Windows PE Rescue Disk for Macrium Reflect Free - testing question

[maryeleek]

I have just installed the free Macrium Reflect and created the rescue disk. It is suggested to test it, which I did. The CD did boot and it appeared files were being copied but then, nothing. Nothing ever showed up on my monitor, the screen just remained black.

Do I need to have an image file for it to locate, in order for the process to go any further? I haven't yet created an image.

My thanks,

Mary

 

[richc46]

Welcome Mary
When you make the image, for the first time, you will set up the destination. I use an external hard drive. When you want to restore that image, you make sure that the drive is connected. You will then see all the images on the drive.

 

[maryeleek]

Thank you for your prompt reply. Do you think this is why, when attempting to test my rescue disk, that the monitor remained black/blank, because there was no image file for the restore function to locate and display on the screen? It kept searching for something that wasn't available?

I've never seen anyone say that to test the rescue CD, you first need to create an image. I had the impression that the testing of the rescue disk came before creating the image (backup) file as it is always stressed to do this. Am I getting ahead of myself?

Mary

 

[DavidE]

I think the rescue media should be able to create a backup image even if none have been created.
If booting the rescue disc shows a blank/black screen something is wrong, imho.
I've never booted a pc with a MR rescue disc that had no backup images for that pc, so i'm just guessing.

What PE version did you create the rescue disc with ?
Can you try the MR rescue disc on a different pc to see if it displays correctly ?

You can try different PE versions if you want, to see if that makes a difference.

I've tried/tested them all as best i can, and they all work for me, but i do have multi-boot pc's.

 

[richc46]

Imaging with free Macrium

 

[maryeleek]

I have tried latest version of Macrium Reflect Free, uninstalled and then reinstalled my v5 Macrium Reflect Professional on my desktop with Win 7 Pro OS. I thought maybe the lastest version of Macrium was conflicting with something on my computer so decided to uninstall and reinstall my older purchased version of Macrium v5 Pro. I turned off my Anti Virus software before installing it.

As with the free version of Macrium Reflect, each time I attempt to test the rescue disk just created by the Macrium v5, which always finishes and tells me it is successfully created, it loads at boot but shortly after the screen tells me it is analyzing the disks, my monitor goes black. I cannot see anything and nothing ever displays after this. If I cannot see how to locate and install my backup image, then this is not trustworthy for me. I know it must be something unique to my system. I did some research and it was suggested I remove the drive letter on the small partition that Dell creates as this was causing the free Macrium to throw an error. Once I did that, the free Macrium was able to successfully create a backup image file, which was created on a 1TB USB SSD drive. All reported successful and I can see the files there. It is just the problem with the rescue disk. If it doesn't work, I have no way to restore if the need ever arose.

Has anyone ever experienced this situation and if so, could you share your solution with me? I have no problems with my computer, plenty of unused space on my C drive, which is an internal 1 TB SSD. My monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 245BW and I've had no problems with it.

I realize the need to have a good backup and would like to have something I feel I can rely on.

Thank you for taking the time to read. All advice gratefully accepted.

Mary

 

[maryeleek]

I just re read one of the replies and I see it is suggested to try different PE versions when creating the rescue disk so I will give that a try. I've always used the 3.1 (?), the first in a list of three versions. I don't remember these different versions being offered on the free Macrium but my v5 does offer a list of three to chose from when creating the rescue disk. Will try creating with a different one. Thanks for the suggestion.

Mary

 

[Callender]

I use v5 but use a bootable Macruim Reflect PE USB to boot from. I believe that gets around any driver issues for CD drives.

 

[DavidE]

Mary,
Another thing you can try is to add a Boot Menu option for Macrium.

To do this, run Macrium (installed) in Windows.
In the MR menu select Other Tasks and then select Add Recovery Boot Menu Option
Then add it for whatever PE version you want.
This is not a substitute for a reliable rescue CD/USB,
If the HD/SSD fails, this boot option won't work !
It's just something you can test to see if the issue is with a bootable CD/USB.
If you do this, when you boot the PC you should be able to select Macrium as the "boot device".

Here's a snip of what i'm trying to explain:

 

[DavidE]

Thinking a bit more about this, if i had this problem i would run a Disk Check and SFC.
Here are tutorials:
Disk Check
SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

I'd want to be sure as possible i don't have some HD/OS problem i'm not aware of.

 

[Ranger4]

I have just installed the free Macrium Reflect and created the rescue disk. It is suggested to test it, which I did. The CD did boot and it appeared files were being copied but then, nothing. Nothing ever showed up on my monitor, the screen just remained black.

Do I need to have an image file for it to locate, in order for the process to go any further? I haven't yet created an image.

My thanks,

Mary

When you are using or testing the Rescue Disc is does take sometime for the disc to load & the system to respond, so don't get alarmed if it seems not to be responding, just give it plenty of time.

 

[Layback Bear]

I use the newest version of Macrium Reflect.
I have found that a (PE) Recovery Disk disk that was set up on a MBR computer would not work on a UEIF computer.
Simple problem to solve. I now have a (PE) Recovery Disk for MBR and one for UEIF.

This may or may not be a problem in your case.

Jack

 

[mjf]

I still have the last version of free V5 on my main PC using the v3.1 rescue pe. I have V6 of Macrium free on another PC and the v5 pe. I generally boot from a USB flash drive but if I boot a v5 pe CD it seems to take a long time as stated by Ranger4 but it eventually gets there and you should see the appropriate Macrium rescue screen. You definitely don't need an existing image for this screen to appear.

 

[Sky Ranch]

I normally use a USB thumb drive to create a rescue media but I do have an existing CD rescue media I created long ago with Win PE 3 that uses the W7 kernel. It seems to boot fine on my old Dell desktop and doesn't take very long (less than a minute) to get to the Macrium User Interface screen.

I would try to create another rescue media using a brand new CD, or different CD/DVD drive if you have one. It's also possible the CD/DVD drive you're using in creating the rescue media is responsible, too. If that's the case, the alternative is to use a USB thumb drive instead if feasible.

 

[Ranger4]

I normally use a USB thumb drive to create a rescue media but I do have an existing CD rescue media I created long ago with Win PE 3 that uses the W7 kernel. It seems to boot fine on my old Dell desktop and doesn't take very long (less than a minute) to get to the Macrium User Interface screen.

I would try to create another rescue media using a brand new CD, or different CD/DVD drive if you have one. It's also possible the CD/DVD drive you're using in creating the rescue media is responsible, too. If that's the case, the alternative is to use a USB thumb drive instead if feasible.

As you say the wait time is probably about a minute, but that minute can seem an eternity when all you see is a blank screen & you are in a state of panic after suffering a major crash & have to reinstall an image to recover.

 

[mjf]

Just to clarify. My if I boot a pe3 rescue media for my version 5 Macrium then it does relatively quickly. If I boot a pe5 rescue media for my version 6 Macrium then it takes considerably longer. The first time I thought something was wrong - be patient.