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]

I also have a bootable CD from an older install of Macrium, which I'm hoping will work!

An older version of a bootable CD may not work with Images created with a newer version of Macrium.
You should create a new Recovery CD with the new version of Macrium.
The Macrium Change Log tells whenever a new Recovery CD should be created.

With Macrium V6 you can also add a boot menu item to run Macrium Recovery from the HD/SSD.
This won't work if the HD/SSD fails, so you should always have a bootable Recovery CD.

 

[spreedin]

So I have been using Reflect Free for awhile now and i love it, nice and fast the only issue is that I have make a rescue usb for each PC...is there a way around this...i was reading on this forum about yumi but that was on a older version of reflect....i would like to have one boot usb for all makes and models of pc's that we use and have all the images on that usb...about 10 or so...would be more convenient than carrying all the different usb...boot with linux and start reflect to restore image...thanks

 

[mjf]

the only issue is that I have make a rescue usb for each PC...

You don't need to do this. You should have a rescue USB/CD for Macrium V5 and one for V6 depending on what version you are using. These should work on multiple PCs using Windows 7. I keep a couple of rescue devices for this purpose in case one fails. You can also store away the rescue ISO somewhere.

I have Macrium V5 still on one PC and V6 on another. I've found the version 6 rescue CD works on V5 images (ie. backward compatible) V5 rescue CDs won't work on V6 images. V6 rescue using pe5 incorporates USB 3 drivers which is useful.

 

[lehnerus2000]

the only issue is that I have make a rescue usb for each PC...

You don't need to do this. You should have a rescue USB/CD for Macrium V5 and one for V6 depending on what version you are using. These should work on multiple PCs using Windows 7. I keep a couple of rescue devices for this purpose in case one fails. You can also store away the rescue ISO somewhere.

Don't the "rescue discs" incorporate the drivers from the PC they were created on?

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

the only issue is that I have make a rescue usb for each PC...

You don't need to do this. You should have a rescue USB/CD for Macrium V5 and one for V6 depending on what version you are using. These should work on multiple PCs using Windows 7. I keep a couple of rescue devices for this purpose in case one fails. You can also store away the rescue ISO somewhere.

Don't the "rescue discs" incorporate the drivers from the PC they were created on?

That is an option on the paid version.

 

[mjf]

I admit I haven't used the paid version but haven't experienced a driver problem with the V6 pe 5 rescue on different PC hardware. Maybe there is a driver issue and other feedback would be useful.

 

[Windymiller]

I hope it is ok to ask this on this thread. I am about to install Macrium Free Version but was worried about having to go into BIOS to change the BOOT to Hard Drive in order to make a Rescue CD. I have 2 questions. Can I create the Rescue CD on a blank CD instead of a DVD. The second is regarding Mesh Computers. I would like to be certain that I leave the BIOS at the default setting when I have finished making the CD. Do you know what the default setting is, and how to return to it ? It is set on Hard Disk at the moment (I saved it on that with great trepidation when I went into BIOS to look at the menu.) I want to know what I am doing before I start downloading Macrium. My husband is having forty fits about me going into BIOS at all !

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
You shouldn't have to change the boot order the default should be fine.
Yes a regular cd -r or +r or combination +-r cd's are all that is needed for the WinPE recovery media it is less than 500 mb's
You could also use a 1gb flash drive.

 

[DavidE]

I hope it is ok to ask this on this thread. I am about to install Macrium Free Version but was worried about having to go into BIOS to change the BOOT to Hard Drive in order to make a Rescue CD. I have 2 questions. Can I create the Rescue CD on a blank CD instead of a DVD. The second is regarding Mesh Computers. I would like to be certain that I leave the BIOS at the default setting when I have finished making the CD. Do you know what the default setting is, and how to return to it ? It is set on Hard Disk at the moment (I saved it on that with great trepidation when I went into BIOS to look at the menu.) I want to know what I am doing before I start downloading Macrium. My husband is having forty fits about me going into BIOS at all !

When you get the Macrium Rescue CD created you should test it to make sure it works.
You should be able to boot from the Rescue CD and run Macrium.

You should have a "One-Time boot menu" option where you can tap on a key when the PC is starting up so you can choose a boot device without making BIOS changes.
I don't know what the One-Time key is for your PC, it's different for different PC's.

If you have a User manual it might have this info there.
It also might display it when the PC is booting up with something like "Fn=Boot Menu", but that screen can go by quickly.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I just learned something interesting yesterday. If you attempt to clone an MBR drive to a GPT drive, the GPT drive will become an MBR drive.

