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

 

[DavidE]

Yea, that's pretty much the way i do it.

I just had an issue with Win 10 i couldn't figure out.
I re-joined the Insider program to see if the latest updates would fix it.
I finally figured out the problem, and then didn't want to be in the Insider program.
It wouldn't let me leave as a insider.
I restored a differential i made before re-joining, and it restored perfectly.
Differentials are smaller and quicker, so far they haven't failed for me.

 

[Kari]

Guys, first a public apology: In a post in this thread, later removed by moderators I accused a fellow Seven Forums member for deleting the Macrium Rescue ISO image files I had uploaded to OneDrive to share with you. I was puzzled when I noticed that the files disappeared from my OneDrive within a few hours after I had uploaded them, and the fellow member in question was shown as the only one downloading them.

I now know the fellow member in question has / had nothing to do with the disappearance of my files. I have now posted this on Microsoft Answers, until I get an answer the whole thing remains a mystery:

Files disappearing from OneDrive

Background:

For my own use I created Macrium Rescue Free edition ISO image files, both 32 and 64 bit, both WinPE 3.1 and WinPE 5.0 versions. Four files altogether, saved on OneDirive in Public/Macrium folder.

I then shared this folder with an "anyone with this link can view" option, and on my PC in OneDrive folder set all four files Read Only.

Issue:

After a few hours, the files simply disappeared from my OneDrive. I reuploaded them, again within a few hours the files disappeared. The main folder Macrium is still there, both subfolders WinPE3.1 and WinPE5.0 and the files in them totally gone.

This has now happened six times withing the past few days. I upload the files, they remain a few hours and then disappear. My OneDrive has over 650 GB free space from total of 1 TB, the ISO images I have uploaded are legal to share.

All other content of my OneDrive has remained intact, it is just these four files which do not stay on OneDrive. I am an experienced OneDrive user, I am absolutely 100% sure I have not deleted these files by myself.

The last upload was done 48 hours ago and this time the files stayed on OneDrive longer than before, only disappearing sometime this morning.

Any insight and ideas appreciated.

Kari

(From http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...-cfa2-4269-9b2b-4593028b75b7?tm=1443459123853)

 

[DavidE]

I don't have much experience with OneDrive, so maybe this is a dumb question.
Is it possible these files aren't in the same folder on your PC, so OneDrive auto deletes them when syncing ?

 

[Kari]

I don't have much experience with OneDrive, so maybe this is a dumb question.
Is it possible these files aren't in the same folder on your PC, so OneDrive auto deletes them when syncing ?

No.

I created the folder in my OneDrive folder on my PC and placed the files there. Me speaking about uploading the files simply means that when I had done this, my PC started automatically upload them. When OneDrive notices there's new content in OneDrive folder on my PC the sync will start automatically, OneDrive syncing the whole new folder and its content.

As my OneDrive on the PC is set to sync everything, the way how I upload them is irrelevant. Even if I had stored the files in another location and used browser to upload them, the folder with its content had then appeared in my OneDrive folder on PC because, as I mentioned, this PC is set to sync the full content of my OneDrive.

Short: anything saved in OneDrive folder on this PC will automatically be synced (uploaded). The save location and folder name on my PC is totally irrelevant, everything uploaded using a browser and anything saved directly to OneDrive folders will be synced.

Confusing but easy, when it works

 

[DavidE]

OK

If you haven't searched, i can see you are not the only person that ran into this issue.
Bing search for onedrive files disappeared
onedrive files disappeared - Bing

Maybe try the OneDrive troubleshooter ?

 

[Kari]

I've tried everything possible, also sent feedback to MS, even called them twice.

The issue itself aside, I feel bad that I accused a fellow member when the files disappeared first time. I have never seen this to happen, I reacted too fast and "decided" that the MS account email shown as the last sign-in to get the files was the culprit.

Now when it happens repeatedly I of course know he had nothing to do with this. Some strange Zombie attack or something. If it's MS removing the files, flagging them as copyright protected, shouldn't I at least get a notification?

 

[studiostarstuff]

Hi Kari,

Don't be so hard on yourself, everyone makes mistake, email the person an apology to ease your mind.

In regards to the problem, maybe try changing the extension by adding another extension like ".txt" and see it will not get deleted? e.g Rescuemedia.iso.txt

Cheer up!

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Hi Kari,

Don't be so hard on yourself, everyone makes mistake, email the person an apology to ease your mind.

In regards to the problem, maybe try changing the extension by adding another extension like ".txt" and see it will not get deleted? e.g Rescuemedia.iso.txt

Cheer up!

Great idea! I had been wondering if OneDrive disallows certain file extensions.

 

[Kari]

I tried another approach. Instead of saving the ISO images directly to my OneDrive synced folder, I saved them in another location on my PC and then used the OneDrive web interface to upload them.

The images seem to stay online now. They are here if and when someone needs them: Macrium rescue Images

It seems that there's some kind of bug in OneDrive; when the files are stored on PC to a synced and shared folder, they disappear after a while. When stored outside the PC's OneDrive and then uploaded using the OD web interface, they stay alive and online.

