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KoRnGtL15
Premium Member
join:2007-01-04
Grants Pass, OR

KoRnGtL15

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Back up image software easy to use, reliable and free?

Looking for something to use with Widows 8.1?
HarryH3
Premium Member
join:2005-02-21

HarryH3

Premium Member

I use the paid version of Macrium Reflect to backup my system every night, as it also does scheduled incremental or differential backups. But the free version will do a backup image or clone to another drive. You can download the free version here: »www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

Ian1
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I have tried EaseUS todo backup free. Seems ok. Nags you a lot to upgrade.

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

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Another vote for Macrium Reflect Free... you can browse images, so handy.

KoRnGtL15
Premium Member
join:2007-01-04
Grants Pass, OR

KoRnGtL15

Premium Member

I was going to use the built in Windows 8.1 backup image support. But, I don't like some of its limited options. Mainly backing up system image. Daily or once a week. What if I want every 3 days or so you know?

Dustyn
Premium Member
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN

Dustyn

Premium Member

I use Windows built in image backup along with Macrium Reflect. If something fails during the backup/restore process, I at least have another backup program to try.

KoRnGtL15
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join:2007-01-04
Grants Pass, OR

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Why is the download so massive for me? I am on Windows 8.1 and look at the size.... Some kind of MS components....

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

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dib22

Member

said by KoRnGtL15:

Why is the download so massive for me? I am on Windows 8.1 and look at the size.... Some kind of MS components....

That is the Preinstallation Environment and the drivers it needs to boot your machine and restore a reflect image.

You can also choose to have it create a linux based rescue, which if I remember correctly, is a smaller download.
30598988 (banned)
join:2013-10-31

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R-Studio is pretty nice
Mele20
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join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

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Your link shows up as a blank page. I think you have to have Macrium help file installed to see that. I just installed Seagate Discwizard (Acronis TI without the ability to do incremental images) which is free since my data drive is a Seagate (C drive is an SSD). I think I will also look at Macrium.
OZO
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join:2003-01-17

OZO to dib22

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On the page mentioned in your post Macrium Reflect always recommends to use WinPE-based rescue media, over Linux-based one. But at the bottom of the same page there is a note: "Due to Microsoft licensing restrictions, the pre-built WIM is only available to customers who have purchased Reflect before the end of October 2012.". So, the question arises - what are they using now? Is it only Linux-based rescue media?

And second question. Is it possible (I think it is, but need to check) to install and run rescue media from one of the partitions on local HD? On USB or a flash card?
85160670 (banned)
"If U know neither the enemy nor yoursel
join:2013-09-17
Edmonton, AB

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About security & back_up, I bought always the PRO version and till now never let me down since my first machine own it Just my own opinion & experiences, YMAV !!!

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

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said by OZO:

the pre-built WIM is only available to customers who have purchased Reflect before the end of October 2012

The prebuilt was basically a universal and I think it landed around 1.7GB... they switched to the "Auto Built WADK" one which is usually much smaller (almost always less than 500MB) which is the one you get these days.

I am not sure you can use a mounted harddrive... only CD/DVD/BLURAY/USB stick..


OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO

Premium Member

Thank you, dib22 See Profile. It'd be nice to make a small partition on a local HD and put there bootable rescue media package. Then, when you need it, from a common multi-boot menu you could boot into that "Rescue" environment and restore system partition from a chosen location (backup image placed on another partition of the same drive, another drive, CD/DVD, USB or networked storage). It's similar what computer manufacturers are trying to do now, but instead of restoring their image one could restore its own backup image...

HA Nut
Premium Member
join:2004-05-13
USA

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I prefer cold imaging (outside of Windows.) I hate to install things when it really is completely unnecessary.

Beyond that, also key for me are speed, reliability and simplicity. Several programs fit the simplicity but not all are reliable (especially with Windows 8 now part of the game.) And very few are fast.

My advice is to test, test, test. Pretty much every imaging app maker offers free trials. (Of course, some of them are very, very bloated and go way beyond just imaging.)

I recently reevaluated my imaging options. I bought Image for Linux.

There is no free imaging app I would use at this point. (Clonezilla is close but it's not Windows 8 ready yet.)

norwegian
Premium Member
join:2005-02-15
Outback

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R-Studio's 30 day trial can create a free image.
There is some great tools to utilize there at r-tt.com

antdude
Matrix Ant
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join:2001-03-25
US

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said by HA Nut:

I prefer cold imaging (outside of Windows.) I hate to install things when it really is completely unnecessary.

