Imaging with free Macrium

   Information

This tutorial shows imaging with free Macrium Version 5.0. If you are still using Macrium Version 4.2, go to this Vimeo site where the tutorial of that version is stored.

The Video does not show the recovery part because I have no setup to screen capture it. But Keith (Kado) made this excellent recovery tutorial with text (but no sound) that he captured from a virtual partition.

   Warning

Note that the external disk to which you image must be formatted in NTFS. A disk that is formatted in Fat32 will accept an image, but the recovery programs cannot restore that image. You can, however, mount (open) a Fat32 image as VHD.

   Note

The production of the WinPE recovery CD (which is highly recommended) may take up to 3 hours because Macrium needs to download the 1.7GB WAIK (Windows Application Installation Kit). For your convenience I have uploaded a ready made .iso of the WinPE recovery disc. That can be downloaded in appr. 8 minutes which clearly beats the WAIK download. Once you downloaded and unzipped the folder, you can burn it directly to a CD with e.g. ImgBurn.

Here is the link to my Skydrive site.

Here is an alternate link from FileSwap (courtesy of Gary - Britton30)

I draw your attention to the fact that this WinPE CD can also be used to make images. That may be convenient in case you do not want to install Macrium on your PC.

This video tutorial explains the full cycle of the imaging process which is:

· Initial setups
· Image definition
· Image scheduling
· Image production

The imaging program that was used for this tutorial is free Macrium. But the basic principles are the same for other imaging programs although the user interface will be different.

This video runs for appr. 7 minutes.
There is a related thread on the Vista forum which gives a brief introduction to Macrium followed by a discussion.
You can download the free Macrium edition from here.

Note: If you have a problem with the loudness of the sound output of the video, check the "Loudness Equalization" box in your Playback device. It is under the 'Enhancements' tab.

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Create a System Image Backup in Windows 7
• How to Do a System Image Recovery in Windows 7
• How to Backup User and System Files in Windows 7
• How to Restore Backup User and System Files in Windows 7
• How to Restore your System with a Broken Windows 7 System Image
• How to Create a Bootable Rescue USB Flash Drive for Macrium Reflect

 

[Dave76]

That's good to know, thanks whs.

 

[mjf]

Yes, that is true. You can image to USB3 but not recover from it. Neither with the Linux disc nor with the WinPE disc. I had to switch my enclosure the other day when I wanted to recover one of my laptops. Fortunately I use open enclosures with bare bone HDDs. If you have an enclosed USB3 disk, then you have a problem. eSata, however, works.

USB3 recovery works fine for me. It's how I reimaged to my new SSD. You need to install the USB3 drivers either manually each time or automatically by adding them to the base winpe.wim.
See here
http://www.sevenforums.com/backup-r...via-usb-3-0-external-drive-2.html#post1835647

 

[whs]

Yes, that is true. You can image to USB3 but not recover from it. Neither with the Linux disc nor with the WinPE disc. I had to switch my enclosure the other day when I wanted to recover one of my laptops. Fortunately I use open enclosures with bare bone HDDs. If you have an enclosed USB3 disk, then you have a problem. eSata, however, works.

USB3 recovery works fine for me. It's how I reimaged to my new SSD. You need to install the USB3 drivers either manually each time or automatically by adding them to the base winpe.wim.
See here
http://www.sevenforums.com/backup-r...via-usb-3-0-external-drive-2.html#post1835647

Michael, you are too advanced. But thank you for the tip. It should work though out of the box. Not many people will apply the drivers the way you did. No idea why the Macrium people could not make that default.

 

[mjf]

Wolfgang, I would think Macrium could include it.

 

[JerometheGiraff]

I purchased Macrium Professional v5. Hoping to get started and create a back up, I've run into a problem to which none of Macrium knowledge base has helped, and Macrium is blaming the VSS problem on Windows. This problem does not happen with Macrium Free Edition only Macrium Paid Editions.

Macrium Knowledge Base

 

[whs]

There are many cases where the VSS service failed. That is the service that also creates restore points. Check whether you can create restore points in your system. You can try a sfc /scannow or a startup repair to fix it.

 

[JerometheGiraff]

sfc /scannow fails
Windows Resource Protection could not preform the request operation.

Could this be the reason why Macrium is failing to do the backup ?

 

[whs]

If the System File Checker fails, then you have a bigger problem. You should try a startup repair

 

[JerometheGiraff]

There are no start-up issues to fix ! I already registered the VCC files once again, and a few other things as mentioned in the knowledge base link that I posted from Macrium.

 

[mjf]

If you have a system reserved then for Windows imaging you need enough space on that partition to create shadow copies of the partition (generally 50MB free).
I'm not sure if Macrium also requires this.
If you have a system reserved you can try this:
http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...n-cloned-external-hdd-boot-5.html#post1851409

RE: The sfc /scannow issue have you googled this?
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...on-could/2e8e994e-08b7-4ccf-859c-685c7bf1614e

 

[JerometheGiraff]

At present I only have a extremely low 20 megs lefts of HDD space on the partition. I need to get this back up working ASAP.

 

[mjf]

then follow the first link I gave which has instructions I gave to someone else. Within this is a link to specific guidance on deleting USN journal files which can clog up system reserved. It's quite straightforward.

 

[JerometheGiraff]

Which link is that ? I came across this I don't know whether this problem is related to VSS or the link posted which is what I'm working with.

 

[mjf]

Which link is that ? I came across this I don't know whether this problem is related to VSS or the link posted which is what I'm working with.

Windows 7 backup error 0x81000019 - a knol by Yohann Sulaiman

It may not resolve your problem.

 

[JerometheGiraff]

After digging and searching for answers, the in your face answer which solved the problem, was low HDD space which prevented the program from doing a backup

 

[mjf]

After digging and searching for answers, the in your face answer which solved the problem, was low HDD space which prevented the program from doing a backup

Yes Jerome I guess we assumed that was a given. Anyway your issue is resolved.

 

[JerometheGiraff]

If Windows is on C: drive partition and I install a new HDD that I want to replace the old HDD boot partition from a backup. When restoring the boot partition backup which contains windows, will the new drive be automatically set to C: or only will the backup change it to C: ?

Do backups take into effect network settings etc, I want to be guaranteed that I get an exact restore computer restore, on the new HDD without any data loss or settings lost. What happens to the previous windows active boot partition if windows is not removed from it, will I get a dual boot option, until I remove the old windows boot partition ?

 

[mjf]

1) Windows always wants to restore to C: - shouldn't be an issue. When restoring an image to a new HDD make sure the new HDD is the only internal connected.
2) I believe a reimage will retain network settings. Others may care to comment.
3) I don't understand your last question. A reimage to a new HDD will restore the MBR, System Reserved and the OS partition exactly as they were when the image was made. Reimaging to a new HDD will insist on an automatic reformat and partition structure to reflect the state the image was in.

Windows imaging takes care of this for you. With Macrium you must specifically restore the MBR, system reserved and OS partitions.

 

[JerometheGiraff]

make sure the new HDD is the only internal connected.

There will be other physical drives internally connected, what issue will arise ?

Windows imaging takes care of this for you. With Macrium you must specifically restore the MBR, system reserved and OS partitions.

Safe to assume with Macrium that the boot restore disc created with Macrium will restore the MBR, system reserved and OS partitions, not as a partition rather install the backup on the complete drive omitting creating the partition ?

When this is done the previous drive with the windows partition will be physically installed on the drive, will Windows recognize the new boot (restored) HDD as well as the old boot partition HDD, until I remove the old windows boot partition ?

 

[JerometheGiraff]

mjf - I was hoping you could answer my question ?