Macrium Reflect (free version)

[jackdash]

I am trying to restore a backup image of my C: partition which is on an external drive.
When I use the macrium boot cd it asks me to select the image file, but does not list the external drive the image in on.
My setup has two external drives H: and M: my image is on M and only H: is listed.
I thought the M: partition might be faulty but I can access any of the files on it.
Any help appreciated.

Thanks
jack

 

[Mark Phelps]

Unfortunately, the free version of MR will only allow you to make the Linux-based Boot CD -- which does not always do a good job of detecting drives and controllers.

The paid version allows you the make a WinPE-based boot CD, and not only does that do a better job of detecting drives and controllers, it also allows you to add your own controller drivers.

The paid version also allows you to install something called MR Recovery Environment -- a boot option that allows you to boot into a special version of Windows and run a restore from there, without requiring a boot CD.

Other than purchasing the paid version and then burning a WinPE-based boot CD, I don't know what else to tell you. Sorry.

 

[jackdash]

Would I be able to move the image to the external drive that is listed?
jack

 

[Hopalong X]

Macrium Reflect

Free 30 day trial of full Macrium. Download now and in 30days go back to the free version.
I hope that detects your drives now.
Mike

Direct to the download.

http://www.macrium.com/download.asp

 

[Mark Phelps]

According to their site, the WinPE boot CD ability is not available with the trial version (and I believe that's it's also not available with the free version, either).

 

[Hopalong X]

Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download

Not according to the new comparison here.

 

[mjf]

You could try
(1) loading macrium from the desktop and see if it sees the drive/image
(2) double click the image to load a virtual drive
If (1) & (2) work you could burn another linux (try DVD).

It works for me but Macrium has only been a "backup" for me - I use Windows imaging which is just as fast making the image and fast restoring. Windows imaging is just a little less flexible.

 

[MilesAhead]

I am trying to restore a backup image of my C: partition which is on an external drive.
When I use the macrium boot cd it asks me to select the image file, but does not list the external drive the image in on.
My setup has two external drives H: and M: my image is on M and only H: is listed.
I thought the M: partition might be faulty but I can access any of the files on it.
Any help appreciated.

Thanks
jack

What type of external drives are they? If it's USB 2.0 the Macrium boot CD should be able to see them. Is this the latest version of Macrium Free Edition? I bought Macrium but later the free version linux boot CD was updated to the same as the paid. It sees my funky "raid ready" disk controller.

Before we make assumptions you should give more details on the external drives and how they are connected. Is the partition you can't see on the same physical drive as the one you can or another physical disk?

 

[MilesAhead]

@Hopalong, when I bought Macrium the only thing not included in the trial was the Win-PE. They claimed it was due to licensing restrictions. Once I paid up, I got info to download either the 64 bit or 32 bit version, but not both.

 

[Hopalong X]

Okay a bit of a two step shuffle by Macrium.

The BartPE in free Macrium is XP or 2003 Server only.
They let you have the old one free but don't mention that in their advertising.

 

[Phone Man]

Would I be able to move the image to the external drive that is listed?
jack

Yes can move the image to another drive and then during the restore you will be able to select it.

Jim

 

[SIW2]

You can run the Bartpe plugin on a winpe3 disc without any difficulty.

 

[MilesAhead]

Okay a bit of a two step shuffle by Macrium.

The BartPE in free Macrium is XP or 2003 Server only.
They let you have the old one free but don't mention that in their advertising.

In my case the Linux Boot CD recognized the controller. But just as an exercise, I created the WinPE with the Windows disk controller driver. It's kind of a catch-22 because on my machine the "raid ready" disk controller is also what runs SCSI emulation used by the optical drive. When I boot a disc that doesn't have the driver I only have the floppy boot image to work with(1.44 MB) since that's all the bios knows how to boot on the CD without the CD controller driver. But I got it to work. By the time I have to do it again I'm sure I'll forget how though.

 

[Hopalong X]

Miles

I made a Macrium of my Win7, XP, Macrium System Image and a Win7 System Image.

I hope I remember which is which and goes where when I need them!

 

[jackdash]

Both my external drives are USB2 the one I cannot see only contains Macrium backups.
The one that is listed from the boot cd contains other data.
I am thinking of moving the backup image file to this drive thats listed.
Would this work?

Thanks
jack

 

[Phone Man]

Both my external drives are USB2 the one I cannot see only contains Macrium backups.
The one that is listed from the boot cd contains other data.
I am thinking of moving the backup image file to this drive thats listed.
Would this work?

Thanks
jack

You can move the image anywhere you want and then select it.

Jim

 

[MilesAhead]

Miles

I made a Macrium of my Win7, XP, Macrium System Image and a Win7 System Image.

I hope I remember which is which and goes where when I need them!

Yeah, I always stick 'em in folders with machine name and drive letter. I try to run my drives lean so if I do restore it's less than an hour job. USB 3.0 docks help. My externals are faster than the system drives.

 

[MilesAhead]

Both my external drives are USB2 the one I cannot see only contains Macrium backups.
The one that is listed from the boot cd contains other data.
I am thinking of moving the backup image file to this drive thats listed.
Would this work?

Thanks
jack

You can move the image anywhere you want and then select it.

Jim

+1. I've seen that stated on Macrium support forum. You're not locked into where you happened to park the image when you made it. In fact often I plug in an external and copy a few images off so I have backups not hooked to any machines in case of virus strike. I just drag & drop the most recent images onto the external, remove it, and lock it away.

 

[jackdash]

So whats the difference between a Macrium system image and Windows system image? windows seem's to do the same job.

jack

 

[mjf]

Both store images as vhd files as opposed to straight bit by bit clone copies.
Macrium is more flexible in the choice of partitions to image and restore.
Macrium allows more flexibility in the storing of images as they can be placed in any folder. Windows imaging allows one image per root of a partition. However, more images can be strored by renaming the image folder to something other than [WindowsImageBackup]. Whatever is named or renamed back to [WindowsImageBackup] in a partition root is what windows image restore will see.

Some people have problems with windows imaging. I and others use it as the main imaging utility because it works well for us. But I keep Macrium as well - just in case. I recently restored a 3 partition image, using windows imaging, to a new 1TB disk out of the bag. Put it in disk 0 location (alone), reimaged = working system + all apps (I was very pleasantly surprised!).