Beyond that, also key for me are speed, reliability and simplicity. Several programs fit the simplicity but not all are reliable (especially with Windows 8 now part of the game.) And very few are fast.

My advice is to test, test, test. Pretty much every imaging app maker offers free trials. (Of course, some of them are very, very bloated and go way beyond just imaging.)

I recently reevaluated my imaging options. I bought Image for Linux.

There is no free imaging app I would use at this point. (Clonezilla is close but it's not Windows 8 ready yet.)

Same here. I uise boot media and then back up/restore. I don't want conflicts, complications, etc. even if it slower due to basic and missing drivers. KISS!
Kerodo
join:2004-05-08

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Macrium Reflect Free is great... I use that almost exclusively for imaging...
centacre
join:2003-03-17
Cypress, TX

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I use Windows 7 built-in backup and Acronis. I use two for redundancy. I have been using Acronis since 2008 and I hear a lot of complaints about it. It hasn't given me much problems and it seems reliable in that I have successfully restored the hard drive on several occasions. I use it strictly for backup and restore and don't use what I call extra features such as: Try and Decide or Non-Stop Backup. I have heard good things about Macrium Reflect and would use that if and when I decided not use Acronis.
Sorry, I seemed to have had a mental lapse and didn't read the "Free" part.

Edit: Last sentence added.

Ian1
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Question for those here regarding backups.

Without actually restoring a hard drive image with a new drive or something, is it possible to be sure that it will work when it needs to?

dib22
join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO

dib22

Member

said by Ian1:

Without actually restoring a hard drive image with a new drive or something, is it possible to be sure that it will work when it needs to?

With Macrium reflect: yes

Just goto the restore tab, select an image, and click "Verify Image"

Also with Macrium you can browse the images (that is treat them like any other drive) and verify data (or pull data) at will.

martg
join:2005-11-19
South UK

martg

Member

EaseUS 6 images can be browsed and verified in the same manner. Also, I think you develop faith in an imaging program to do its job after a while. I swap images quite a bit for one reason or another and never think it won't work. No let downs yet.
Mele20
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join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

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said by dib22:

said by Ian1:

Without actually restoring a hard drive image with a new drive or something, is it possible to be sure that it will work when it needs to?

With Macrium reflect: yes

Just goto the restore tab, select an image, and click "Verify Image"

Also with Macrium you can browse the images (that is treat them like any other drive) and verify data (or pull data) at will.

But that just verifies the image as being good. That doesn't mean you can restore to it if you need to. My problem with Acronis TI on my older XP Pro machine was that the Rescue Disk would not work correctly. I gave up on imaging as other programs didn't work either. I did use Seagate's free DiskWizard (a version of Acronis TI) to clone from one XP Pro machine to another with a much bigger drive and that worked great.

HA Nut
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join:2004-05-13
USA

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said by Ian1:

Question for those here regarding backups.

Without actually restoring a hard drive Image with a new drive or something, is it possible to be sure that it will work when it needs to?

Part of my testing is restoration of images.

When I first began using imaging, I had to make a leap of faith with the first program I tried. Trust me, I researched like mad before I trusted one. But once you are on safe ground, testing with other programs is easier. Just make an image with your trusted app before trying the new untested one. Then you have an escape plan.

Keep in mind that I make cold images outside of Windows. So testing more than one program is pretty easy and means no chance of conflicts.

This method has led to my opinion that I don't have any current free imaging programs I care for (especially when you include Windows 8.) I haven't tested all the latest versions, so YMMV.

Which is why my advice is to test extensively. Not all programs work as desired for all users...

Ian1
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Ian1

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said by HA Nut:

Part of my testing is restoration of images.

But you can't really do that without a spare drive, right? I don't really want to buy a 1.5 TB drive just to do that...

HA Nut
Premium Member
join:2004-05-13
USA

HA Nut

Premium Member

Yes, an image requiring 1.5 TB is very large. My PC is currently up to around 85 GB. Smaller / cheaper drives work for me...

antdude
Matrix Ant
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US

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said by KoRnGtL15:

Looking for something to use with Widows 8.1?

Widows? I remember Girlfriend, Wife, etc.