Solved Whether to switch from Macrium Reflect (MR) to Hasleo Backup Suite (HBS)

I know there are other threads on Hasleo Backup Suite but this is a specific query regarding HBS not supporting external SSDs for Emergency Disks.

I have been using MR (Paid versions) for almost 5 years but I am considering moving to HBS due to Paramount not fixing the issue with being unable to mount images since Microsoft updated Windows 11. Questions that follow aren't a gripe at Paramount but about HBS before I make the swap: -

With MR I used its Rescue Media to create two 500GB bootable external USB SSDs. This created a 2GB FAT32 partition on each SSD and the remaining 498 GB is formatted NTFS for image storage. The SSDs both boot successfully and I can access the images on the NTFS partition. This means I only have to plug in one device for booting and access to images.

I have two external SSD devices in case one becomes corrupted.

I understand that HBS does not support external USB SSD devices for creating Emergency Disks. HBS only supports external USB sticks up 32GB formatted FAT32. This means having to plug in two devices to restore an image. The bootable USB stick and the USB SSD containing the images.

Q1 - Is this correct?

If so then this is an inconvenience imo compared to MR. Some may think nothing of it but it is putting me off moving to HBS. Maybe I’m over reacting to a small detail but I find it very easy to need just one device rather than two.

Q2 - Is my strategy of needing just one device (I have a second device in case the first one fails to boot) for both booting and storing images as safe as needing two devices?

Well... I've looked just outside of your imaging application box a bit (the app being responsible for both the emergency media generation and producing a format necessary for image storage as well) and came up with VENTOY, a multi-BOOT solution.

It allows for the multi-BOOTing of almost every ISO ever made (and most of the WIMs contained within the ISO itself), a separate partition to store all those BOOTing requirements AND another separate partition (use as you wish) for the storage of your images (or anything else you may require on that storage media). It can produce UFDs or USB-based SSDs.

In my case, all my "external" BOOTing requirements are contained on that device (imaging, partitioning, diagnostics, etc.) and BOOTing device mgmt is accomplished by nothing more than replacing the required ISO/WIM file... the device does not need to be rebuilt.

Probably one of the best solutions for multi-BOOTing (or in your case, BOOTable devices and imaging storage). I've used it for years now without issue...

wiganken said:

I understand the HBS does not support external USB SSD devices for creating Emergency Disks. HBS only supports external USB sticks up 32GB formatted FAT32. This means having to plug in two devices to restore an image. The bootable USB stick and the USB SSD containing the images.

Q1 - Is this correct?

Click to expand...

I don't use a one disk solution, but I have a 512GB FLASH Disk on my video controller mini-PC that is formatted NTFS for the Hasleo Backup and it works fine. I didn't bother having it bootable as I have a Hasleo recovery disk for several computers.

Froggie said:

Well... I've looked just outside of your imaging application box a bit (the app being responsible for both the emergency media generation and producing a format necessary for image storage as well) and came up with VENTOY, a multi-BOOT solution.

It allows for the multi-BOOTing of almost every ISO ever made (and most of the WIMs contained within the ISO itself), a separate partition to store all those BOOTing requirements AND another separate partition (use as you wish) for the storage of your images (or anything else you may require on that storage media). It can produce UFDs or USB-based SSDs.

In my case, all my "external" BOOTing requirements are contained on that device (imaging, partitioning, diagnostics, etc.) and BOOTing device mgmt is accomplished by nothing more than replacing the required ISO/WIM file... the device does not need to be rebuilt.

Probably one of the best solutions for multi-BOOTing (or in your case, BOOTable devices and imaging storage). I've used it for years now without issue...

Click to expand...

In my case, both HASLEO and MACRIUM (primary and backup imaging methods) are supported using the single VENTOY functioning multi-BOOT environment.

If you want to consider alternative strategies:

- An internal secondary disk as the main storage. Internal buses are better for massive data.

- Copy the images to external disks. I use 2 high quality 256 GB pendrives alternately.

My technical (installers, documents,...) and personal data is in a partition of the same internal secondary disk. I backup it as files using a synching program, so I don't depend on imaging for this.

If you have a big and very reliable internal disk you can also do a partition instead of installing a second disk. I've done this during my "HDD age", that was also an "invulnerable disks age" (I haven't lost any SSD either, but I only use 2, only since 4 years ago and both are 2.5" SATA).

In laptops another internal thing may be a problem in itself, but in desktops an internal secondary disk is unbeatable in all aspects. Higher rate of failures, robberies, physical accidents etc that way? Normally it's the other way round if anything.

@Froggie - Thanks but I want to keep it simple and VENTOY is another complication I don't want.

JLArranz said:

An internal secondary disk as the main storage.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion. My devices are newish and under warranty so I won't be considering adding extra internal SSDs until out of warranty. Possibly never, as it's another complication.

JLArranz said:

Copy the images to external disks.

Click to expand...

Some users say not to rely on the copying process. Corruption can happen in the copy and paste process and there is no verification to check the integrity of the copied image.

Hasleo will write a rescue ISO and you could use Rufus to make that into a bootable USB SSD. I just add Hasleo to the Windows Boot menu.

But Hasleo won't write a bootable USB SSD directly.

But it will probably work if you create a Small FAT32 partition on the SSD and a large NTFS partition for the backups. I will test this now.

Froggie said:

In my case, both HASLEO and MACRIUM (primary and backup imaging methods) are supported using the single VENTOY functioning multi-BOOT environment.

Click to expand...

Yes , using them both , with Ventoy !
If one fails , the other will resque me..........

I use Ventoy so cannot confirm the following, but it does seem possible, see post #7 by @admin from the HSB forum:

I also use a USB Flash drive for my Recovery Disk and I save the image to an internal secondary SSD drive.

The best alternative to Macrium Reflect is one that you're comfortable using, and one that you've tested and trust.

What I would do in the short term is to run both until you feel ready to ditch Reflect. These days, there are lots of reliable system image applications.

Stigg said:

The best alternative to Macrium Reflect is one that you're comfortable using, and one that you've tested and trust.

What I would do in the short term is to run both until you feel ready to ditch Reflect. These days, there are lots of reliable system image applications.

Click to expand...

Macrium never (!) failed on my rigs...........
Always fast with making backups , and much faster with booting a fixed backup !
Though , for safety reasons , always have two/three backups in reserve ( Macrium, AoMEI, Hasleo )

kelper said:

I will test this now.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Did it work?

wiganken said:

Thanks. Did it work?

Click to expand...

No, but that may be because my SSD has other FAT32 and NTSF partition which I cant afford to delete. I must have forgotten to send my post because I did say this soon after.

wiganken said:

I understand the HBS does not support external USB SSD devices for creating Emergency Disks.

Click to expand...

This, in my original post, seems to be confirmed so I will forget about using HBS and stick with MR. If ever I need to mount an image I will work around it as needed but it has never been needed up to now.
I'll call this 'Solved'.

Thanks for all replies.

But you could make a bootable USB Flash drive for the Macrium Rescue disk and then use the USB SSD to store the backups. The flash drive or stick only needs to be 1GB.

Yes, I have done this as an alternative. The stick is ready if needed.