Solved Latest Macrium Reflect updates

f14tomcat · Jan 31, 2024

cereberus said:
Yeah it is the networking part that takes the time, and now that has the esc message as well, so much more visible.

On my nvme drives (I nearly always use boot menu), the esc option flashes so quick for initialising, you have to be watching like a hawk to see it.

I haven't tried this, but what would happen if you simply did not include the network drivers?

Wisewiz · Jan 31, 2024

Yeah, I was thinking about that, too. I went in to the MR Rescue system to see whether I could just make a rescue USB without networking capability, and all I could find that looked possibly relevant was that set of uncheckable options. I was thinking I'd uncheck both ethernet and wireless. Worth a try to see what happens with the USB?

f14tomcat · Jan 31, 2024

Wisewiz said:
Yeah, I was thinking about that, too. I went in to the MR Rescue system to see whether I could just make a rescue USB without networking capability, and all I could find that looked possibly relevant was that set of uncheckable options. I was thinking I'd uncheck both ethernet and wireless. Worth a try to see what happens with the USB?

Make sure the "Check for Missing Drivers on Boot" is un-selected (un-checked).

Wisewiz · Jan 31, 2024

Actually, I don't think there's anything to be gained from trying the unchecking of Ethernet, because it's "Already present in Drivers folder."

I did, however test the last USB I created (a few minutes ago, with yesterday's MR update to 7847), and watched for the "Esc to cancel" to pop up, and it did, so I hit Esc (once) and was almost immediately in the full MR PE window, ready to restore an image.

Thanks very much @cereberus, @Bree, and @CountMike for bringing this time-saving click to my (our) attention.

f14tomcat · Jan 31, 2024

Wisewiz said:
Actually, I don't think there's anything to be gained from trying the unchecking of Ethernet, because it's "Already present in Drivers folder."

I did, however test the last USB I created (a few minutes ago, with yesterday's MR update to 7847), and watched for the "Esc to cancel" to pop up, and it did, so I hit Esc (once) and was almost immediately in the full MR PE window, ready to restore an image.

Thanks very much @cereberus, @Bree, and @CountMike for bringing this time-saving click to my (our) attention.

I believe that means the driver is already present in the OS drivers directory and doesn't need to be added. The don't copy option won't include it in the Rescue environment. Not in the Boot Menu entries nor the USB stick or other media.

If I can scrounge up a thumb drive, I'll test it. Or just test it from the boot menu.

f14tomcat · Jan 31, 2024

f14tomcat said:
I believe that means the driver is already present in the OS drivers directory and doesn't need to be added. The don't copy option won't include it in the Rescue environment. Not in the Boot Menu entries nor the USB stick or other media.

If I can scrounge up a thumb drive, I'll test it. Or just test it from the boot menu.

Tested successfully. Unchecked the Ethernet driver. Left the WiFi alone because there is already an option to not include the function. Rebuilt the RE and made a new thumb drive. Booted to the boot menu option and to the thumb, same results. At the point where it would initialize the network there was a very quick blurb about initialize network and it continued on loading the RE. No "ESC to cancel" message. No errors.

Wisewiz · Jan 31, 2024

cereberus said:
I have not tested winpe but I assume same.

Yep. My tests in #909 above used the PE environment. Works beautifully, as does the Esc trick to speed up the loading. All good.

Thanks again for bringing the Esc trick to my attention.

SIW2 · Jan 31, 2024

Is there a way to stop it changing the winpe assigned drive letters?

cereberus · Jan 31, 2024

f14tomcat said:
I haven't tried this, but what would happen if you simply did not include the network drivers?

View attachment 85664

Yep just did that - it works!

It now goes from initial loading screen to main menu in about 6 seconds compared with over 20 seconds - I can shave a couple of seconds off by pressing escape as well but barely worth the effort.

Great idea pal - us "vetus canes" have learnt something new.

SIW2 · Jan 31, 2024

Probably deleting the offending driver from the wim and the folder would have the same effect as not including it in the first place. If so that avoids having to rebuild the thing.

I have been aware of the esc thing for some time, because it puts up a message to that effect. Had nobody else noticed it till now?

Unfortunately that doesnt stop it messing up the drive letters.

f14tomcat · Jan 31, 2024

SIW2 said:
Probably deleting the offending driver from the wim and the folder would have the same effect as not including it in the first place. If so that avoids having to rebuild the thing.

