What are the files in Macrium?

Haydon · Mar 4, 2022

I am playing around with a new installation of Macrium Reflect Free version 8, everything is left at their default values.

I created 'image' files (of Full Backups) and the corresponding 'My Backup' files are automatically created by the software.

I notice that deleting an 'image' file does not automatically delete the corresponding 'My Backup' file and vice versa.

For the time being, with only a few file pairs ('image' and 'My Backup') that's not a problem, I can find the correspondence between 'image' and 'My Backup' via the files' creation date and time.

But over time, with many file pairs, there has to be a better house keeping method of keeping the 'image' and 'My Backup' file pairs tightly in sync. How do I do that?

Bree · Mar 4, 2022

Haydon said:
over time, with many file pairs, there has to be a better house keeping method of keeping the 'image' and 'My Backup' file pairs tightly in sync. How do I do that?

If all these images are of the same PC, then any older 'My backup' definition files are no longer appropriate to use. There's not really any point in keeping them all.

I only ever created my definition file the once. Before running it to create a new Full image (which I do once a month on Patch Tuesday) I edit the backup definition to update the image name and the comments. I uses the comments to record a sort of 'change log' for the machine. Between Full backups I can run the backup definition file as a Differential or Incremental to back up any significant changes, only editing it to add to the comments section.

Ghot · Mar 4, 2022

@Haydon

You could do like I do... just uncheck the box (step #8), and it won't even make a My Backup folder. :)

Haydon · Mar 4, 2022

Ah, I misunderstood the role of the 'My Backup' file. I will leave it/them alone, still maintaining the defaults for the moment. I confirmed that even after deleting the 'My Backup' file, I can mount/unmount the image in File Explorer, and copy a user file from the image :)

Next is to play with the 'restore' and 'clone' functions, so I have to buy an internal 2.5" SATA SSD and a SATA to USB cable (I think that's the cheapest option)

Bree · Mar 4, 2022

Haydon said:
Ah, I misunderstood the role of the 'My Backup' file.

The purpose of the backup definition file is to hold the instructions for what will be backed up. When you set up a backup from scratch the default is to save this as the file 'My Backup', though you are free to give it any name you like. Once saved you can run it immediately to make a Full backup, then run it again at any time to make a Differential, Incremental or another Full backup.

As long as you keep using the same backup file name these will form a backup set, The full will have your base name with -00-00 added to the end, subsequent Differentials/Incrementals will increment this number: -01-01, -02-02, etc. This backup set has the backup file name 'Windows-11_x64_22000-65+2021-07-12' in its backup definition file, for example.

When you change your base backup file name you will start a new backup set.

Once you have created a backup definition you can run it whenever you wish, or you can use Macrium's scheduler to run it automatically for you.

Haydon · Mar 4, 2022

Yeah, I edited the thread title to make it more logical

cereberus · Mar 5, 2022

Bree said:
The purpose of the backup definition file is to hold the instructions for what will be backed up. When you set up a backup from scratch the default is to save this as the file 'My Backup', though you are free to give it any name you like. Once saved you can run it immediately to make a Full backup, then run it again at any time to make a Differential, Incremental or another Full backup.

As long as you keep using the same backup file name these will form a backup set, The full will have your base name with -00-00 added to the end, subsequent Differentials/Incrementals will increment this number: -01-01, -02-02, etc. This backup set has the backup file name 'Windows-11_x64_22000-65+2021-07-12' in its backup definition file, for example.

View attachment 23454

When you change your base backup file name you will start a new backup set.

Once you have created a backup definition you can run it whenever you wish, or you can use Macrium's scheduler to run it automatically for you.

You can edit the xml file and change file name if you wish to avoid having multiple xml files - of course any diff/inc has to have same name as parent full. Actually, if you edit the name xml and do an inc/diff before creating a new full, it attachs to most recent full with old nan]me. The name change only takes effect when a new full is created.

What are the files in Macrium?

Haydon

Well-known member

My Computer

System One

Bree

Well-known member

My Computers

System One System Two

Ghot

Well-known member

My Computers

System One System Two

Haydon

Well-known member

My Computer

System One

Bree

Well-known member

My Computers

System One System Two

Haydon

Well-known member

My Computer

System One

cereberus

Well-known member

My Computer

System One

Similar threads

Latest Support Threads

Latest Tutorials