free-macrium-177.html#post2949507
http://www.sevenforums.com/backup-restore/43219-image-your-system-free-macrium-177.html#post2949526

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Malvoglio:

Here's a download link for the Free version at Macrium.

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

You can scroll down at that link to see a chart comparing the various versions.

Most here use just the Free version.

The features you may want from a non-Free version would include:

1: Incremental and differential backups. But most here don't use them and think they are a complication that can easily be avoided by just making periodic full images.

2: File and folder backup. Most here use other programs for this task, although as far as I know Macrium Standard does a good job of this

3: Support from Macrium. I haven't needed it and get all the help I've needed from this forum. You can of course read Macrium's own forums with the Free edition, you just can't request support.

The Free version has an easily understood interface. Here are the main things you'd have to be concerned with:

1: Make the rescue disk and make sure it will in fact boot your PC. Use the "WinPE" method to make the disc, rather than the Linux choice. It's done within the Macrium interface.

2: Make an image file of the correct partitions. That would be C as well as any partition containing boot files. Either separately or all in a single image file. Store the image files on some unrelated disc and make new images periodically.

3: After I had a rescue disk and had made an image file, I'd pretend I needed to restore and walk a few steps into the restoration process so I knew I fully understood the process. You could even make and restore a small test partition that did not contain an OS in order to develop some confidence in the procedure.

4: I'd be sure to back up the image files just as I would any other valuable data.

 

[malvoglio]

Thanks ignatz.

2: Make an image file of the correct partitions. That would be C as well as any partition containing boot files. Either separately or all in a single image file. Store the image files on some unrelated disc and make new images periodically.

What about my D: partition (HP_RECOVERY), does it contain boot files? I guess it is wise to include this partition in the image if possible, just in case?

4: I'd be sure to back up the image files just as I would any other valuable data.

That's why I was asking about a way to keep more than one image on the external hard disk. Or do you mean that a copy of the image should be stored somewhere else entirely, such as in the cloud? (But does Dropbox allow you to upload a 65 GB file?)

Thinking of taking the following tack:

1. Weekly full image backups, possibly alternating between Windows Backup and the soon-to-be-installed Macrium Reflect Free
2. Daily backup of work product (data files) using SyncBack Free

 

[kado897]

My HP G62 laptop recovery partition does not contain boot files but I have made one image of it as it should not change. I did in fact restore it once when a program started writing in it and filled it up.

I personally do not back up the image files. I don't see the point in that. If you are that concerned image to more than one disk.

I use FreeFileSync for my data backups (link in my sig).

 

[ignatzatsonic]

What about my D: partition (HP_RECOVERY), does it contain boot files? I guess it is wise to include this partition in the image if possible, just in case?

........Or do you mean that a copy of the image should be stored somewhere else entirely, such as in the cloud? (But does Dropbox allow you to upload a 65 GB file?)

Thinking of taking the following tack:

1. Weekly full image backups, possibly alternating between Windows Backup and the soon-to-be-installed Macrium Reflect Free
2. Daily backup of work product (data files) using SyncBack Free

Post a screen shot of Windows Disk Management.

We need to see which of your partitions are marked as being a "system" partition.

There is no harm at all in making a one-time image of any partition that you think you might need later, including recovery or tools partitions. But you MUST restore C and any partitions marked "system" to recover from a disaster.

I don't trust the cloud for anything. My images are stored on a separate drive D and backed up to a backup drive E. I also make periodic backups of data (including image files, but not Windows) to an internal drive that I mount in an external dock--every couple of months.

Here is my Disk Management. Note 3 internal drives. All with a single partition. C is all I have to make an image of--notice that it is marked "system, boot, page file, active....". Most likely, your C partition is NOT marked as "system".

I'd think a reasonable plan for you would be to:

1: Make recurring images of C. Weekly would be fine.

2: Make a one-time image of whatever other partitions are marked as "system". Restore both images when you need to recover from a bad situation that System Restore cannot resolve. The thinking being that you'd only need a one-time image of the other partition(s) because they aren't likely to change over time like C will.

