Macrium Reflect image backup with exclusions


HuntyFtw

Well-known member
Member
Local time
1:50 AM
Posts
91
OS
Windows 11 Pro 24H2
Hi,
I have been happily using Macrium Reflect free for periodically imaging my Windows PC. However, now that I have started playing games which take more than 100 GBs of space on my system SSD, I'd like to know if there's any way to make an exception to the game's folder during creation of system images.
 
Windows Build/Version
Windows 11 22631.3810

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Predator Helios 300 PH314-54-72ZJ
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-11800H
    Motherboard
    TGL
    Memory
    16GB (2x8 GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440 @ 165Hz
    Hard Drives
    1TB HDD, 512GB SSD
    Cooling
    Aeroblade 5th Gen 3D fan
    Mouse
    Logitech Lightsync G203
    Internet Speed
    175 Mbps up/175 Mbps down
    Browser
    Edge and Firefox with uBlock Origin and YouTube enhancing extensions..
    Antivirus
    Windows Security with Core Isolation on

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4061
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1tb Solidigm m.2 nvme+256gb SKHynix m.2 nvme /External drives 512gb Samsung m.2 sata+1tb Kingston m2.nvme+ 4gb Solidigm nvme
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    #1 Edge #2 Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4061
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink Mini PC SER5
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 6800U
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    integrated
    Sound Card
    integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial nvme
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    still too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    System 3 is non compliant Dell 9020 i7-4770/24gb ram Win11 PRO 26100.4061

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Predator Helios 300 PH314-54-72ZJ
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-11800H
    Motherboard
    TGL
    Memory
    16GB (2x8 GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440 @ 165Hz
    Hard Drives
    1TB HDD, 512GB SSD
    Cooling
    Aeroblade 5th Gen 3D fan
    Mouse
    Logitech Lightsync G203
    Internet Speed
    175 Mbps up/175 Mbps down
    Browser
    Edge and Firefox with uBlock Origin and YouTube enhancing extensions..
    Antivirus
    Windows Security with Core Isolation on
@HuntyFtw

I try to keep the used space on my Windows drive around 30-60GB (for fast Macrium backup and restores)
I only backup the C:\ partition and the EFI partition. (I don't have a Recovery partition)

I install big programs and big games on my F:\ drive
I use Karen's Replicator to copy Disk 1 to Disk 2
Some games (even when installed on the F:\ drive), place the "save" files in "Documents" (in my User folder)
I use Karen's to back those up to my F:\ drive as well.




000000 Disk Management 3.png
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Home ♦♦♦26100.4484 ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® [May 2020]
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    Asus Pro WS X570-ACE (BIOS 5002)
    Memory
    G.Skill (F4-3200C14D-16GTZKW)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 2070 (08G-P4-2171-KR)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220P / ALC S1220A
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U3011 30"
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1600
    Hard Drives
    2x Samsung 860 EVO 500GB,
    WD 4TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    WD 8TB Black FZBX - SATA III,
    DRW-24B1ST CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling 750W Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Cooler Master ATCS 840 Tower
    Cooling
    CM Hyper 212 EVO (push/pull)
    Keyboard
    Ducky DK9008 Shine II Blue LED
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-100
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox (latest)
    Antivirus
    Bitdefender Internet Security
    Other Info
    Speakers: Klipsch Pro Media 2.1
  • Operating System
    Windows XP Pro 32bit w/SP3
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Built by Ghot® (not in use)
    CPU
    AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ (OC'd @ 3.2Ghz)
    Motherboard
    ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition
    Memory
    TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX (2 x 1GB, DDR2 800)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA 256-P2-N758-TR GeForce 8600GT SSC
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic G90FB Black 19" Professional (CRT)
    Screen Resolution
    up to 2048 x 1536
    Hard Drives
    WD 36GB 10,000rpm Raptor SATA
    Seagate 80GB 7200rpm SATA
    Lite-On LTR-52246S CD/RW
    Lite-On LH-18A1P CD/DVD Burner
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750 Quad EPS12V
    Case
    Generic Beige case, 80mm fans
    Cooling
    ZALMAN 9500A 92mm CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    Logitech Classic Keybooard 200
    Mouse
    Logitech Optical M-BT96a
    Internet Speed
    300/300
    Browser
    Firefox 3.x ??
    Antivirus
    Symantec (Norton)
    Other Info
    Still assembled, still runs. Haven't turned it on for 15 years?
Macrium Reflect paid can do file and folder exclusions.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4202
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Swift SF114-34
    CPU
    Pentium Silver N6000 1.10GHz
    Memory
    4GB
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    SSD 2TB
    Cooling
    fanless
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    Webroot Secure Anywhere
    Other Info
    System 3

