Disk Image Backups

Computer Help and Discussions The Lounge
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Out of curiosity, how many of you guys have an "Image Backup" made with something like Macrium Reflect?

And how long is it since you updated it?

Believe me, leave it longer than a month or so, and you'll be giving yourself a lot of work with Windows Updates alone, plus all the program updates you may have made.

It's surprising how much your Operating System changes in a month. I found that out the hard way.

And how many of you guys have no System Backup at all?

This is how long it takes to make a backup Disk Image of a 20gb System Drive, which will save you a world of headaches and frustration if you ever suffer something serious or terminal.

HtqbQs.png

All done with free software.

Macrium Reflect[/url

Just thought I'd mention that.

:)

Hi everybody,

I'm back! Thanks for all the info you've provided about external HDs and backup software. :)

Have been doing external HD comparison shopping after reading what many members posted. Will probably go with the WD MyBook Essential. The Smartware included appears to back up both system and personal files, and looks easy for a non-techie like me to use.

Since Macrium Reflect is so welll recommended by many members, I would really like to know if/why it is better than SmartWare. Do I understand correctly that it would be necessary to use the paid version of Macrium Reflect if you want to use it for both system and personal files backup.

22
May I ask why you prefer not to use the SmartWare that comes on the WD My Book?
I already have backup software.

Also what is the advantage of an on/off switch?
It's just a personal preference thing for me. The WD is usb-powered and lots of people are happy with that too.
23
Do I understand correctly that it would be necessary to use the paid version of Macrium Reflect if you want to use it for both system and personal files backup.

I have the commercial version, and I do believe that is correct.

24
Do I understand correctly that it would be necessary to use the paid version of Macrium Reflect if you want to use it for both system and personal files backup.

There's a complete list of differences in free/paid-for versions here ... http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp

25

Remember Picablu, you are actually backing up your personal files located on your System Drive (usually C:) with a Macrium Image backup made with the free version.

We have two very similar threads active at the moment and you may want to read the other in it's entirety, but the post linked to here explains how to mount your backup Image as a drive, which enables you to access all the files stored within the Image.

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showto...st&p=157865

And you can use Karens Replicator to make separate backups of all your personal stuff, which means you will have two backups of the stuff you least want to lose.

Karens Replicator can be set up to copy your personal files automatically from where you store them, to a chosen folder or folders on another partition or drive.

You can set it to only copy new additions from the source folder/folders to the backup locations, meaning you won't be duplicating files in your backup folders.

I use it to scan my photographs and music folders at regular intervals, and copy only new additions to those folders to the backup.

These are only suggestions of course. The choices are entirely yours. But keep coming with the questions if you are still unclear about anything.

26
Remember Picablu, you are actually backing up your personal files located on your System Drive (usually C:) with a Macrium Image backup made with the free version.

We have two very similar threads active at the moment and you may want to read the other in it's entirety, but the post linked to here explains how to mount your backup Image as a drive, which enables you to access all the files stored within the Image.

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showto...st&p=157865

And you can use Karens Replicator to make separate backups of all your personal stuff, which means you will have two backups of the stuff you least want to lose.

Karens Replicator can be set up to copy your personal files automatically from where you store them, to a chosen folder or folders on another partition or drive.

You can set it to only copy new additions from the source folder/folders to the backup locations, meaning you won't be duplicating files in your backup folders.

I use it to scan my photographs and music folders at regular intervals, and copy only new additions to those folders to the backup.

These are only suggestions of course. The choices are entirely yours. But keep coming with the questions if you are still unclear about anything.

DennisD, you state "backing up your personal files located on your System Drive (usually C:)". In the case of desktop PC's, surely one is better to have at least 2 physical hard drives so that we have drive "C" containing system and apps files and all data is written to another physical hard drive.

This way when drive "C" refuses to boot or whatever......one just slips the data drive into another PC and we are up and away. This approach has saved my bacon several times with by work PC's. I also have the luxury of 5 HD in my work PC and access to 4 other PC's on the network that all have 3 or more hard drives set up with the same approach. Admit-ably one needs the money for 2 hard drives and a "spare PC", not so practical for Laptop users, but 2 partitions with system & apps on one partition and data on the other. I feel this approach is worth considering.

27

can macriun work from bootcd with all features like paragon or acronis?

28
DennisD, you state "backing up your personal files located on your System Drive (usually C:)". In the case of desktop PC's, surely one is better to have at least 2 physical hard drives so that we have drive "C" containing system and apps files and all data is written to another physical hard drive.

