Solved reflect updates

[alexm]

I have made a macrium reflect recovery cd from a previous version of macrium reflect. I uninstalled that version some time ago. recently I d/l the latest version & backed up system reserve & "c" drive. Do I even need to make a recovery disk since I made one with the other version of macrium reflect. Also do I need to make a backup of system reserve If I have a recovery disk.

 

[mitchell64]

Hello alexm, i have used linux disks from previous versions of macrium in the past to boot into macriums recovery console without any problems, but i would recommend burning a new if you are able.

In regard to backing up the System Reserved partition have a look at this tutorial;

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/128494-imaging-strategies.html

 

[Maxxwire]

Do I even need to make a recovery disk since I made one with the other version of macrium reflect.

Good question. I just go ahead and make a new recovery disk for each update.

~Maxx~

 

[whs]

There was an earlier release change ( i do not remember exactly when) of Macrium where they recommended to burn a new recovery disk. Since then, I always do. I also keep seperate recovery CDs for my 32bit and 64bit systems. That may be an overkill, but it takes only a few minutes and CDs are cheap.

 

[MilesAhead]

The biggest change in the Linux boot CD in a long while has been upgrading the free version of Macrium to the same boot CD as the paid version. The main hassle with burning another boot CD is you should really test it before assuming it will work when the need arises. Sometimes I just can't get psyched to do yet another burn and boot test cycle esp. if there's nothing particularly new on the boot CD.

Short answer is, if you don't want to bother testing the new one, don't throw out the old one.

edit: otoh if you really like commenting your backup images then it may be worth the hassle since the new boot CD is supposed to support viewing the comments in the restore program.

 

[mickey megabyte]

can you guarantee that your boot-up disc is going to be forward-compatible for ever?

no

you might need one at a very awkward time - burn a new one now - it only takes minutes and costs pence.

 

[whs]

MilesAhead made a good point though. If you burn any CD, you can never be sure whether the CD will really work. For that purpose I have a little procedure which tests the CD but cannot do any damage: (it looks more complicated than it really is)


Macrium test

1. Shrink 2GBs from C and define a logical volume (partition) - let's call it Y
2. Move some files (any files) into Y - I always also move the sample picture folder in (you'll see why)
3. Define a test folder on your external backup disk - call it Mtest
4. Make an image of Y to Mtest - requires that you make a new definition
5. Delete a couple of pictures from the sample picture folder on Y (I always use the 2 animals)
6. Reboot and tap (ESC, F2 or whatever it is on your system) to get into the BIOS boot sequence
7. Set your boot sequence to CD/DVD reader
8. Throw in the Macrium recovery CD and let it run, then hit Enter
9. Now you are in the recovery wizard, set it to Mtest where it says "Locate Image" and to Y where it says "Choose partition to overwrite with the image data".
Note: the partition letters may not be the same as on your system. Macrium uses its own lettering. Best is to go by the size of the partitions and open it with the little + in the front.
10. Watch out when it asks whether to replace the Master Boot Record - in this case say "do not replace" because this is only a data partition. If that were your system partition, you would replace the MBR provided you do not have a separate boot partition.
11. When you get the little window saying "Your computer will now reboot", you have to hit "Cancel" (on the bottom" to get it to reboot. That's a little strange way to end the session, but that's the way it is.
12. Check whether the 2 animals in the sample picture folder are back. That shows you that the recovery worked.

When you have done these steps, you did the whole cycle and have learned

1. That your recovery disk works
2. How to recover
3. That things work

Now you can delete the little 2GB partition and add it back to it's originating partition.
If you are not familiar with the creation and deletion of partitions, watch this tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/72427-data-partition.html

 

[Golden]

Nice Wolfgang, very nice.

 

[Maxxwire]

In addition to a burning a current copy of the Rescue CD Macrium Reflect also allows you to create an updatable Boot Menu on the computer.

~Maxx~

 

[whs]

In addition to a burning a current copy of the Rescue CD Macrium Reflect also allows you to create an updatable Boot Menu on the computer.