    ASUS T100TA Transformer
    Processor Intel Atom Z3740 @ 1.33GHz
    Installed RAM 2.00 GB (1.89 GB usable)
    System type 32-bit operating system, x64-based processor

    Edition Windows 10 Home
    Version 22H2 build 19045.3570
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.2506
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Mini 210-1090NR PC (bought in late 2009!)
    CPU
    Atom N450 1.66GHz
    Memory
    2GB
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    Webroot

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink SEI8
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-8279u
    Motherboard
    AZW SEI
    Memory
    32GB DDR4 2666Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Iris Plus 655
    Sound Card
    Intel SST
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus ProArt PA278QV
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe
    PSU
    NA
    Case
    NA
    Cooling
    NA
    Keyboard
    NA
    Mouse
    NA
    Internet Speed
    500/50
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    Mini PC used for testing Windows 11.
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900x
    Motherboard
    Asus Rog Strix X570-E Gaming
    Memory
    64GB DDR4-3600
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA GeForce 3080 FT3 Ultra
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ. ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV 27” WQHD
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2TB WD SN850 PCI-E Gen 4 NVMe
    2TB Sandisk Ultra 2.5" SATA SSD
    PSU
    Seasonic Focus 850
    Case
    Fractal Meshify S2 in White
    Cooling
    Dark Rock Pro CPU cooler, 3 x 140mm case fans
    Keyboard
    Corsiar K65 RGB Lux
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    500/50
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender.
Macrium Reflect paid can do file and folder exclusions.
Not in the image option though!. You can choose to backup specific things and exclude files and folders, but if you are doing an image that would make your system bootable again........you cannot exclude things.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink SEI8
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-8279u
    Motherboard
    AZW SEI
    Memory
    32GB DDR4 2666Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Iris Plus 655
    Sound Card
    Intel SST
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus ProArt PA278QV
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe
    PSU
    NA
    Case
    NA
    Cooling
    NA
    Keyboard
    NA
    Mouse
    NA
    Internet Speed
    500/50
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    Mini PC used for testing Windows 11.
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900x
    Motherboard
    Asus Rog Strix X570-E Gaming
    Memory
    64GB DDR4-3600
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA GeForce 3080 FT3 Ultra
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ. ASUS ProArt Display PA278QV 27” WQHD
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    2TB WD SN850 PCI-E Gen 4 NVMe
    2TB Sandisk Ultra 2.5" SATA SSD
    PSU
    Seasonic Focus 850
    Case
    Fractal Meshify S2 in White
    Cooling
    Dark Rock Pro CPU cooler, 3 x 140mm case fans
    Keyboard
    Corsiar K65 RGB Lux
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    500/50
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender.
Macrium Reflect paid can do file and folder exclusions.
It can only do that of File and Folder backups - not on disk image backups.

However, there is a workaround. A registry entry can be added to exclude files and folders from the VSS snapshot which in turn causes the backup to not include those files.

I'm not in front of my primary system where I have access to that registry key location right now but once I get back in front of that system I will post the details here.

IMPORTANT: Some backup programs use a different registry key than the standard key for VSS. I seem to recall that this may be the case for Reflect.

Try taking a look at the Macrium web site, I know that they have an article about this.

