Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

How to use backup software...

1. When everything is working perfectly... make a full Windows backup.
2. Then, if something breaks... restore from the latest backup.
3. Then... try "whatever you were doing" a different way. If it still breaks Windows, then... go to step #2.
4. Repeat until you find a way to get "whatever you were doing", to work properly, then go to step #1.

Click to expand...

Really.... that's all you need to do, to be able to use Windows, and NOT have problems all the time.









Quickie Macrium - backup and/or creating bootable Rescue Media guide...




Restore from a backup, from within Windows...








Quickie Macrium - using Bootable Rescue Media guides...


Restore from a backup, using the bootable Rescue Media...




Fix Windows Boot problems with the bootable Rescue Media...




Open and explore a backup image with the bootable Rescue Media...




In the bottom left corner of the bootable Rescue Media window(s) you will find the following:
1. Power switch
2. Command Prompt
3. Network
4. Screen shot tool








Disable Macrium ImageID numbers...

Open the Registry editor (regedit.exe), and...
Go here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\macrium\reflect\Settings
And set: PrefixWithUniqueSetID ...to "0" (zero)


Set Rapid Delta Restore check box to checked or UN-checked...

Open the Registry editor (regedit.exe), and...
Go here: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macrium\Reflect\Defaults
On the right side, create a new DWORD (32-bit), called: Restore Delta
0 = un-checked
1 = checked



If anyone also wants the RDR box unchecked on the bootable rescue media, you will have to first remove the current Win PE components, then rebuild the rescue media (allowing the download of the newest WIM).
Then the RDR box will also be un-checked by default on the rescue media.





Macrium Reflect the program...


Also... Reflect Free v8.0 Download Agent






Macrium Reflect User Guide...

Macrium Notes:
1. A full OS image backup will be approx. 1/2 the size of the total "used space" on the C:\ drive, at default compression.
2. Backing up takes about 75 seconds for every 20GB of "used space" on the C:\ drive.

Full tutorial...



When Microsoft's Secure Boot updates are applied, and break your Macrium Reflect bootable Rescue Media...













For those that want a simpler, free option...

Get AOMEI Backupper, install it on your Windows drive. Make "it's" bootable rescue USB/CD, then use AOMEI to make a "System" backup. A "System" backup is a full backup of Windows and the one or two teeny partitions, that are required to boot Windows.

AOMEI is the simplest of the backup softwares, and has a great tutorial page.


AOMEI User Guide - PDF...

AOMEI User Guide - Online...



The top three pics, show you how to make a "System" backup...

The top three pics, here, tell you how to make the bootable rescue media...

















Then wipe the dust off your hands, with a smile on your face, because... you're all done.

@Ghot as an expert on Macrium Reflect, can I ask you if the read/write speed is faster on the paid version than the free version? Thanks

The-Hive said:

@Ghot as an expert on Macrium Reflect, can I ask you if the read/write speed is faster on the paid version than the free version? Thanks

Click to expand...

I'm not an expert on Macrium. I "only" use it for full backups.
But... the read/write speed is exactly the same as the free v7, I used to run.

I'm going by how long it takes to make a backup.
For the same amount of data... the time for a full backup hasn't changed since I switched to the paid v8.

Thanks @Ghot You sure know your stuff and got me up and running with Macrium

The-Hive said:

@Ghot as an expert on Macrium Reflect, can I ask you if the read/write speed is faster on the paid version than the free version? Thanks

Click to expand...

It depends on what you are doing.

1) creating an image backup - no
2) cloning to a blank drive - no
3) cloning to an existing clone (provided no changes to partitions and not too many changes) - yes Rapid Delta Cloning updates by difference
4) restoring to blank drive - no
5) restoring to an existing installation (provided no changes to partitions and not too many changes) - yes Rapid Delta Restore restores by difference - time is amazingly fast - the paid version is worth it just for that alone!

Apart from the Rapid Delta features, Paramount do not artificially hamstring the free version.








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The-Hive said:

can I ask you if the read/write speed is faster on the paid version than the free version?

Click to expand...

No there should be no difference. There sre however s couple of features in the paid version that can speed up s backup or a restore.

For backing up there is Changed Block Tracker which can speed up subsequent incrementals or differentials.