~Maxx~

I think that is only an option in the Pro version - or did that come with the last update (which I have not yet installed).

 

[Golden]

Yep - only in Pro. I updated to the latest free Macrium last night and don't see that option (still only the Linux and BartPE options are showing).

 

[mjf]

Also do I need to make a backup of system reserve If I have a recovery disk.

It doesn't make sense not to include it. It's a tiny partition added to the image set. Much of the time you won't need to replace it if it isn't damaged, but occasionally you will (eg. going to a new HDD). You have the option not to select it for reimaging if you choose.

If you use the free Macrium, the Hiren's Boot CD (v13) includes the Macrium pe capability as part of it's mini XP.

 

[Maxxwire]

In the Macrium Reflect 4.2.3141 Chanhelog it states...

" After a recent Windows update, the 'Other Tasks' > 'Add recovery boot menu' option stopped working in Windows 7. This has been resolved."

So it sounds like the 'Add Recovery Boot Menu' in Other Tasks has been in previous free versions of Macrium Reflect and the problem has been resolved.

~Maxx~

 

[alexm]

thanks to MITCHELL64 for the excellent link on ways to backup Images, but,WHS In post#4 referred to what my question was about. Also thanks WHS on the tutorial video clip on testing for a working backup. I will burn a new recovery disk

 

[mjf]

In regard to backing up the System Reserved partition have a look at this tutorial;

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/128494-imaging-strategies.html

You are referencing incorrect information.

The system reserved partition does not contain the MBR . This incorrect information confuses people when it comes to the basic BIOS boot process. When an imaging program (or anything correct) refers to backing up or replacing the MBR it is referring to the Master Boot Record which is physically located on the first 512 bytes of the HDD. It contains a small amount of boot code and the disk partition table.

The system reserved partition is totally different and has a totally different role to the MBR. It's key elements are the boot manager and BCD (Boot Configuration Data table).

 

[MilesAhead]

When I did a test backup and restore using Macrium paid version trial to decide if I wanted to buy it, at the end of the restore it offered to copy the saved MBR to disk. I allowed it to do so. This produced the bonus of fixing my partition table which was hosed by another imaging program when it tried to make a backup hidden partition on the HD. The MBR restore is an option of the normal restore process. Only thing is they don't give the option to restore the MBR only. Guess they don't want people fiddling with it.

If you want MBR only backup restore you can hunt down single purpose utilities that do it.

 

[mjf]

If you want MBR only backup restore you can hunt down single purpose utilities that do it.

This will do it
MBR Backup - Back up your Master Boot Record (Freeware)
Also a hex editor will work but it needs to read the physical (not just logical) disk.
Programs like Hex Editor Neo only provide this with their paid version. I use HxD, it's good and it's free.

 

[whs]

I think Partition Wizard can rebuild the MBR too. It is in the Disk tab. Or are we talking about something different.

 

[MilesAhead]

Addictive Tips highlights this one:

BOOTICE - Modify, Backup, Restore Master Boot Record & Partition Boot Record

I haven't tried it myself though.

 

[mickey megabyte]

please forgive my ignorance, and help me to reduce it some - i may wear a guru badge but both my ignorance and confusion remain vast...

can somebody please explain, in relatively simple terms, the difference between an mbr and a bootloader?

as i understand, mbr = master boot record, and contains partition data such as size, location on disk, name, and which are marked as primary, logical, active, etc. each physical disk must have one single master boot record. (even if you don't boot off it?)

whereas a bootloader is os-dependent software which relies on mbr data to present a bootmenu at boot, such as bcd or grub. only the primary boot disk as defined in the bios needs a bootloader. the bootloader lives on the active system boot partition.

have i got this right so far? or does the bootloader 'live' on the mbr?

so when you restore the mbr in macrium reflect, it isn't the same as restoring the bootloader? and may still result in an unbootable system that needs to be repaired by other means?

if i've got that right, what does restoring the mbr do, if it doesn't also restore the bootloader?

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as an aside, why do lots of people refer to the software as 'macrium'?

isn't 'macrium' a software company, and the program is called 'reflect'?