Totally illogical but at least this time the files seem to stay available, not disappearing.

 

[kado897]

I tried another approach. Instead of saving the ISO images directly to my OneDrive synced folder, I saved them in another location on my PC and then used the OneDrive web interface to upload them.

The images seem to stay online now. They are here if and when someone needs them: Macrium rescue Images

It seems that there's some kind of bug in OneDrive; when the files are stored on PC to a synced and shared folder, they disappear after a while. When stored outside the PC's OneDrive and then uploaded using the OD web interface, they stay alive and online.

Totally illogical but at least this time the files seem to stay available, not disappearing.

As you say totally illogical. I take it M$ have not come up with an explanation.

 

[Dexx]

The link to downloading MR Free edition in the OP gives a 404 error. Has Macrium moved the download?

 

[kado897]

Try this link on Filehippo Download Macrium Reflect 6.0.753 - FileHippo.com or the link in my sig.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Probably something simple I ma doing wrong but I cannot get C: drive to image to an external. There are two internal SSD's and one 750GB external but as in my pic it just will not pick up the external drive as a destination.

Have tried everything from cleaning it and reformatting the external to giving it a label etc etc but still no choice of destination drive.

Any thoughts please as I think it must be something as I said I am missing.

 

[DavidE]

Click on the icon to the right of the drop down list.
You should be able to browse anywhere on your PC for a folder, or create a new folder.

 

[kado897]

Hi John. Are you able to navigate to it by pressing the button alongside the dropdown?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

David and Kado yes fellas I hit that and it only gives me the E: as the only option

Never done this before and I do remember selecting the internal E: as a test image - would that have something to do with it??

 

[DavidE]

The drop down only lists my previous backup locations.
When i click on the icon i can browse to any drive/folder connected to my PC.
I don't use USB externals, i have a tray system and use removable SATA HD's.

If the external is connected to USB3, can you try it with USB2 ?

edit: And post a Disk Management screen print.

 

[mjf]

If you are creating an image from within Windows then if you can see the ext drive (USB 2 or 3) with Windows explorer then so should Macrium. Seeing the drive from a bootable pe rescue disc is another matter.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Now I don't know if anyone can explain this but I ticked the E: drive just for curiosity and the Image this disk stayed at the C: drive and I dropped the option destination and found the external listed then went through with a normal image which is fairly quick on this machine??

I am guessing I did something wrong but for the life of me I cannot say what

 

[kado897]

Probably nothing to do with it but there is a bug fix out today. The second release this week.

Bug Fixes: 6.1.871

Windows PE 10 network browsing issue
When accessing password protected network shares in Windows PE 10 the network credentials dialog could fail to provide access to the share. This has been resolved.
Windows PE 10 drive letter assignments
Windows PE could assign different drive letters to the host Windows OS. This has been resolved.
Auto verification of Delta Incremental Index Images
A program error could occur when auto-verifying Delta Incremental Index Images at the end of a backup. This has been resolved.


What's New 6.1.865 - 12th October 2015

For detailed information on new features of v6.1 please see this KB article

Delta Indexes for Incremental Images
More efficient Incremental index storage offers faster consolidation and smaller file sizes. This option needs to be enabled in v6.1. See this KB article for more information
Note: Rescue media must be built using v6.1 if you use delta incremental indexes.
German language support
For Windows installations using German locales a new option to install Macrium Reflect in the German language is now offered in the full installer for Home, Workstation, Server and Server Plus Editions. This will be made available for the free edition soon.
Windows PE 10.0
The latest Windows PE 10 is now included in the rescue media build wizard. PE is now the default option for Windows 8.0 and later. Windows PE 10 offers support for Windows 10 compact installs and Windows 8.1 Wim Boot file systems.
Note: If your system requires PE 10 then you will be prompted to create PE 10 rescue media when starting the rescue media wizard.
Destination drive letter discovery
The destination drive unique volume GUID path can now be saved in the backup definition file. Saving the backup destination volume GUID path instead of the drive letter enables Windows to assign different drive letters to USB drives without affecting the backup destination detection.
Note: This option is disabled by default. Please see this KB article for more information.
Bug Fixes:

Crash when deleting all Backup Templates
A program error could occur if all backup templates were deleted. This has been resolved.
Dynamic Software Raid issue
Systems using Dynamic Software RAID volumes could fail to create Differential or Incremental images. This has been resolved.
Incorrect taskbar tray message in Windows 10
"Backup Started" tray message would show in Windows 10 when editing a backup definition. This has been resolved.
Rescue media wizard not auto-detecting USB drive insertion
If a USB stick was inserted while displaying rescue media wizard burn page then it was not always detected by plug-and-play. This has been resolved.
File and Folder backup maximum file size issue
A File and Folder split backup could cause verification failure if the split file size was too small. This has been resolved.
Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Restore
Clean installations of Reflect would sometimes fail to extract the required files for the Mailbox Restore process. This has been resolved.

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