Apologies for not having the specific details in front of me right now.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built
    CPU
    Intel i7 11700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Prime Z590-A MB
    Memory
    64GB (Waiting for warranty replacement of another 64GB for 128GB total)
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 2TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB NVMe SSD
    3 x 512GB 2.5" SSD
    1 x 4TB 2.5" SSD
    5 x 8TB Seagate Barracuda HDD
    PSU
    Corsair HX850i
    Case
    Corsair iCUE RGB 5000X mid tower case
    Cooling
    Noctua NF-S12A chromax.black.swap case fans (Qty. 7) & Home Computer Specifications, Configuration, and Usage Notes General Specifications ASUS Prime Z590-A motherboard, serial number M1M0KC222467ARP Intel Core i7-11700K CPU (11th Gen Rocket Lake / LGA 1200 Socket) 128GB Crucial Ballistix RGB DDR4 3200 MHz DRAM (4 x 32GB) Corsair iCUE RGB 5000X mid tower case Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black CPU cooler Noctua NF-S12A chromax.black.swap case fans (Qty. 7) & Corsair LL-120 RGB Fans (Qty. 3)
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Max RGB Magnetic Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    The five 8TB drives and three 512GB SSDs are part of a DrivePool using StableBit DrivePool software. The three SSDs are devoted purely to caching for the 8TB drives. All of the important data is stored in triplicate so that I can withstand simultaneous failure of 2 disks.

    Networking: 2.5Gbps Ethernet and WiFi 6e
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 [rev. 4351]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Intel NUC12WSHi7
    CPU
    12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P, 2100 MHz
    Motherboard
    NUC12WSBi7
    Memory
    64 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe
    Sound Card
    built-in Realtek HD audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell U3219Q
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160 @ 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 990 PRO 1TB
    Keyboard
    CODE 104-Key Mechanical with Cherry MX Clears
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
I have everything on my 1 Terabyte C: drive in "System One" listed in "My Computers" below. I do my Macrium Images every evening. It takes just over 5 minutes to make a C: drive image. I store images on two Samsung T9 2TB portable SSD drives, rotating 5 images on each drive.

My backup strategy also includes OneDrive, where I keep all my data and photos. OneDrive constantly mirrors all my data in real-time to my 1 Terabyte cloud OneDrive.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 16 9640
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
    Memory
    32GB LPDDR5x 7467 MT/s
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 8GB GDDR6
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16.3 inch 4K+ OLED Infinity Edge Touch
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2400
    Hard Drives
    1 Terabyte M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
    Cooling
    Vapor Chamber Cooling
    Mouse
    None
    Internet Speed
    960 Mbps Netgear Mesh + 2 Satellites
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge (Chromium)
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Security (Defender)
    Other Info
    Microsoft 365 subscription
    Microsoft OneDrive 1TB Cloud
    Microsoft Visual Studio
    Microsoft Visual Studio Code
    Microsoft Sysinternals Suite
    Microsoft BitLocker
    Microsoft Copilot
    Macrium Reflect X subscription
    Dell Support Assist
    Dell Command | Update
    1Password Password Manager
    Amazon Kindle for PC
    Lightroom/Photoshop subscription
    Interactive Brokers Trader Workstation
@HuntyFtw

I try to keep the used space on my Windows drive around 30-60GB (for fast Macrium backup and restores)
I only backup the C:\ partition and the EFI partition. (I don't have a Recovery partition)

I install big programs and big games on my F:\ drive
I use Karen's Replicator to copy Disk 1 to Disk 2
Some games (even when installed on the F:\ drive), place the "save" files in "Documents" (in my User folder)
I use Karen's to back those up to my F:\ drive as well.




View attachment 100778
I have two drives in my laptop, 1st is an SSD while the other one is an HDD (7200 RPM I think). Let's see if that registry hack works or not.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Predator Helios 300 PH314-54-72ZJ
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-11800H
    Motherboard
    TGL
    Memory
    16GB (2x8 GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440 @ 165Hz
    Hard Drives
    1TB HDD, 512GB SSD
    Cooling
    Aeroblade 5th Gen 3D fan
    Mouse
    Logitech Lightsync G203
    Internet Speed
    175 Mbps up/175 Mbps down
    Browser
    Edge and Firefox with uBlock Origin and YouTube enhancing extensions..
    Antivirus
    Windows Security with Core Isolation on
Hey guys,
Anyone had any success with all their exclusions being processed?
I find most are successful, however my other exclusions in the same group seem to still be included in the backup image.

