Windows 10: Restoring Windows 10 Image using Macrium Reflect

Thanks, good to know and also very important to know that MR can't handle GPT disks well.
Don't try to fix startup problems if you have GPT disks *Wink

 

Just because 1 person had problems with a program does not mean the program doesn't work. It's always worked on the UEFI laptop with GPT disk that I have as a spare. Also there is a new update to Macrium Reflect that came out this week.

 

Hi,

+1

It's a formidable programme but it has one big flaw:...................It's free of charge. *sarc

Jokes aside, I'd say that once you have it installed you can pretty much forget all the in-built W10 Recovery options and just rely on MR instead. YMMV.

Cheers, *Wink

 

@Steve: You should definately create a recovery CD/USB. Having that you will allways be able to restore your saved image.

 

Steve:

I just used MACRIUM free to do all that. First connect all your devices to the system that you will need when you later boot from the DVD I will ask you to make... create a Macrium dvd, and then boot from it to learn what you need to do when using it later... Boot from it 2-3 times and know that procedure well, and then you can do a test load of the IMAGE file that you will create (making sure you are able to reach the folder/file for reloading the system. I have done all of it about 4-5 times, and am also currecntly using it to make a image backup file every 4+ days.
The entrie procedure all worked fine for me. best to you. Cliff M.

 

Thanks for the advice everyone, I really appreciate it. I just have a couple of questions.

1. Can I create the recovery media to the same External 1 TB that has my saved Windows 10 Image I created last night?

2. Was I was wrong to assume the process of installing the new HD into the laptop and connecting the 1 TB External drive then copying the image to the new HD? It does however make sense to connect both the new HD and the External Drive and then use Macrium to copy from one to the other.

3. Once I do run the Restore process to the new HD destination drive then shut down the laptop, remove original HD and replace with new HD. When I do boot the laptop with the new HD for the first time, will there be any issues with the BIOS? The new HD is just slightly larger and is direct part replacement for what I have according to what HP has told me.

I currently do not have a SATA to USB connector, a co-worker has one I can borrow in the next couple of days, I'm not going to be able to get the SATA to USB connector until Sunday *Sad my buddy works on a different team and we never really see each other so he's just gonna dump it my desk drawer for me when I work on Sunday LOL

I will let you know my results early next week.

I look forward to anymore suggestions, I really appreciate everyone jumping in on thread, you guys are great!

Thanks so much

Steve

 

Hi,

1. I don't think so. Macrium's using a WinPE version (of your choice) so that's likely going to wipe the external drive clean before it installs itself onto it. You can of course do that and then backup your current HD to external one.


2. Yes, copying the image across won't do you any good. It needs to be restored properly for it to work. Which is why you need Macrium's recovery environment which contains a copy of the backup program which will do all the hard work for you even when there's a blank drive at the other end.

3. Once you have done all that you can shut down, remove the old drive, build in the new one. You reconnect your external drive and boot from it. Macrium Reflect will launch it's environment and the backup programme. Select your image for restoring, the destination drive and click finish.
Assuming your external drive is a HD in a box with a USB lead that's all you'll need.
When the restore process is done you can shut down, disconnect the external drive and boot from your new hard drive.
Normally the bios will recognize it and Macrium doesn't care if it's bigger. Once in Windows you can check using diskmanagement if there's unallocated space. If so expand the partition in front of it and that's that.

Cheers, *Wink

 

For me, Macrium reflect worked nice in UEFI both 64 and 32 bit GPT machines without any problems.

 

Are you talking about fixing boot problems or just backup/restore an image?

 

Steve: Thanks, and you should be able to boot up again with the DVD, then reach all the devices and use them as normal from a Macrium Boot. I used a 4tb hd backup to put my image file.... best 2 u Cliff M.

 

DoItJust

I'm just backing up and restoring my Image. The HD on this lap will be failing soon, I keep get msg's that HD error occurred and I should back up and replace the hard drive.

 

It should be safe although some (@navyLCDR) say you need to run the "fix boot problems" as a precaution.
I don't think so and I think he (@navyLCDR) is just adding to the confusion.
Just go ahead, I do it regularly; before/after installing an unknown program, before/after win update, just to be on the safe side, at least once a month in any case. It's saved my ass lot's of times.
Allways have a bootable restore media and a recent "approved image" available

 

fdegrove

I'm just a little bit confused on this process. You said "You reconnect your external drive and boot from it. " All I have on my 1 TB External drive is the backed up image file from my laptop. My question is that what do I need to do boot from the external drive when laptop is turned on rather than it looking for its normal drive? Please forgive me for these basic questions as I'm not an expert in deviating boot processes. Also at this same time before booting up from the External Drive containing my image back up, should I have the New HD connect by the SATA cable already plugged in or does that get plugged in after the system boots?

 

Do this
1 Create a bootable Macrium Media on your external 1 TB disk. This will destroy your image.
2 Test to boot from the 1 TB ext disk. At this stage you have no backup image available
3 Boot from your ext. 1 TB disk (or boot into your old normal Windows with MR installed) and create an image of the OS you want to save (the old disk you are normally running from) on your ext 1 TB disk. It will now be bootable to Macrium restore environment and hold your created image.
4. Swap your old disk for your new one
5. Boot from the 1 GB ext disk. You will now be in the Macrium PE environment
6. Restore the image from the 1 TBext. disk to your new disk.
7. Boot your new disk.

You are making a very simple thing very complicated.
Create a bootable MR disk
Boot it
Backup your image
Swap disks or whatever
Boot the rescue media again
Restore the image
*Smile

 

just backup and restore