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

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Actually Kado mate I did that fix before I did the image but didn't think it had much to do with it so didn't mention it

 

[DavidE]

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

Are you saying you clicked on the [E] drive, and that tick made the external listed as some other drive letter ?
Do you have your power options set to turn off hard drives ?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I don't Know David I just know I ticked the E: drive and the option to image went to the C: drive got me beat.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Sorry to be dense here but I don't see how to use winpe after burning it to disk with imgburn

I know an image has to be created but I don't see how winpe does that

 

[kado897]

Mike. You boot from the WinPE. It is normally used to restore an image created previously with Macrium from within Windows but it can also be used to create an image. There is a link to a YouTube video that I created on the restore process in the notes at the beginning of the tutorial.

 

[whs]

Here is the video that Keith made.

 

[kado897]

It doesn't work for me Wolfgang. The original link does.

 

[ThrashZone]

Sorry I thought the point in winpe was so you didn't have to install reflect
I made the cd using imgburn I have not made an image yet :/
cd boot but has nothing to point too

If I understand after using reflect to make the image I then need to burn the iso again with imgburn

Oops winre

 

[whs]

Sorry I thought the point in winpe was so you didn't have to install reflect
I made the cd using imgburn I have not made an image yet :/
cd boot but has nothing to point too

If I understand after using reflect to make the image I then need to burn the iso again with imgburn

Oops winre

Well, yes and no. The initial purpose of the WinPE was to recover an image. But it can also be used to make images if you do not want to install Macrium. And you need only 1 copy - except for certain new releases - e.g. Rel. 6 which does not work with the old WinPEs.

 

[ThrashZone]

One little detail for me is I do not plan on leaving this back drive connected all the time matter of fact it will be remove soon after the image and recovery disk is created or vise verses create the recovery disk and then the image which quite frankly is where I am stumped because you really do not say how to use winre or pe to create an image from boot or otherwise unless I missed something in the translation

Recovery is premature when I have het to make anything yet besides a premature disk to recover nothing

 

[kado897]

As Wolfgang said some people use the WinPE to create images but the normal way is to install MR and do the imaging from within Windows. It makes the image in the background so you can do other things at the same time. I am currently running a daily image as I write this. Also doing it that way ensures that you always have an up to date version with all the latest bug fixes. Also the installed version has features that the WinPE does not. The WinPE ISOs linked in this tutorial are for a previous version(v5) and will not work with images created with the current version (v6).

 

[ThrashZone]

Okay that I understand

Is there a problem removing the recover hdd after doing an image and recovery disk ?

I saw in advanced options to not use a drive letter and use a volume signature or something like that instead :/
Reflect defaults/ Advanced/ Destination drive discovery/ use unique volume identifier

 

[whs]

Okay that I understand

Is there a problem removing the recover hdd after doing an image and recovery disk ?

I saw in advanced options to not use a drive letter and use a volume signature or something like that instead :/
Reflect defaults/ Advanced/ Destination drive discovery/ use unique volume identifier

Removing the drive after the image was taken is a good practice. Then the image(s) are safe.

 

[ThrashZone]

Thanks I'm just wondering about the setting I just pointed out though ?

 

[kado897]

Okay that I understand

Is there a problem removing the recover hdd after doing an image and recovery disk ?

I saw in advanced options to not use a drive letter and use a volume signature or something like that instead :/
Reflect defaults/ Advanced/ Destination drive discovery/ use unique volume identifier

The reason for not using a drive letter is that you can't guarantee that Windows will assign the same drive letter each time. Personally I use a drive letter and rarely have any issues with it.

 

[ThrashZone]

Yep that is my point pretty much this is not a external connected drive it's internally connected into my second hot swap bay

Can I redo or make a new recovery cd after the image has been made ?
I did notice reflect kicked out the cd before the image or xml file was created probably got the extension wrong on the file it sent to my documents folder to double click if I want to restore the image :/

 

[whs]

Does not look like you need a new CD. The CD was probably kicked out after the program was loaded.

 

[kado897]

You only need the one recovery CD. The recovery process doesn't need the drive letter. You can browse to where the image is located if Macrium can't find it itself.

 

[ThrashZone]

Well the image took 13 minutes to create :/

I guess I'll delete a few files and use the recovery at boot
That part is unclear by the way

 

[whs]

Adding a boot menu option for system Image recovery - KnowledgeBase - Macrium Reflect Knowledgebase