Change Macrium Reflect rescue media download location.

kol12

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Jan 26, 2015
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4,640
I have installed Macrium Reflect and upon opening it it asks to download the rescue media files but I don't want to download them to my OS drive. There doesn't seem to be an option to change the download path. Can I download them from somewhere else to my data drive? or download through the app and then move them to my data drive?
 
Solution
http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Macrium+Reflect+v6+User+Guide


With the free version, you can make Full disk images and Differential images.

A Full is obviously that. An image of the whole drive.
Differential - "A differential image stores the changes that have been made to the imaged file system since the last full image. Subsequent differentials can be taken, but only one differential and the full are required in order to fully restore the system.
This is quicker than creating a full image, however the longer the time between the full and the differential, the larger the differential image file is and the longer it takes to create"

So, you create a full, and then a series of Differentials.

If I want to go...

USAFRet

Illustrious
Moderator


Which rescue media files are you talking about?
Are you creating a rescue CD? Or some other function?
 

kol12

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Jan 26, 2015
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4,640


I think it's a Windows PE rescue environment. These screenshots might explain better.

macrium_reflect_1.png


macrium_reflect_2.png


macrium_reflect_3.png


 

kol12

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Jan 26, 2015
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4,640
I need a bit of help with Macrium and backups in general. Is the idea with Macrium that I can make a disc image and then schedule it to keep backing up files on a set basis? Does this mean that those files are continually backed up to the original disc image or do whole new disc images need to made on regular basis? Can the disk image be made on an external usb drive? Does the drive have to be always plugged in for scheduled backups?

There is the option to backup to DVD but how could scheduled backups be made to DVD? I'm guessing the DVD backup is more suited for a one off disk image?
 

USAFRet

Illustrious
Moderator
http://knowledgebase.macrium.com/display/KNOW/Macrium+Reflect+v6+User+Guide


With the free version, you can make Full disk images and Differential images.

A Full is obviously that. An image of the whole drive.
Differential - "A differential image stores the changes that have been made to the imaged file system since the last full image. Subsequent differentials can be taken, but only one differential and the full are required in order to fully restore the system.
This is quicker than creating a full image, however the longer the time between the full and the differential, the larger the differential image file is and the longer it takes to create"

So, you create a full, and then a series of Differentials.

If I want to go back to how the system was on Tuesday, I use the Full from the Sunday before, and the Differential from Tuesday.
(or whatever schedule you choose)

No, you don't make backups of the whole drive to DVD. I guess you could, but that would be a REAL pain.

Yes, both the drive you are backing up, and the drive you are backing up to, need to be on and available. It can be an external if you choose.
 
Solution

USAFRet

Illustrious
Moderator
On my system, because I have enough drive space:

Full disk image of the C every night at 2AM. Keep for 2 weeks. (14 copies)
Full disk image of the C every Sunday to a different PC. Keep for 4 weeks (4 copies)

Other drives are backed up differently.
 

kol12

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Jan 26, 2015
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4,640
Right but why do you need to create a full disk image every night when you can have a differential store any changes?

Do you have Macrium set to automatically do the full image at 2AM or are you still up? I take it you leave your machine running?
 

kol12

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Jan 26, 2015
134
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4,640
The app really is quite technical isn't it? Am I meant to make a full disk image before creating a backup plan/template or can I go straight to creating a backup plan for a full disk image with differential backups?

There's options to schedule full and differential backups. Are you meant to choose which one you want or does it do both anyway? Sorry just a bit confused.
 

USAFRet

Illustrious
Moderator


It is set to automatically do it. Yes, the PC is on.
Why full? Just because....:)
 

USAFRet

Illustrious
Moderator


I believe the default template is a Full, and then Differentials.
You can create a schedule first, it does not matter.
 

kol12

Estimable
Jan 26, 2015
134
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4,640
Ok, I made a full disk image to external hdd and created a backup plan at the same time. I now have the "backup definition files" tab available with scheduling options etc as shown in the pic below.

When it done the disk image it said the size of the backup was 59GB which is the amount of used space on that drive (OS). The actual image file when completed is only 33GB. Where is the rest? Is there certain things it doesn't backup? I'm guessing maybe the hibernation file and page file? Still in my case that's only 7GB.

I also ran the backup definition manually (differentials) and noticed it makes another image file in the storage location for the backup image. How do the differential backups work? It looks like Macrium scans for changes and then makes a separate image file..

How can the differential backups be run automatically? Does Macrium have to be running constantly in the system tray?

macrium_definition_files.png


 

kol12

Estimable
Jan 26, 2015
134
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4,640
Also I was just wondering that in the event that you did lose access to your drive (OS) or wanted to restore the image is it as good and reliable as a fresh install?
 

USAFRet

Illustrious
Moderator
The image skips on the hibernation file, temp files, and pagefile.
It is also compressed a little. So 59-33 is just about right.

And yes, it is as good and reliable as the system was on the day you made that backup. That's its whole point.
 

kol12

Estimable
Jan 26, 2015
134
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4,640


Right ok. I seemed to have created multiple backup schedules as shown in the pic below. I should only need one right? or maybe just a full and differential schedule? Can I delete these and start over? I noticed Macrium opens itself up for the automatic backup which is quite neat but I need to edit my schedules I think.

What is the best drive to store the image on? I'm thinking of storing it on my data hdd (internal) so I don't have to constantly have my external plugged in. If the system did go belly up would you be able to retrieve the image from the internal hdd?

Scheduled_Backups.png