I'm toying with the notion of creating a Backup using Macrium Reflect 8
Free.
Just suppose my internal hard drive suffers a fault and I need to use my >backup created with Macrium to restore it. (Assume that I have created a >rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Question: if my hard drive is compromised, how would I get to the
Macrium file to start the rescue process?
I'm toying with the notion of creating a Backup using Macrium Reflect 8
Free.
Just suppose my internal hard drive suffers a fault and I need to use my backup created with Macrium to restore it. (Assume that I have created a rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Question: if my hard drive is compromised, how would I get to the
Macrium file to start the rescue process?
I'm toying with the notion of creating a Backup using Macrium Reflect 8
Free.
Just suppose my internal hard drive suffers a fault and I need to use my >backup created with Macrium to restore it. (Assume that I have created a >rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Question: if my hard drive is compromised, how would I get to the
Macrium file to start the rescue process?
(Assume that I have created a
rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Jim the Geordie <jim@jimxscott.co.uk> wrote:
I'm toying with the notion of creating a Backup using Macrium Reflect 8
Free.
Just suppose my internal hard drive suffers a fault and I need to use my
backup created with Macrium to restore it. (Assume that I have created a
rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Question: if my hard drive is compromised, how would I get to the
Macrium file to start the rescue process?
You boot from the rescue disc you made and that offers a Macrium environment which you can use to restore the image file(s) from your
external HDD.
Just try it, Boot from the resue disc and look around. As long as you
don't do an actual restore, there's no harm in seeing what it looks
like.
On Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:05:13 +0000, Jim the Geordie wrote:
(Assume that I have created a
rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Disc? USB isn't an option for you?
On 14/02/2025 19:57, s|b wrote:
On Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:05:13 +0000, Jim the Geordie wrote:
(Assume that I have created a
rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Disc? USB isn't an option for you?
I suppose so, but I've got lots of unused discs :)
Jim the Geordie <jim@jimxscott.co.uk> wrote:
On 14/02/2025 19:57, s|b wrote:
On Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:05:13 +0000, Jim the Geordie wrote:I suppose so, but I've got lots of unused discs :)
(Assume that I have created a
rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Disc? USB isn't an option for you?
Like me. :D
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:05:13 +0000, Jim the Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
I'm toying with the notion of creating a Backup using Macrium Reflect 8
Free.
Just suppose my internal hard drive suffers a fault and I need to use my
backup created with Macrium to restore it. (Assume that I have created a
rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Question: if my hard drive is compromised, how would I get to the
Macrium file to start the rescue process?
BTW, for a clone, you'll need to start with an empty 'backup' drive.
IIRC the free version is fine, and all I used for a long time, but if
you pay for it, you can do incremental changes to the backup (and
possibly even to the clone????? Check on that). So that you don't have
to (have it) erase everything and start from scratch every time you do a
new backup (or clone, if this applies to clones). Takes much less
writing and iirc much less time. Though you can still use the computer
while you're copying t he files so I what difference does the time make? There are similar programs from other companies, like Minitool, and
AOIME (sp?).
On 14/02/2025 18:34, micky wrote:applications?
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:05:13 +0000, Jim the
Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
I'm toying with the notion of creating a Backup using Macrium Reflect 8
Free.
Just suppose my internal hard drive suffers a fault and I need to use my >>> backup created with Macrium to restore it. (Assume that I have created a >>> rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Question: if my hard drive is compromised, how would I get to the
Macrium file to start the rescue process?
BTW, for a clone, you'll need to start with an empty 'backup' drive.
IIRC the free version is fine, and all I used for a long time, but if
you pay for it, you can do incremental changes to the backup (and
possibly even to the clone????? Check on that). So that you don't have
to (have it) erase everything and start from scratch every time you do a
new backup (or clone, if this applies to clones). Takes much less
writing and iirc much less time. Though you can still use the computer
while you're copying t he files so I what difference does the time make?
There are similar programs from other companies, like Minitool, and
AOIME (sp?).
After reading your replies and those of several others, I realise I was asking the wrong question!
The business of creating a 'backup' using Macrium, or any other method, assumes (I think) that the purpose is to restore to the (same) computer where something has gone wrong?
What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one, and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one. I understand I can simply backup files and folders like photos, bookmarks and documents, but what about all the
I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the meantime. :)
On Sat, 2/15/2025 4:56 AM, Jim the Geordie wrote:applications?
On 14/02/2025 18:34, micky wrote:
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:05:13 +0000, Jim the
Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
I'm toying with the notion of creating a Backup using Macrium Reflect 8 >>>> Free.
Just suppose my internal hard drive suffers a fault and I need to use my >>>> backup created with Macrium to restore it. (Assume that I have created a >>>> rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Question: if my hard drive is compromised, how would I get to the
Macrium file to start the rescue process?
