Solved Should I start thinking about other than Macrium

scrapheap · Jul 8, 2021

something about backgrund processes which I did not like with Macrium , process explorer and autoruns check.
Could not turn those off , it basically goes more "heavy" than aomei

dacrone · Jul 8, 2021

AOMEI Backupper is nearly identical to Macrium Reflect in regards to functionality and the Home version is always free. Aside from cloning my PC once a week, I just use xcopy scripts via task scheduler for intra-week differentials... if all you need is files/folders backups...

Wisewiz · Jul 8, 2021

johnlgalt said:
... the product itself says that it is a trial, and that to 'continue using this product you must buy a license'.

So, conflicting info. It doesn't say anything, in the product itself, about reverting to free.

I suspect that will be added in a future update.

I agree about the future update. But I'm sure the "continue using this product" means "continue using V8 paid (premium)." If so, no conflict.
I now have V8 paid on my main PC and V8 free (from expired trial) on my secondary. I'm still running V7 free on the Mrs. Wisewiz PC, and I'll get V8 free for that ASA it's out.

johnlgalt · Jul 8, 2021

It might indeed mean that - but it is still confusing nonetheless. It would be better if it explicitly stated that without a key it would revert to free.

cereberus · Jul 14, 2021

glasskuter said:
I guess Macrium is just doing what Malwarebytes has been doing a long time. MWB gives you the pro version for 14 days and it then reverts to free version. Until then they nag you to buy it with popups. Yes, you can go into account section of MWB and deactivate the trial but most people don't know they can do that. But like MWB, Macrium is one of the most solid backup solutions out there. I've used a number of them and it's by far the best. It's well worth the price.

This is nothing new - they did the same with V7 as well.

cereberus · Jul 14, 2021

jimbo45 said:
Hi there

Macrium does work brilliantly as most people on these forums will readily testify to.

The argument about Free Software doesn't really apply since if the Pro features bring extra wanted features to the table then people will buy it. Having a decent Free product also allows a lot more people to test the basic functionality so the pro version can be rolled out as a solid stable release. There's nothing wrong in using the free version if the features it supplies are the only thing you need especially to users who don't use Windows every day and just need to take the occasional Windows OS system image.

For example I see for myself no interest in differential / incremental backups, VIboot, encryption, data backup etc so there's no reason for me to go for the paid version -- others really do find these features useful and the paid version is 100% worth it for them. Data backup, Data recovery , Disk cloning etc I use Linux for. Macrium Free I simply use for Windows imaging. cloning, and restoring while on a Windows Host system.

Lots of paid for products are developed on the back of Free software - and the developers haven't gone bust.

What I hate though are hobbled things - like video converters etc which only allow you to convert 2 mins of video, reduced quality and with watermarks all over the place. A Free version should have the basic functionality and allow full use of those functions like Macrium Free V7 (and I gather from the V8 version too).

Cheers
jimbo

You fail to mention the one Home (not Pro which is confusing because of Windows designations) feature that is awesome i.e. Rapid Delta Restore (RDR). If say you make a full backup, then install a new program and things go a bit wonky, if you decide to restore the backup, it restores the changes only, not the whole image. This is amazingly fast if the image backup is relatively recent.

RDR often takes less than 2 minutes on my aging laptop.

I often take an incremental backup, test some new software, and if unhappy, I restore the incremental backup and using RDR makes this all a quick procedure. I use this instead of restore points as it is faster and more reliable.

Bree · Jul 14, 2021

I agree, RDR is probably at the top of my list of the most useful Premium features. In fact I got a sneak preview of it with that one build of v7.2 Free which accidentally was issued with a benign bug - it created recue media that had some Premium features enabled, including RDR. That was probably the final push that made me decide to buy at their next 'Black Friday' discount.

Oh, and I have preserved that magical v7 Free installer for use on my other machines (as I have more PCs than licences).

jimbo45 · Jul 15, 2021

Hi there
All good features but as a full restore only takes around 10 mins on the systems I use it on -- that's not an issue for me although for some that could be a mega feature. In nay case the V8 trial fixed the issues I have -- so all solved now.

Cheers
jimbo

Mark Phelps · Jul 15, 2021

I have PAID copies of MR so while I could use RDR, I've converted all my PCs and laptops over to SSDs during the last three years and with those, even a restore from a full image backup takes no more than 2 minutes. So, I'd rather not mess with a feature I don't really understand.

Bree · Jul 15, 2021

Mark Phelps said:
I have PAID copies of MR so while I could use RDR ... even a restore from a full image backup takes no more than 2 minutes. So, I'd rather not mess with a feature I don't really understand.

Unless you've gone out of your way to turn off Rapid Delta Restore, then you're using it without realising. RDR is on by default. But don't worry, its (literally) a 'life saver' for SSDs, by only restoring the differences between the image and what's on the partition it's reducing those NAND writes that wear out SSDs.

