Macrium Reflect 4.2.3638 Free Edition

[Allan]

Macrium Reflect 4.2.3638 Free Edition
  Released 07 June 2011
 
  Absolutely free! No strings! The only free XP, Vista and Windows 7   compatible disk imaging software with BartPE and Linux based recovery   options.
 
      Create a disk image whilst running Windows using Microsoft Volume Shadow copy Service (VSS).
      Image to Network, USB, FireWire drives and DVD.
      Built in scheduler.
      32 bit and native 64 bit versions.
      Industry leading compression levels and speed.
      Linux based Rescue CD with Network access and full GUI. Only 6.5MB in size!
      Built in CD/DVD packet writing engine. Supports packet writing to DVD DL media with Windows Vista.
      HTML log files.
 
  A complete disaster recovery solution for your home and office. Protect   your personal documents, photos, music and emails. Upgrade your hard   disk or try new operating systems in the safe knowledge that everything   is securely saved in an easily recovered backup file.
 
      Don't compromise your data integrity with second best:
      Macrium Reflect uses leading data compression techniques to create   accurate and reliable images of your hard disk or partitions on your   disk.
      Simple step by step operation:
      Image and Restore using intuitive wizards and interfaces. Macrium   Reflect integrates fully with Windows Explorer, a partition image can be   created with a simple right click.
      Automate the process:
      With Macrium Reflect you can schedule Images to run at any time.   Disk space management ensures that you optimize the available space on   external drives.
      Restore individual files and folders:
      Create a 'Virtual' drive in Windows Explorer and recover selected   files and directories using simple copy and paste operations.
      Recovery:
      In the event of a total loss of the Windows operating system your PC can be started using the Reflect recovery CD.
 
  Changelog/Bug fixes:
  * Progress bar error when imaging partitions > 3TB
  * The backup progress bar would prematurely show 100% complete when imaging disks > 3TB in size. This has been resolved.
 
  Note:
  The installation file contains the 32 and 64 bit versions of Macrium Reflect.
  The correct version will be automatically installed.
 
  Download Macrium Reflect 4.2.3638 Free Edition:
  http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp
  http://www.brothersoft.com/macrium-reflect-117451.html
 
  Homepage:
  http://www.macrium.com/
 
 
              

[Salmon Trout]

I thought I'd give it a try, since I didn't have to go to work this morning. I have Windows 7 and I have been using the built-in imaging tool, and it has got me out of trouble more than once.  I firmly believe that only a fool relies on a backup scheme unless they definitely know (a) that it works (b) how to use it, so I decided to do a backup and restore. In case the Macrium restore didn't work I made a Windows 7 system image on one of my external hard drives, and a Macrium image on another. I have 3 external hard drives, and I normally make an image every few days, rotating the disks, and overwriting the oldest backup.

I have a 100 GB system partition, with 47 GB used. A Windows 7 image takes about 40 minutes to create, and the same amount of time to restore. The Macrium image (no compression) took 25 minutes to create and 2 hours 15 minutes to restore. Maybe if a person had an earlier operating system, they might want to use this, but I won't be switching! I must say I got quite a few household chores done during those 2 hours and 15 minutes, so I suppose I should be grateful to you, Allan...

[Allan]

I use Acronis True Image. A 19Gb image of my system partition (on a W7 system) takes 10 minutes to create and approximately the same time to restore. I've never used Macrium, but the fact that it took so long to restore simply doesn't sound right. BTW, I use standard compression as opposed to no compression, so the size of the image is obviously smaller.

[Salmon Trout]

I use Acronis True Image. A 19Gb image of my system partition (on a W7 system) takes 10 minutes to create and approximately the same time to restore. I've never used Macrium, but the fact that it took so long to restore simply doesn't sound right. BTW, I use standard compression as opposed to no compression, so the size of the image is obviously smaller.

The other image tools I've used, and believe me I've tried a number, take longer to restore a compressed image than an uncompressed one, I think, due to the compession/decompression cpu overhead. I believe. I made a compressed Macrium image yesterday which is 28 GB versus 47 GB for the uncompressed version.

[Allan]

Well, don't know what to tell. you. Even on an old XP system a True Image boot-time restore (of the system partition - similar size to W7) takes less than 15 minutes.

[Salmon Trout]

Well, don't know what to tell. you. Even on an old XP system a True Image boot-time restore (of the system partition - similar size to W7) takes less than 15 minutes.

It does seem like a long time. The Windows (PE recovery CD) tool is faster restoring from the same USB drive in the ratio of 135:40, I wonder if there is some issue with the Linux recovery CD that Macrium uses. I had to make a second boot CD using the Macrium "compatibility" mode because the first one I made booted (eventually) but did not recognise my USB mouse.

[Allan]

Honestly don't know, but I'm betting it's not the norm.

[Salmon Trout]

[Update] I tried Googling for "Macrium Reflect slow restore", and Google Suggest was ahead of me! This looks to be a known issue possibly to do with disk controller compatibility. One person in the Macrium forum reported 45 minutes/9 hours so I guess I was lucky.

[Allan]

Okay, good to know.

[patio]

Macrium on my Win7 build both backs up and restores in less than 20 minutes...
I have a spare HDD so i'll test the time difference for restore from an external  and an internal and Post results...

[patio]

I also have my monthly backup from last week...which i burn to DVD's...i'll include those results as well...

[Salmon Trout]

Deafening silence... Is this the curse of Macrium?

I don't believe this is a restore from external vs. restore from internal problem - the issue seems to be the writing of the imaged partition back to its original disk. This appears to be because the Macrium rescue CDs, both the PE one and the Linux ones, do not work properly with every (motherboard chipset) hard drive controller. Some people got over it by taking the Windows PE rescue CD and adding the Windows drivers for their chipset. I feel that since I already have an acceptable image method, I shall not be fooling around like that, especially since you have to buy the paid version to get the PE version of the rescue disk.