This way when drive "C" refuses to boot or whatever......one just slips the data drive into another PC and we are up and away. This approach has saved my bacon several times with by work PC's. I also have the luxury of 5 HD in my work PC and access to 4 other PC's on the network that all have 3 or more hard drives set up with the same approach. Admit-ably one needs the money for 2 hard drives and a "spare PC", not so practical for Laptop users, but 2 partitions with system & apps on one partition and data on the other. I feel this approach is worth considering.

I'm all in agreement with storing personal data on external drives, and the backup copies to another external location, but I think you missed the point I was making to Picablu, and I say that respectfully.

The statement was directed solely to any personal stuff she may keep on her System Drive, which would obviously be included in, and part of, the Macrium Image backup of her System Drive.

Because a Disk Image can be easily mounted as a normal drive, and explored and copied from like an ordinary hard drive, it's almost as good as a File/Folder backup.

If people aren't aware of this capability of an "Image" backup, then they would be missing out on the ability to explore it and retrieve files from it as you would a backup folder. That's the point I was making.

Of course not everyone has multi hard drives at their disposal. I've been working with a single, partitioned 80gb hard drive for 3 years, and only very recently came into possession of a second hard drive from my sons old computer.

It's important to make as clear as possible to people in this position that there are still ways to make reliable and restorable System Drive backups. Hence all the recent discussions on Partitioning.

29
can macriun work from bootcd with all features like paragon or acronis?

Macrium has it's own Rescue CD made from within Macrium itself, with the single purpose of booting your PC, locating the Image backup, and then enabling/starting the Restore Process. Thats all it does, and takes up a few mb on a CD.

There is also a Macrium Plugin for Bart PE, which does the same thing from within the Bart PE environment.

And theres a Macrium Plugin for DriveImage XML, another freeware Disk Image Backup application.

EDIT: Whoa, I'm arse over tit with that, There's a DriveImage XLM plugin for Bart PE. ;)

30

Thank you DennisD for really keeping Macrium Reflect alive and popular on the forums to inform us about it. I've used the gem of software myself and now have a proper system backup, I was astonished with how fast it made the backup image. Hopefully I'll never have to reinstall Windows and all my default software from scratch again!

31

A jewel indeed! I can't remember who first introduced Reflect to this forum a while back, but thanks for a great find. I wouldn't want to be without it.

32
A jewel indeed! I can't remember who first introduced Reflect to this forum a while back, but thanks for a great find. I wouldn't want to be without it.

Seeing as you asked Tom.

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showto...st&p=107303

How could I resist. :lol:

33
Macrium has it's own Rescue CD made from within Macrium itself, with the single purpose of booting your PC, locating the Image backup, and then enabling/starting the Restore Process. Thats all it does, and takes up a few mb on a CD.

There is also a Macrium Plugin for Bart PE, which does the same thing from within the Bart PE environment.

And theres a Macrium Plugin for DriveImage XML, another freeware Disk Image Backup application.

EDIT: Whoa, I'm arse over tit with that, There's a DriveImage XLM plugin for Bart PE. ;)

forgot to mention...i meant if with bootable cd you can backup,resize,move partitions.etc..

was reading at their site is only a recovery cd to restore images.

34
Seeing as you asked Tom.

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showto...st&p=107303

How could I resist. :lol:

Good one, Dennis, you got me!

35
Remember Picablu, you are actually backing up your personal files located on your System Drive (usually C:) with a Macrium Image backup made with the free version.

We have two very similar threads active at the moment and you may want to read the other in it's entirety, but the post linked to here explains how to mount your backup Image as a drive, which enables you to access all the files stored within the Image.

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showto...st&p=157865

And you can use Karens Replicator to make separate backups of all your personal stuff, which means you will have two backups of the stuff you least want to lose.

Karens Replicator can be set up to copy your personal files automatically from where you store them, to a chosen folder or folders on another partition or drive.

You can set it to only copy new additions from the source folder/folders to the backup locations, meaning you won't be duplicating files in your backup folders.

I use it to scan my photographs and music folders at regular intervals, and copy only new additions to those folders to the backup.

These are only suggestions of course. The choices are entirely yours. But keep coming with the questions if you are still unclear about anything.

Thank you so much for your patience, Dennis. :) I read through the other thread, and everything here also. Probaby didn't absorb everything, but hopefully understand better now. Please review the following points, and confirm or correct my thinking.

My computer has C: drive (both system and personal files) and D: drive (named Recovery). I think the D: drive just holds restore points which would be used for System Restore to an earlier date. Is that correct?

The Macrium Reflect freeware version would place an image of the entire C: drive on the external hard drive. System Recovery would then be able to put everything back on my computer using the Macrium rescue CD. Am I understanding correctly so far?