An alternative would be to make a recurring single image file containing BOTH C and any "system" partition. One image file in which you deliberately include multiple partitions. That way you don't have to concern yourself with the non-C partitions possibly changing over time.

Of course, you could make 2 image files every time: one of C and another of the system partition.

You can keep 1, 2, or 100 image files on an external disk. They are just files like any other. You'd just need to have sufficient space. I put each of mine in a dated folder like D:\images\120214 for Dec 2, 2014 to avoid any confusion. When I make a new image, I put it in a newly made dated folder.

You just have to understand what's needed, what you've done, and how to manage and locate the image files when the time comes.

Your plan looks OK. I know some people do alternate with imaging programs, figuring at least one will work. You might also consider Aomei Backupper to make images. It's free and not confusing. I think it will also do file by file data backup like Syncback Free. I use FreeFileSync for data backup, just like Kado897.

 

[kado897]

I also use AOMEI Backupper as a secondary imaging tool. It seems quite good but I have not restored a system with it yet.

 

[malvoglio]

Post a screen shot of Windows Disk Management.

We need to see which of your partitions are marked as being a "system" partition.

Here you go. English translation of words in the screenshot:

Einfach = Simple
Fehlerfrei = Healthy
Auslagerungsdatei = Paging (swap) file
Absturzabbild = Crash dump

Drive G: is the UMTS modem, drive H: currently is a flash memory stick.

 

[kado897]

Disk 0 looks to have the same layout as mine. I image SYSTEM and WINDOWS. In fact Macrium has an option to select the partitions needed by Windows.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Looks to me like you'd need to have image files of C and "System".

C has about 56 GB used. System uses less than 1 GB.

Those combined should yield Macrium images totaling somewhere above 20 GB in size, probably less than 30 GB. Keep however many you want, depending on how far back in time you think you might want to restore to. Not likely you'd want to restore to 6 months ago. I make monthly images and keep the most recent 2 or 3.

 

[malvoglio]

OK I've downloaded and installed Macrium Reflect Free.

A number of people here have said to create a bootable disk using Windows PE included with Macrium. In the "Advanced" option for doing so, I can choose between Windows PE 3.1, 4.0 or 5.0 rescue media. 3.1 is pre-selected, should I choose 4.0 or 5.0 instead?

The Macrium help file says:

Auto versus Pre-built WIM

• The pre-built Windows PE component is included with the full Macrium Reflect installer.
• The Auto PE option is a 1.7 GB download from the Microsoft web site.
• The Auto PE option allows for the creation of a custom rescue environment. This can be used to add your own programs or drivers, however, this functionality is outside the scope of this documentation.
• Both the auto and pre-built Windows PE rescue environments can be loaded from CD/DVD, external USB/Flash media or from a Windows boot menu.
• Due to Microsoft licensing restrictions, the pre-built WIM is only available to customers who have purchased before Reflect before the end of October 2012.

Does this mean that in creating the boot disk, Reflect will gulp a humongous 1.7 GB from the 'Net?

http://www.macrium.com/help/v5/reflect_v5.htm

 

[kado897]

WHS has provided a pre-built ISO that you just need to burn to disk. You can find a link to it in the notes section near the beginning of this tutorial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?filter[2]=Backup%20Restore. It is only about 200MB.

 

[stavesacre03]

I finally solved it. It was something to do with the XHCI setting in the BIOS. At the default of 'Smart Auto' or with it set to 'Enabled', there is no input with the rescue media. However, if I choose 'Disabled' or 'Auto', the USB mouse and keyboard work fine.

Thanks for all the help/suggestions.

Just wanted to say thank you for posting this--solved my issue as well on ASUS motherboard.

 

[groze]

False alarm created by Spybot S&D old version (may affect the new Spybot S&D version as well) when creating a Macrium usb rescue boot flash drive. Had to disable Spybot S&D before it would let me create the Macrium rescue media.

Free Edition 64 bit
Build 7256



2/1/2015 4:31:46 PM Encountered and terminated Fraud.WindowsRecovery in C:\ProgramData\Macrium\Reflect\Windows AIK\Tools\amd64\wimserv.exe!