Today, I installed Linux on my laptop as a host OS. There are just two partitions - the EFI and Linux ext4 partition.
v
This is only intended as a temporary setup - I will delete it later. Overall, the Linux install takes about 26GB including a Windows 10 (KVM) vm.
I decided to try and use Macrium Reflect to image backup those two partitions.
I was totally surprised when it obviously did an intelligent sector backup just like normal for Windows NTFS partitions.
I seem to remember when you backup ext4 partitions in the past, it had to do a "forensic" backup i.e. the backup included all free space and was a lot longer but it seems my understanding was faulty. Either that (very likely LOL) or they added proper support at some time.
"Linux is often associated with the Extend File System (Ext), since it was created specifically for use with the Linux kernel. The Ext 2,3,4 file systems are supported by Macrium Reflect, meaning that an Intelligent Sector Copy can be performed. Other. less common, Linux file systems (XFS, JFS, BTRFS, etc) are not natively supported by Reflect. You will still be able to perform the clone, however, a Forensic Sector Copy will be performed. This will take more time due all sectors being copied, not just the in use sectors. When performing a backup, the resultant image may not be much larger than when performing an intelligent sector copy, due to long runs of 0s being very effectively compressed. "
Of course, the next step was to delete the two partitions and try a restore - proof of the pudding blah blah blah.
I was seriously impressed that the restore was perfect! I ran the vm and it was perfect as well.
I really did not want to get into complexities of using Linux imaging tools.
You have just got to love Macrium Reflect's versatility.
So I shall save the image backup to an external drive to save me having to go through all the install steps again.

This is only intended as a temporary setup - I will delete it later. Overall, the Linux install takes about 26GB including a Windows 10 (KVM) vm.
I decided to try and use Macrium Reflect to image backup those two partitions.
I was totally surprised when it obviously did an intelligent sector backup just like normal for Windows NTFS partitions.
I seem to remember when you backup ext4 partitions in the past, it had to do a "forensic" backup i.e. the backup included all free space and was a lot longer but it seems my understanding was faulty. Either that (very likely LOL) or they added proper support at some time.
"Linux is often associated with the Extend File System (Ext), since it was created specifically for use with the Linux kernel. The Ext 2,3,4 file systems are supported by Macrium Reflect, meaning that an Intelligent Sector Copy can be performed. Other. less common, Linux file systems (XFS, JFS, BTRFS, etc) are not natively supported by Reflect. You will still be able to perform the clone, however, a Forensic Sector Copy will be performed. This will take more time due all sectors being copied, not just the in use sectors. When performing a backup, the resultant image may not be much larger than when performing an intelligent sector copy, due to long runs of 0s being very effectively compressed. "
Of course, the next step was to delete the two partitions and try a restore - proof of the pudding blah blah blah.
I was seriously impressed that the restore was perfect! I ran the vm and it was perfect as well.
I really did not want to get into complexities of using Linux imaging tools.
You have just got to love Macrium Reflect's versatility.
So I shall save the image backup to an external drive to save me having to go through all the install steps again.
My Computer
System One
-
- OS
- Windows 10 Pro + others in VHDs
- Computer type
- Laptop
- Manufacturer/Model
- ASUS Vivobook 14
- CPU
- I7
- Motherboard
- Yep, Laptop has one.
- Memory
- 16 GB
- Graphics Card(s)
- Integrated Intel Iris XE
- Sound Card
- Realtek built in
- Monitor(s) Displays
- N/A
- Screen Resolution
- 1920x1080
- Hard Drives
- 1 TB Optane NVME SSD, 1 TB NVME SSD
- PSU
- Yep, got one
- Case
- Yep, got one
- Cooling
- Stella Artois
- Keyboard
- Built in
- Mouse
- Bluetooth , wired
- Internet Speed
- 72 Mb/s :-(
- Browser
- Edge mostly
- Antivirus
- Defender
- Other Info
- TPM 2.0