Example, OneDrive is excluded via path or variable (personal / business) however all contents are included in the backup.
I have also several tried variations - with and without /*, /*.*, /*.* /s, and even quotes `"` (in orange below).
Microsoft's own existing shadow copy existing rule includes an asterisk in the file name, which is impressive. So I see nothing wrong with my rules. I have added in blue which folders are still processed and backed up, including their size.

Registry Hive Configuration
Created 3x Multi-String Value entries under:
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestore\FilesNotToSnapshotMacriumFile\
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestore\FilesNotToSnapshotMacriumImage\

MRFoldersUserData
x 12gb $OneDriveConsumer$\*.* /s
x 200gb $OneDriveCommercial$\*.* /s -or- "C:\Users\Admin\OneDrive - My Cloud\" (still not excluded from disk image)
x 200gb $OneDrive$\*.* /s (Same as OneDrive Commercial)
$UserProfile$\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\*.ost /s
$UserProfile$\Documents\Outlook\*.*

MRFoldersAppTemp
x 1kb $UserProfile$\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\16.0\OfficeFileCache\*.* /s
"$UserProfile$\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\*.*" /s
x 20mb $UserProfile$\AppData\Temp\*.* /s
x 690mb $UserProfile$\AppData\Local\Temp\*.* /s
x 1kb "$AllVolumes$\Users\All Users\Temp\*.*" /s
x 1.3gb "$UserProfile$\Local Settings\Temp\*.*" /s
x 66 Folders $AllVolumes$\Windows\Temp\*.* /s
x 12mb $ProgramData$\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\* /s

MRFoldersSysFiles
$AllVolumes$\swapfile.sys​
$AllVolumes$\hiberfil.sys​
$AllVolumes$\pagefile.sys​
x 264mb "$AllVolumes$\System Volume Information\*.* /s"
x 295mb $WinDir$\SoftwareDistribution\*.* /s
x 4.1mb $WinDir$\System32\MSDtc\MSDTC.log​
x 11mb $WinDir$\Prefetch\*.* /s
x 10kb $WinDir$\CSC\*.* /s
x 5.5mb $WinDir$\Minidump\* /s
$AllVolumes$\Windows\Memory.dmp​
$AllVolumes$\$Windows.~BT\*.* /s (did not exist on C:\)
$AllVolumes$\$Windows.~WS\*.* /s (did not exist on C:\)
x 0kb 3 Folders $AllVolumes$\$WinREAgent\*.* /s (1.2GB on C:\)
$AllVolumes$\$Recycle.Bin\*.* /s
$AllVolumes$\RECYCLER\*.* /s

So I've left all the " quotes and symbols to give you an idea of what configuration looks like, plus highlighting what I removed. Computer is Windows 11 ~23H2. I added the same exclusions to both Folder and Disk Image registry paths (just in case).
I have also expanded the variables and used the finite path, which made no difference, and found them when browsing the backup:
M:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Network\Downloader
M:\Users\Admin\Local Settings\Temp
M:\Users\All Users\TEMP
M:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Temp

Does anyone have any ideas on a better approach to this? To get the exclusions to be more reliable for disk images? I have already shaved A LOT off from disk backups, especially moving the OneDrive folder to another partition, but some of my and my client computers have only 128GB or 256GB notebooks, which is too difficult to split up when 80GB already reserved for local backups on another partition...

I have no problems with MR folder backups, as can specify wildcards, files, paths and extensions. Just the MR Disk Images I want to cut the fat and trim down.
Cheers!

PS. I should note, I understand when a backup is mounted as a drive, Windows automatically adds Recycle Bin, System Volume Information, etc.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    w11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Gigabyte Aero 17
    CPU
    i7-12700H
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    Something big I will never take advantage of!
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" 4K UHD
    Browser
    Yandex Browser (10x better than Chrome!) or Brave
    Antivirus
    MBAM + ESET + WFC + KTS
  • Operating System
    W7
Disk Genius has an impressive feature to allow excluding paths from disk images - and the main ones (SoftwareDistribution, System Volume Info, Downloads, Recycle Bin, Temp Files, etc. are all pre-populated with checkboxes. Come on Macrium! Catch up!

I just don't understand what DG's terminology means for "Backup Partition\Disk to Image by File System Layout"?