BTW, for a clone, you'll need to start with an empty 'backup' drive.
IIRC the free version is fine, and all I used for a long time, but if
you pay for it, you can do incremental changes to the backup (and
possibly even to the clone????? Check on that). So that you don't have >>> to (have it) erase everything and start from scratch every time you do a >>> new backup (or clone, if this applies to clones). Takes much less
writing and iirc much less time. Though you can still use the computer
while you're copying t he files so I what difference does the time make? >>> There are similar programs from other companies, like Minitool, and
AOIME (sp?).
After reading your replies and those of several others, I realise I was asking the wrong question!
The business of creating a 'backup' using Macrium, or any other method, assumes (I think) that the purpose is to restore to the (same) computer where something has gone wrong?
What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one, and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one. I understand I can simply backup files and folders like photos, bookmarks and documents, but what about all the
I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the meantime. :)
Disk1 Disk2
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+
|MBR| C: | D: Data | ==> |MBR| C: | D: Data | Clone
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+
***************************************************************************
+-----------------------+
_____ | H: Backups (.mrimg) | ___
/ +-----------------------+ \
/ \ Bare Metal Restore
| v Boot the Rescue CD, restore the image
Disk1 (New) to a new disk drive which is empty
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+
|MBR| C: | D: Data | ==> |MBR| C: | D: Data | Backup/Restore
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+
***************************************************************************
Disk1 NewMachine
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+
|MBR| C: | D: Data | |MBR| C: | W: Data | Migration
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+ (U.Data, Progs)
---------------------->
-----------------------> Add User to EmptyOS
Add Progs to EmptyOS
Laplink, Zinstall ($50 per program usage!)
***************************************************************************
When cloning a disk, no, there is no Incremental option.
Cloning is simple -- perfect copies only, one shot to do it.
When doing backup, the .mrimg files can be Full, Differential, Incremental, Incremental-Forever.
These are backup patterns, some of which are used in IT departments. Incremental is popular, because it is relatively disk efficient. Incremental-forever, restarts a cascade every once in a while,
so there is a synthetic Full plus Incremental, Incremental, Incremental.
Generally, "free" programs offer Full, because Win7 Backup offered Full,
and it would be hard to compete with the Microsoft "free" offer.
Some free programs offer Differential, and one, even offered Incremental. People only accept "free" programs, if the function provided is useful, and... if all their files come back. You the user, must test this!!!
Many "demo" web pages, don't give-a-fuck whether the files come back.
How many people do you know, can tell you pagefile.sys does not get
backed up and Windows.edb does not either ? These details are very hard
to determine, for people wishing to test for you.
I don't have *any* programs I trust, to list files. Right now,
I've been writing a program to do that, and I've run into a pattern
that makes me suspicious, but is not documented. There are some
file entries without filenames, which implies the filename come
via an undefined means. I asked the AI, and got exactly the kind
of waffle-bullshit I was expecting -- the AI told me to use a hex
editor and look for myself.
As an example of trustworthy, the Everything.exe program cannot
list the contents of a WSL1 tree on a C: drive. The WSL2 uses
a container instead of a tree, solving the problem. But that's
not the point. The point is, I only discovered list-shortening
by accident. And I absolutely refuse to use majority voter logic
to write a listdir program :-) Either the program works from
well established principles, or the program won't exist at all.
It's that simple. Some jobs must be done properly (you know, like
backup jobs).
Paul
After reading your replies and those of several others, I realise I was asking the wrong question!
The business of creating a 'backup' using Macrium, or any other method, assumes (I think) that the purpose is to restore to the (same) computer
where something has gone wrong?
What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one,
and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one.
I
understand I can simply backup files and folders like photos, bookmarks
and documents, but what about all the applications?
On 15/02/2025 10:43, Paul wrote:the applications?
On Sat, 2/15/2025 4:56 AM, Jim the Geordie wrote:
On 14/02/2025 18:34, micky wrote:
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:05:13 +0000, Jim the >>>> Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
I'm toying with the notion of creating a Backup using Macrium Reflect 8 >>>>> Free.
Just suppose my internal hard drive suffers a fault and I need to use my >>>>> backup created with Macrium to restore it. (Assume that I have created a >>>>> rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Question: if my hard drive is compromised, how would I get to the
Macrium file to start the rescue process?
BTW, for a clone, you'll need to start with an empty 'backup' drive.
IIRC the free version is fine, and all I used for a long time, but if
you pay for it, you can do incremental changes to the backup (and
possibly even to the clone????? Check on that). So that you don't have >>>> to (have it) erase everything and start from scratch every time you do a >>>> new backup (or clone, if this applies to clones). Takes much less
writing and iirc much less time. Though you can still use the computer >>>> while you're copying t he files so I what difference does the time make? >>>> There are similar programs from other companies, like Minitool, and
AOIME (sp?).