View attachment 85700

View attachment 85701

I have been aware of the esc thing for some time, because it puts up a message to that effect. Had nobody else noticed it till now?

Unfortunately that doesnt stop it messing up the drive letters.

Normal user wouldn't be clever or knowledgeable enough to mess with the OS folders, so Macrium includes the human readable and doable method.

Doubt the drive letters can be maintained across operation systems. "C" is about the only one maintained because it's the default OS letter, and it usually comes up as "X". Others are assigned First come, First served. When you boot the RE it has no way to access the registry entries to maintain them.

SIW2 · Jan 31, 2024

Macrium changes the winpe assigned letters.

I have done a little pecmd script which can be run to fix the links afterwards, but it is a nuisance.

SIW2 · Jan 31, 2024

This is the winpe desktop

Winpe has assigned the letters.

Winpe has assigned letter F to the usb stick

The shortcuts on the winpe desktop point at the programs on the usb stick.

After running macrium the shortcuts no longer work because macrium has mucked up the letters

SIW2 · Jan 31, 2024

It did this:

Assigning drive letter "C:\" to "\\?\Volume{796efcec-31c0-4a78-a77c-9b877ac3aa1d}\"
Deleting drive letter "D:\"
Assigning drive letter "F:\" to "\\?\Volume{ad63444d-37ea-43b9-bf2b-4ee75045dea2}\"
Assigning drive letter "D:\" to "\\?\Volume{357f55e0-c09d-11ee-b214-806e6f6e6963}\"
Assigning drive letter "E:\" to "\\?\Volume{6e277fa6-aa82-4939-b7e4-1cb049271596}\"
Assigning drive letter "H:\" to "\\?\Volume{ad63444d-37ea-43b9-bf2b-4ee75045dea2}\"

It is a "feature" of macrium. It attempts to mirror the letter assignments from what it thinks is the default os you have installed.

I suppose they think that is helpful to the average punter.

There are lots of macrium fans on here who use it frequently. Have you never noticed?

cereberus · Feb 1, 2024

SIW2 said:
It did this:

Assigning drive letter "C:\" to "\\?\Volume{796efcec-31c0-4a78-a77c-9b877ac3aa1d}\"
Deleting drive letter "D:\"
Assigning drive letter "F:\" to "\\?\Volume{ad63444d-37ea-43b9-bf2b-4ee75045dea2}\"
Assigning drive letter "D:\" to "\\?\Volume{357f55e0-c09d-11ee-b214-806e6f6e6963}\"
Assigning drive letter "E:\" to "\\?\Volume{6e277fa6-aa82-4939-b7e4-1cb049271596}\"
Assigning drive letter "H:\" to "\\?\Volume{ad63444d-37ea-43b9-bf2b-4ee75045dea2}\"

It is a "feature" of macrium. It attempts to mirror the letter assignments from what it thinks is the default os you have installed.

I suppose they think that is helpful to the average punter.

There are lots of macrium fans on here who use it frequently. Have you never noticed?

Try assigning the drive letter initially a much higher letter e.g. M.

SIW2 · Feb 1, 2024

Winpe assigned the letters. Macrium changed them.

cereberus · Feb 1, 2024

SIW2 said:
Winpe assigned the letters. Macrium changed them.

Post issue on Macrium Forum.

Stigg · Feb 1, 2024

Because this problem is posted in the updates thread, I don't have time to go through all the details.
If it's a big problem, maybe create a separate thread.

In simple terms. What's the problem?
cereberus is right. The Macrium forum is very good with a few very knowledgeable contributors.

Macrium Reflect - Destination Drive Discovery.png

SIW2 · Feb 1, 2024

It is obviously standard macrium behaviour. It is a "feature". Bit annoying for people with custom pe who want to use macrium.

I am not a macrium user. Just playing with it because some people here are fans of it although they seem unaware of this feature.

I just run this pecmd script in the pic below to reestablish the shortcuts

cereberus · Feb 1, 2024

When I create a rescue media, it adds the wifi drivers even though option is off (not checked). I should have realised that from post #929. I have to choose option for "Do not copy drivers"

I went back to an earlier version of Macrium Reflect 8.1.7041, and if option to use wifi is checked, wifi drivers are not added.
So it looks there is a bug re. selecting to add wifi support?
Has anybody else experienced this?