For a restore there is Rapid Delta Restore

Ghot said:

Disable Macrium ImageID numbers...​

Open the Registry editor (regedit.exe), and...
Go here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\macrium\reflect\Settings
And set: PrefixWithUniqueSetID ...to "0" (zero)

Click to expand...

Can you elaborate on what it means to Disable Macrium ImageID Numbers means and what it does, and what the ID Numbers are? Are they like catalogue/series numbers allocated to each image? Would I do this before creating an image, or before restoring using that image? I have not yet reviewed the user guide... so if it's all there, I'll be reading it soon enough anyway.

varxtis said:

Can you elaborate on what it means to Disable Macrium ImageID Numbers means and what it does, and what the ID Numbers are? Are they like catalogue/series numbers allocated to each image? Would I do this before creating an image, or before restoring using that image? I have not yet reviewed the user guide... so if it's all there, I'll be reading it soon enough anyway.

Click to expand...

You only need to do the registry tweak... once.
By default, the ImageID box is check marked, so every backup will have the ImageID attached.
For me, that was useless. I only make full backups, and like to name them myself.

Here is what the ImageID looks like...




Without the ImageID, I can name the backups what ever... and it won't have that long number attached.



I like using descriptive names that mean something to me...




Here is my original topic about this. In post #1, (1st pic, #4), this is the check box we are talking about.
By default it's checked. The regsitry patch... UNchecks that box permanently. You can always change the registry value back to "1" to re-check the box permanently.












If I was making a backup, right now, today... I would name it something like this...



...and I wouldn't want that big, long ImageID number attached.

If I had just updated my vid card driver, I might title the backup like so...
AUG 12 - 22000.856 - vid card



Most of the time I use the following format for my backup names...
Date - Windows version - Note

For me personally, when I restore from a backup, I'll know from the titles...what changes I might "lose" when I restore to an earlier backup.
In the pic above (with all the backups shown), if I restore my Windows 11 to JUL 22, I know that I will "lose" the latest WU and the Realtek driver that I installed before I made the AUG 09 backup.

It's just the way I like to do things.
You will have to come up with your own "best method" ofc.

Updated to include Hasleo Backup Suite...

At current pricing, Aoemi Pro is now the best offer for outright purchase at $40 each per machine licence. It is not quite as flexible as Macrium Home but it is now best bang for buck as an individual purchase in my view. (Aoemi Free is still offered, unlike Macrium, but lacks a differential backup option).

Macrium Home is now offered for outright purchase at $80 each per machine licence up to three machines (total $240 compared with Aomei Pro total $120 for three machines - or Macrium Home at $240 for four individual purchased licences compared with Aomei Pro at $160 for four individual purchased licences). Macrium Home has tailored pricing to push their rental model hard. Macrium Home remains the most flexible and powerful of the two but it's pricing is now quite high for outright purchase. Compare it with $50 rental for four licences for 18 months ($25 rental for one licence for 18 months) - that pricing is quite aggressive.

Hasleo remains freeware and is developing well. Unlike both Aomei Pro (and Free) and Macrium Home, Hasleo does not have the option of mounting an image file as a virtual disk for exploration, analysis and file copies. Nor can it be used as a menu choice in a USB multi-programme boot disk due to MS licencing restrictions. Nonetheless, it is very useable freeware.

All three have the same caveat in my view: until MS releases a WinPE that copes with these impending "revocations", we cannot be sure that the current restoration versions of Macrium Home, Aomei Pro and Hasleo will boot externally, find the backup images and restore them with or without Secure Boot. Consequently, my tentative decision is to just wait and watch the new, successive editions come into play.

Interesting though, the ramp around that Macrium has done to push rental pricing right up there in neon lights for highest attention. Pretty well what some of us expected. Will Aomei Pro now move on pricing (and drop the freeware offer) ?

As for Macrium and MS's revocations... here's a workaround solution...




Summary: I have applied the revocations, following MS's directions. Then I rebuilt the Macrium bootable Rescue Media, following Macrium's directions. At present, it's a sloppy solution, but it all works.

If memory serves... the Revocations will be forcibly applied, by Microsoft in January 2024.

What a selfless contribution.

No amount of gratitude will do the justification for the amount of time & knowledge all of you & specially GHOT has given in this thread.

Thank you my friend.