Windows 10: Clone and Restore with Macrium Reflect - question

Macrium Reflect is used in Win 10 to periodically clone the C: drive HD partitions to a separate backup HD. When sometime ago there was a problem with the existing C: drive (Win 10 1803), the first remedy method tried was to boot the system from the Reflect recovery optical disk (which uses Windows PE to boo), and then to use Reflect program on the recovery disk to clone the known good, previously cloned partitions from the backup HD to the C: drive. However, although the clone to C: operation was done without any issues, the PC could not boot from the C: drive! So, the second remedy method was to restart and use the BIOS boot disk selector to boot the PC from the backup HD, then run Reflect and to clone the partitions from the backup HD back to the C: drive. This second method succeeded exactly as wanted, the prior instance of Win10 was booting from the C: drive. However, I would have thought that these two methods would both achieve the same result -- why didn't the re-clone of backup partitions back to the C: drive succeed when done from the Reflect recovery disk?

Re-creating the issue is too complex and effort. Can anyone point out what makes the difference between the two methods? Does the re-clone via the Reflect recovery disk not make the recloned C: drive partitions Active and Boot status? Does it not create the correct MBR on the C: drive to enable successful boot? Thanks for advice.

:)

 

Macrium Reflect clone question

Hi, given the disks are the same size, was this a true clone- i.e. no resizing, nothing remaining from before- sadly and confusingly, for example 'cloning' is also used of copying an installation to a smaller disk for example.

Suggest you look at the partitions and check the partition sizes are identical on the two disks, and then use e.g. Wiztree (free) to identify where space has gone.




Here you can see some red squares - space due to dmp files and VirtualBox (virtualisation). (Your colours will be different as they are configurable).

 

Restoring Windows 10 Image using Macrium Reflect


In addition to the above. Here's my suggestion in step by step.
I assume you have Macrium Installed in your current HD and already made a backup copy.

1. Connect your new HD via USB port and boot up.
2. Run Macrium, click on Restore tab then select the Backup Image that you made to restore
3. click on "select a different target disk" then select your new HD as destination
   
   
   
4. Proceed to restore then Shutdown and disconnect the old HD and replace with the new HD
5. Boot up with your new HD.

 

Attempted cloning a WD 8TB usb hard drive to another WD 8TB usb hard drive using Macrium Reflect.

Hi DennisCPA

i don't know of a maximum size (nor can i find it mentioned), largest i have cloned is 4TB.

when i last had a clone fail, whilst checking connections of the destination drive i put it in a different port and it worked (i didn't investigate further), suggestion, check destination drive connections or try a different port

you may get a better solution if you ask in the Macrium reflect forums

Macrium Support Forum