Also please advise; will running the program monthly just record any recent changes to the image that's already on the external drive, or do I delete the image and run a whole new one?

The idea of messing around creating and using separate partitions scares me, so for now I think I'll stick with frequent backups of personal files on USB flash drive. I'm comfortable moving files about with that.

Sorry if I'm turning this into "Computers 101 for Dummies" :D

36
My computer has C: drive (both system and personal files) and D: drive (named Recovery). I think the D: drive just holds restore points which would be used for System Restore to an earlier date. Is that correct?

No Picablu. The D: Recovery Partition is more or less the original Window Disks on your Hard Drive. It's more common now for computers to be sold without Windows Disks, which are used to reinstall the Operating System. You do that now from a "Recovery Partition", and when used, it restores your computer back to "Factory State". There are usually two "Recovery" options.

A "Normal" recovery, and a "Destructive" recovery. The first one is supposed to restore Windows and leave all your personal data intact, although all the software you installed since getting your computer will be gone. And all the pre-installed stuff you may have taken off, will be back.

The second option completely wipes the System Drive and restores Windows, and all you will have is a computer in the same state it was when you bought it. In other words "Factory State". My experience has been to also lose all data with a "Normal" recovery. Fortunately, I had the sense to back it all up anyway.

The Macrium Reflect freeware version would place an image of the entire C: drive on the external hard drive. System Recovery would then be able to put everything back on my computer using the Macrium rescue CD. Am I understanding correctly so far?

Yes and no. You will have an "Image" of your entire System Drive minus free space and certain unnecessary files providing you choose the "Intelligent sector copy" as shown here:

sjOvOs.png

You don't want an exact copy as that would include all your free space etc as mentioned above.

Also. System Recovery has nothing to do with restoring a Macrium Image. They are totally separate things.

You would restore the Image yourself simply by placing the Rescue cd in your cd/dvd drive, and then booting with it, as shown in those pictures I took.

Also please advise; will running the program monthly just record any recent changes to the image that's already on the external drive, or do I delete the image and run a whole new one?

Delete the old one and make a new one, and don't forget the MOST important thing. Make sure you select all verifying options. Verify after making the Image, and verify before you ever restore one, if circumstances allow.

The idea of messing around creating and using separate partitions scares me, so for now I think I'll stick with frequent backups of personal files on USB flash drive. I'm comfortable moving files about with that.

Whatever suits you Picablu, is what will work best for you.

Sorry if I'm turning this into "Computers 101 for Dummies" :D

No worries.

Keep the questions coming if you need to. Dummies are the poor souls who never ask.

:)

37
No worries.

Keep the questions coming if you need to. Dummies are the poor souls who never ask.

:)

Hi Dennis,

Hope you are having a good day. :)

I've ordered an external hard drive. When it arrives, I think the following are the steps I need to follow.

1. Run a fresh backup of personal files on my USB flash drive.

2. Download the Macrium Reflect freeware.

3. Plug in the external hard drive, but do not install the SmartWare that comes with it.

4. Open the Macrium Reflect, and run intelligent system image for C: drive.

5. Create the rescue CD, which will, if need should arise, restore the complete system image

made with Macrium.

Do I have a proper grasp now? Are these steps in the right order? Am I missing anything?

As I understand it, the D: drive is just there to be used by the Windows recovery process to go back to factory original, and I should just let it be. Pretty much ignore it.

Thank you for your time and advice. :)

38

I think you have it pretty well organized Picablu.

There's only one more thing for you to consider really. My experience with USB Flash drives hasn't been one which would make me trust them as a reliable place to store important back up files.

I would most definitely opt to keep them on an external hard drive rather than a Flash Drive. I've had a 1GB flash drive suddenly decide one day that it was only a few mb's in size, and nothing I could do would convince that drive that it was really 1GB.

And I really spoke to it sternly. I tried everything I could find by researching on line, but it was a no no. Happily, PCWorld replaced it for me, but no one could replace the data on it, which as it turned out wasn't important, but it may have been.

Continue using it by all means, but I would also suggest backing up important data to your new hard drive as well.

That's just my experience of course, and I'm sure other members will offer their advice here regarding using Flash drives to back up important data. I hope they do anyway.

I'm looking for a new hard drive now. I've a bit of birthday money to spend. :)

EDIT: Make sure you try out the Rescue CD as shown in that other thread.

39

Dennis,

Did you install and run Macrium Reflect on your "real" system, or did you install and run MR while virtualized via Returnil? My hunch is MR must be installed on your real system, but I wanted to confirm.

40

Hi Chris.

Macrium is one program which is permanently installed on the real thing.

:)