Windows 10: Macrium Reflect Free 7.1.3317 not installing after W10 v1709 updates

I tried to make this first post earlier but maybe it went to the wrong location. Try again...

Macrium Reflect Free version 7.1.3317 (64-bit) will not install correctly in my Windows 10 Pro Fall Creators Update (version 1709). There were no problems installing Reflect V6.3 before the Windows Fall Creators Update, but after that update I cannot fully install Reflect 7.1.3317.

The first attempts always stall part way with the error message 1909:
"Could not create Shortcut MacriumReflect.lnk. Verify that the destination folder exists..."
Continuing seem to complete the install but no desktop icon is created.

Next, Reflect can then be started from its folder, but disk images cannot be created and fail with error message:
"Backup aborted! Failed to create volume snapshot. Failed - 0x8004230f "
So, Reflect was not fully functional.

There are numerous comments on the web saying a fix to allow installing is to clear the Read-only attribute from the Macrium folder, but Windows 10 does not now allow that despite having Administrator permission.

The error 0x8004230f seems to relate to Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), and running "Fix VSS Problems" in Macrium Reflect's "Other Tasks" menu works to the point of allowing disk images to be made; however, making backups takes about 2 to 3 times longer than before, and there doesn't seem to be any data compression even though the default of medium is set: e.g. - backing up 3 GB of used space in a partition results in a 3 GB image file (Reflect 6.3 made smaller 2-something GB images).

Repeated installation attempts with new downloads/uninstalling/re-booting/re-installing etc. does not change anything. I don't find any operating system corruption or viruses, and everything else functions normally.

Next attempt was to install Reflect in Safe Mode (using SafeMSI to enable Windows Installer service in Safe Mode): that proceeds to the point of creating a desktop icon, but then fails with the error message:
"Service 'Macrium Service' failed to start".
No progress beyond that is possible, and no error number or details are given; I can't find any explanations for this error on the Web.

Could it be that Microsoft's W10 updates have now stymied new Macrium installations, or is there a bug in the Macrium 7.1.3317 installer that will be resolved soon?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I can't find a Macrium address to report bugs for the free version.

Thanks.

:)

 

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.

 

How do I install windows 10 without harming my windows 7?


Here's what I suggest you to do:

1. From Windows 7, download & Install Macrium Reflect Free. Connect one of your new 500GB HD and clone your current Windows 7 to it. Follow step 1,2,3 from the screen shot:

1. Disconnect your current Windows 7 then boot up with the new cloned copy of Windows 7
2. Upgrade it to Windows 10 so it will be fully activated.
3. If you decide to keep Windows 10 then do a fresh install of Windows 10. If not, disconnect the 500GB HD containing Windows 10 then re-connect your Windows 7
4. You are back to where it was before.

 

New Macrium Reflect Updates


Something I found interesting:

New Feature: Automatic System Restore Macrium Software Blog