Must compare DG's other features to see where MR still excels...

1749441741960.webp
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    w11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Gigabyte Aero 17
    CPU
    i7-12700H
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    Something big I will never take advantage of!
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" 4K UHD
    Browser
    Yandex Browser (10x better than Chrome!) or Brave
    Antivirus
    MBAM + ESET + WFC + KTS
  • Operating System
    W7
It is not my recommendation that you do so, but if you want smaller images, you can use higher compression of the images in Macrium settings..
Have you even tried setting exclusions from within Macrium? It seems fairy inclusive to excluding anything the users sets.

Using another partition on the system drive is a very bad idea. You lose your drive, you lose your images. Also on drives as small as you described, you leave no room for large updates. If your or your client computers do not have an external drive, though making images may be a little slower, a $20 256 gb flash drive would be a better backup solution than to backup to your system drive. It would also allow for retaining more than one image which is advisable.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4061
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Optiplex 7080
    CPU
    i9-10900 10 core 20 threads
    Motherboard
    DELL 0J37VM
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    none-Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1tb Solidigm m.2 nvme+256gb SKHynix m.2 nvme /External drives 512gb Samsung m.2 sata+1tb Kingston m2.nvme+ 4gb Solidigm nvme
    PSU
    500w
    Case
    MT
    Cooling
    Dell Premium
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    so slow I'm too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    #1 Edge #2 Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender+MWB Premium
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 24H2 26100.4061
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Beelink Mini PC SER5
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 6800U
    Memory
    32 gb
    Graphics card(s)
    integrated
    Sound Card
    integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Benq 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Crucial nvme
    Keyboard
    Logitech wired
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    still too embarrassed to tell
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    System 3 is non compliant Dell 9020 i7-4770/24gb ram Win11 PRO 26100.4061
Why you messing with the registry when you can exclude files and folders within Macrium GUI?

The OP did not note what version of Reflect is being used so it is worth mentioning here that the ability to exclude files from a disk image backup is new to Reflect X. That feature was not available in the GUI for versions prior to X.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built
    CPU
    Intel i7 11700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Prime Z590-A MB
    Memory
    64GB (Waiting for warranty replacement of another 64GB for 128GB total)
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 2TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB NVMe SSD
    3 x 512GB 2.5" SSD
    1 x 4TB 2.5" SSD
    5 x 8TB Seagate Barracuda HDD
    PSU
    Corsair HX850i
    Case
    Corsair iCUE RGB 5000X mid tower case
    Cooling
    Noctua NF-S12A chromax.black.swap case fans (Qty. 7) & Home Computer Specifications, Configuration, and Usage Notes General Specifications ASUS Prime Z590-A motherboard, serial number M1M0KC222467ARP Intel Core i7-11700K CPU (11th Gen Rocket Lake / LGA 1200 Socket) 128GB Crucial Ballistix RGB DDR4 3200 MHz DRAM (4 x 32GB) Corsair iCUE RGB 5000X mid tower case Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black CPU cooler Noctua NF-S12A chromax.black.swap case fans (Qty. 7) & Corsair LL-120 RGB Fans (Qty. 3)
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Max RGB Magnetic Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    The five 8TB drives and three 512GB SSDs are part of a DrivePool using StableBit DrivePool software. The three SSDs are devoted purely to caching for the 8TB drives. All of the important data is stored in triplicate so that I can withstand simultaneous failure of 2 disks.

    Networking: 2.5Gbps Ethernet and WiFi 6e
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
Correct, my queries are in relation to MR Version 8. Rather than opening yet another topic, it seemed smart to respond here. Plus I am sure others have the same question given there was no answer or examples even posted here.

I am not that keen on switching to a subscription and the 5 licences I have, plus 40+ I have sold would then become a mish-mash of support. Much easier to have one set templates you can use to go onsite, assign licences, import 4 templates (file based for important files and data (most excluded from disk backup)) and so on.

Has anyone had success in getting the
BLUE paths I mention above excluded in MR v8???
It seems a fairly standard expectation, given free software like Disk Genius are capable of such.

NOTE: I have seen another article referring to a different registry Hive (\HKLM\Software\Macrium\reflect) instead, but cannot for the life of me find it now. Any input from others? Or workarounds?