Zardoc · Jul 15, 2021

I might start again another open discussion about what's the best imaging software but I really don't care what you use just as long as it does what you want. I use Acronis 2021 stripped of all it's ransomware protection junk (it's basically a 2017 version with a few bells added).

I've been using the 2010 version on certain laptops which does a great job.

I installed and rolled back from the 2021 version without an issue

Winuser · Jul 15, 2021

I just used Macrium v8 and there's a update available for it.

Badger · Jul 15, 2021

Just tried installing Macrium Home v8 Trial here on today's Win 11 .71 build. I can't get the download to even work. I think they have a mismatch of versions going on with it. Here's the reoccurring error I get when trying to run the download from Macrium v8 Home Trial posted up on their site currently. I tried downloading it a few times with the exact same result.

Yes, the path is right. I think they might be pointing to the previous version instead of the new 6036 build. Can someone confirm, thanks.

https://imgur.com/gFKy34y

Bree · Jul 15, 2021

Badger said:
Can't get the download to work. I think they have a mismatch of versions going on with it.

At that point the downloader thinks it has downloaded the installer and is trying to run it, but can't find it under that name. If there's a mismatch then it may be the installer for an earlier version. Look in your C:\Test\Macrium\ folder and see if there's a v8.0.nnnn_reflect_home_setup_x64.exe where 'nnnn' is a different number. If so, run it, even if it is an earlier version. It will get the update patch as soon as you run Reflect for the first time anyway.

You could try running the downloader again, this time unticking the option to run the installer straight away. Then look for what it actually downloaded and run it yourself.

If not, then download the 30-day trial version. It installs exactly the same software, except it comes with a trial key instead. Once installed you can switch it to the paid-for Home by clicking Help > Purchase and entering your Home key.

Badger · Jul 15, 2021

Bree said:
At that point the downloader thinks it has downloaded the installer and is trying to run it, but can't find it under that name. If there's a mismatch then it may be the installer for an earlier version. Look in your C:\Test\Macrium\ folder and see if there's a v8.0.nnnn_reflect_home_setup_x64.exe where 'nnnn' is a different number. If so, run it, even if it is an earlier version. It will get the update patch as soon as you run Reflect for the first time anyway.

You could try running the downloader again, this time unticking the option to run the installer straight away. Then look for what it actually downloaded and run it yourself.

If not, then download the 30-day trial version. It installs exactly the same software, except it comes with a trial key instead. Once installed you can switch it to the paid-for Home by clicking Help > Purchase and entering your Home key.

Tried installing the version 8 Home Trial download but when I run the installer unticked it just creates a Macrium empty folder.

Bree · Jul 15, 2021

Badger said:
but when I run the installer unticked it just creates a Macrium empty folder.

Do you have a 3rd-party AV that may be blocking it? If not, could Conntrolled Folder Access in Windows Security be stopping you?

Badger · Jul 15, 2021

Bree said:
Do you have a 3rd-party AV that may be blocking it? If not, could Conntrolled Folder Access in Windows Security be stopping you?

Nope.

Badger · Jul 15, 2021

Workaround: I was able to download the free version of 8 Home elsewhere. Not sure what the issue is with Macrium's site but it wasn't an enjoyable first experience. I'd be interested to know if anyone else tries it today to confirm the problem is on their end or not?

Bree · Jul 15, 2021

Badger said:
I'd be interested to know if anyone else tries it today to confirm the problem is on their end or not?

Yes, I've just tried the 30-day Home trial download. In the Options I can select almost anything else EXCEPT the 64-bit Reflect installer and it downloads (I now have the 32-bit installer, for example). But that one file doesn't seem to exist on their servers (yet). I can confirm that instead of the slow green progress bar it jumps straight to 'completed' without downloading anything.!!!

Unfortunately you have chosen the exact moment a new version was released to make your download, mine got a patch today. Looks like they haven't yet uploaded the new 64-bit installer to their servers. It should be there tomorrow, not that that's much comfort.

At least you found it elsewhere....

Badger · Jul 16, 2021

Bree said:
Yes, I've just tried the 30-day Home trial download. In the Options I can select almost anything else EXCEPT the 64-bit Reflect installer and it downloads (I now have the 32-bit installer, for example). But that one file doesn't seem to exist on their servers (yet). I can confirm that instead of the slow green progress bar it jumps straight to 'completed' without downloading anything.!!!

Unfortunately you have chosen the exact moment a new version was released to make your download, mine got a patch today. Looks like they haven't yet uploaded the new 64-bit installer to their servers. It should be there tomorrow, not that that's much comfort.

At least you found it elsewhere....

Just as I suspected. Thank you for verifying it!