In my case, I was cloning a 2TB HDD (MBR) to a freshly formatted 4TB SSD (GPT, obviously) and wound up with an SSD that had two roughly 2TB partitions, one of which drove me nuttier than usual because I couldn't do anything with it when I tried to fix it with MiniTool Partition wizard until I finally dawned on one of my few remaining brain cells (three, I think; I have trouble counting that high) that the working partition was MBR. Once I converted the working partition back to GPT, I was able to use FreeFileSync to transfer my data from the HDD to SSD (which was probably better, even though slower, since FFS is set to verify every copy operation).

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

 

[kado897]

I just learned something interesting yesterday. If you attempt to clone an MBR drive to a GPT drive, the GPT drive will become an MBR drive.

In my case, I was cloning a 2TB HDD (MBR) to a freshly formatted 4TB SSD (GPT, obviously) and wound up with an SSD that had two roughly 2TB partitions, one of which drove me nuttier than usual because I couldn't do anything with it when I tried to fix it with MiniTool Partition wizard until I finally dawned on one of my few remaining brain cells (three, I think; I have trouble counting that high) that the working partition was MBR. Once I converted the working partition back to GPT, I was able to use FreeFileSync to transfer my data from the HDD to SSD (which was probably better, even though slower, since FFS is set to verify every copy operation).

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

It sort of makes sense though.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I just learned something interesting yesterday. If you attempt to clone an MBR drive to a GPT drive, the GPT drive will become an MBR drive.

In my case, I was cloning a 2TB HDD (MBR) to a freshly formatted 4TB SSD (GPT, obviously) and wound up with an SSD that had two roughly 2TB partitions, one of which drove me nuttier than usual because I couldn't do anything with it when I tried to fix it with MiniTool Partition wizard until I finally dawned on one of my few remaining brain cells (three, I think; I have trouble counting that high) that the working partition was MBR. Once I converted the working partition back to GPT, I was able to use FreeFileSync to transfer my data from the HDD to SSD (which was probably better, even though slower, since FFS is set to verify every copy operation).

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

It sort of makes sense though.

Yeah, it does, once you make sense of it...Wait, what did I just say?

All seriousness aside, I understand (now) what happened and just thought I would pass this little tidbit along so others don't make the same mistake (which caused me to waste four hours: three hours for the unusable clone and an hour to figure out where I screwed up).

 

[mjf]

A 4 TB SSD - I think they are about us$1500. Now I know I'm getting old or simply $ tight.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

A 4 TB SSD - I think they are about us$1500. Now I know I'm getting old or simply $ tight.

The wee buggers are $1499.99 MSRP but I was able to get them for between $100 and $125 less. I was going to buy a new truck but it looks like I'll be keeping the old one a while longer (quite a while longer...one heck of a lot longer!).

And you aren't the only one getting old and tight. I almost had heart failure when I finally built up the nerve to hit the order button. I may have bought them at the right time, though. There are rumors knocking about that HDDs prices are going to go up due a supposed shortage (or production slow down) and that will fuel a shortage of SSDs (Samsung is already having a NAND shortage) causing them to increase in price. Time will tell

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I believe hell would freeze over before I would buy one

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Hi,
I believe hell would freeze over before I would buy one

Well, AZ is having a cold snap right now and, during the summer, at least, we are about two feet from hell...

Seiously, the only thing wrong with SSDs nowadays is they aren't cheap. I'm looking forward to going all SSD. Lower power consumption, smaller size, less heat, less weight, what's not to like (other than high prices, of course)?

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...There are rumors knocking about that HDDs prices are going to go up due a supposed shortage (or production slow down) and that will fuel a shortage of SSDs (Samsung is already having a NAND shortage) causing them to increase in price...

Here is one of those rumors although, so far, the 4TB SSDs and a couple of 500GB SSDs I have on order haven't gone up yet (note that I said yet).

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I believe hell would freeze over before I would buy one

Well, AZ TZ is having a cold snap right now and, during the summer, at least, we are about two feet from hell...
?

Hi a lot closer than that in Texas

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Hi,
I believe hell would freeze over before I would buy one

Well, AZ TZ is having a cold snap right now and, during the summer, at least, we are about two feet from hell...
?

Hi a lot closer than that in Texas

Oh man! Don't give me straight lines like that!

 

[Windymiller]

I am not quite sure why this thread is coming up in my emails but hi everybody. Interesting to know SSDs are going up.

Light dawns. Google has been warning me about my emails being "hacked" from a US address. Could that be you - I call myself an oldie.

Sorry. Very unlikely. More likely a Facebook thing. Use a different email address for this forum in any case.