Would really appreciate everyone's input on their exclusions experience in Disk Images in v8.1.
Thanks for your time! Cheers!
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    w11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Gigabyte Aero 17
    CPU
    i7-12700H
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    Something big I will never take advantage of!
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" 4K UHD
    Browser
    Yandex Browser (10x better than Chrome!) or Brave
    Antivirus
    MBAM + ESET + WFC + KTS
  • Operating System
    W7
Macrium Reflect paid can do file and folder exclusions.
Not in the image option though!.
It can only do that of File and Folder backups - not on disk image backups.
Yes, and no....

Reflect v8 only has the registry method for excluding files from an image. Reflect X added this as a new option in the Reflect settings.

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, and 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package. In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media. Also running Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine.
I have not had any success using the registry method with MR8.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP / Spectre x360 Convertible 13
    CPU
    i5-8250U
    Motherboard
    83B9 56.50
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel(R) UHD Graphics 620
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio(SST)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 256GB SSD
    Internet Speed
    500Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Since this backup would be a one-time temporary backup and will only require space until you either restore that backup or you know that all is good and you no longer need it, does that change things for you? You have enough storage space available that you can make a temporary backup without having to exclude anything?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win11 Pro 24H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self-built
    CPU
    Intel i7 11700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS Prime Z590-A MB
    Memory
    64GB (Waiting for warranty replacement of another 64GB for 128GB total)
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP Envy 32
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 2TB NVMe SSD
    1 x 4TB NVMe SSD
    3 x 512GB 2.5" SSD
    1 x 4TB 2.5" SSD
    5 x 8TB Seagate Barracuda HDD
    PSU
    Corsair HX850i
    Case
    Corsair iCUE RGB 5000X mid tower case
    Cooling
    Noctua NF-S12A chromax.black.swap case fans (Qty. 7) & Home Computer Specifications, Configuration, and Usage Notes General Specifications ASUS Prime Z590-A motherboard, serial number M1M0KC222467ARP Intel Core i7-11700K CPU (11th Gen Rocket Lake / LGA 1200 Socket) 128GB Crucial Ballistix RGB DDR4 3200 MHz DRAM (4 x 32GB) Corsair iCUE RGB 5000X mid tower case Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black CPU cooler Noctua NF-S12A chromax.black.swap case fans (Qty. 7) & Corsair LL-120 RGB Fans (Qty. 3)
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Max RGB Magnetic Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    The five 8TB drives and three 512GB SSDs are part of a DrivePool using StableBit DrivePool software. The three SSDs are devoted purely to caching for the 8TB drives. All of the important data is stored in triplicate so that I can withstand simultaneous failure of 2 disks.

    Networking: 2.5Gbps Ethernet and WiFi 6e
  • Operating System
    Win11 Pro 23H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
Just found these MR default paths while browsing Registry under Current User hive.
Did not find this mentioned anywhere in the MR KB:

HKCU\Software\Macrium\reflect\Exclude Filter\
Contains string entry of "00" that has: *.temp; *.tmp; *.bak; *.~* (shown as default in Folder backups)
HKCU\Software\Macrium\reflect\Exclude Folder Filter\
Contains string entry of "00" that is blank.​
Perhaps exclusions that did not work above (prior post) may work here? But may have to change $variable$ back to %variable%??​
EG. $AllVolumes$\System Volume Information\; $WinDir$\SoftwareDistribution\; $UserProfile$\AppData\Local\Temp\; $UserProfile$\Downloads\; $OneDriveCommercial$\; etc...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macrium\reflect\Include Filter\
Contains two strings, "00" w/ rubbish, and "01" w/ *.*
Default shown on Folder backup inclusions. No UI for drive backup.​
I assume this applies to both folder and disk backups....?​
I assume all they have done in version 10 is finally map this registry path to the application, as they had already done in version 8 for folder backups.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    w11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Gigabyte Aero 17
    CPU
    i7-12700H
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    Something big I will never take advantage of!
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3" 4K UHD
    Browser
    Yandex Browser (10x better than Chrome!) or Brave
    Antivirus
    MBAM + ESET + WFC + KTS
  • Operating System
    W7
Back
Top Bottom