Macrium Install Option to include WinPE: needed?

[rkl122]

A newbie type question: I'd like to try Macrium free. The install process provides the options to include or exclude WinPE. I'd rather not include it if it's not needed. What are the pros and cons to excluding it? I'm running Win7x64.

IIUC, WinPE is a sorta compact version of Windows, intended for loading from an external bootable disc, in order to recover the internal OS drive. If it needs to be on an external disc, why install it (along with Macrium) to the OS disc?

Thanks for any advice, -Ron

 

[fireberd]

I have Macrium (and used to have Acronis True Image). I make the WinPE rescue discs rather than the standard rescue discs which are Linux. I had a problem with the Linux disc loading on one of my desktops and on the other desktop it wasn't recognizing one hard drive. I created a WinPE rescue disc and the loading on the one PC and the hard drive detection problem on the other were gone.

 

[rkl122]

Appreciate response and info, but still not sure if it's *necessary* to invoke the PE install option in the Macrium installer. From the Macrium tutorial in this forum, it appears a PE disc can be created independently of a Macrium install. (But that tutorial started years ago. Still valid?)

Thx, Ron

 

[fireberd]

Its not "necessary" to have the WinPE. If the Linux version will work OK on your system that is all you will need. If you have a UEFI BIOS and GPT formatted drives then the WinPE works OK (may be required for UEFI).

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The WinPE version is less prone to problems.

The Linux version may not boot your PC due to driver issues.

If it in fact DOES boot your PC, then it's perfectly fine to use it. The only remaining issues would be that the Linux version is slow and you are faced with a text-based interface that you may find cryptic and confusing.

The WinPE version drops you into an interface that is exactly the same as if you opened Macrium on your hard drive and operates in the same way. Not cryptic, not slow, not confusing.

Regardless of which you choose, you would be a fool not to confirm that the disc will boot your PC. If not, you can't restore.

As far as I know, the WinPE method in that tutorial is periodically updated by WHS and is still valid. Try it.

 

[mjf]

I would recommend the winpe and you can get it here without downloading the WAIK.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html