After reading your replies and those of several others, I realise I was asking the wrong question!
The business of creating a 'backup' using Macrium, or any other method, assumes (I think) that the purpose is to restore to the (same) computer where something has gone wrong?
What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one, and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one. I understand I can simply backup files and folders like photos, bookmarks and documents, but what about all
I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the meantime. :)
Disk1 Disk2
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+
|MBR| C: | D: Data | ==> |MBR| C: | D: Data | Clone
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+
*************************************************************************** >>
+-----------------------+
_____ | H: Backups (.mrimg) | ___
/ +-----------------------+ \
/ \ Bare Metal Restore
| v Boot the Rescue CD, restore the image
Disk1 (New) to a new disk drive which is empty
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+
|MBR| C: | D: Data | ==> |MBR| C: | D: Data | Backup/Restore
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+
*************************************************************************** >>
Disk1 NewMachine
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+
|MBR| C: | D: Data | |MBR| C: | W: Data | Migration
+---+----+---------+ +---+----+---------+ (U.Data, Progs)
----------------------> >> -----------------------> Add User to EmptyOS
Add Progs to EmptyOS
Laplink, Zinstall ($50 per program usage!)
*************************************************************************** >>
When cloning a disk, no, there is no Incremental option.
Cloning is simple -- perfect copies only, one shot to do it.
When doing backup, the .mrimg files can be Full, Differential, Incremental, Incremental-Forever.
These are backup patterns, some of which are used in IT departments.
Incremental is popular, because it is relatively disk efficient.
Incremental-forever, restarts a cascade every once in a while,
so there is a synthetic Full plus Incremental, Incremental, Incremental.
Generally, "free" programs offer Full, because Win7 Backup offered Full,
and it would be hard to compete with the Microsoft "free" offer.
Some free programs offer Differential, and one, even offered Incremental.
People only accept "free" programs, if the function provided is useful,
and... if all their files come back. You the user, must test this!!!
Many "demo" web pages, don't give-a-fuck whether the files come back.
How many people do you know, can tell you pagefile.sys does not get
backed up and Windows.edb does not either ? These details are very hard
to determine, for people wishing to test for you.
I don't have *any* programs I trust, to list files. Right now,
I've been writing a program to do that, and I've run into a pattern
that makes me suspicious, but is not documented. There are some
file entries without filenames, which implies the filename come
via an undefined means. I asked the AI, and got exactly the kind
of waffle-bullshit I was expecting -- the AI told me to use a hex
editor and look for myself.
As an example of trustworthy, the Everything.exe program cannot
list the contents of a WSL1 tree on a C: drive. The WSL2 uses
a container instead of a tree, solving the problem. But that's
not the point. The point is, I only discovered list-shortening
by accident. And I absolutely refuse to use majority voter logic
to write a listdir program :-) Either the program works from
well established principles, or the program won't exist at all.
It's that simple. Some jobs must be done properly (you know, like
backup jobs).
Paul
Was that an answer to my latest post about copying to a new computer? If it was, then I heard it pass right over my head. :)
I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I >pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the >meantime. :)
After reading your replies and those of several others, I realise I was >asking the wrong question!
The business of creating a 'backup' using Macrium, or any other method, >assumes (I think) that the purpose is to restore to the (same) computer
where something has gone wrong?
What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one,
and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one. I >understand I can simply backup files and folders like photos, bookmarks
and documents, but what about all the applications?
I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I >pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the >meantime. :)
--
Jim the Geordie
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 15 Feb 2025 09:56:18 +0000, Jim the Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
After reading your replies and those of several others, I realise I was
asking the wrong question!
The business of creating a 'backup' using Macrium, or any other method,
assumes (I think) that the purpose is to restore to the (same) computer
where something has gone wrong?
Yes.
What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one,
and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one. I
understand I can simply backup files and folders like photos, bookmarks
and documents, but what about all the applications?
There is software that will do this, although I have not tried it. I
even bought 10 years ago or more one whose name I cannot remember**, and
if I had a computer with a replacement, empty HDD, I would probably try
it, but except for once, new computers already had a functioning Windows
on them and I didn't want to mess that up. The one time I did get a
laptop with a non-functional HDD, I think I forgot to consider this
idea.
**I found the box and the DVD. It was called Acronis True Image Home
2011. PC Backup & Recovery Plus. It says, for Plus, "Recover on
different hardware. Restore your pC to dissimilar hardware regardless
of make, model or installed components, or to a virtual machine". It
didn't show up when I googled system transfer PC, but the brand is still
sold and it seems that it makea, rather quietly, the same claim. Acronis
True Image 2025. More info about that in the footnote***.
Anoother program is https://www.easeus.com/free-pc-transfer-software/ it
says it will transfer 2gigs of data and 5 programs for free. If you want more, unlimited, it's 40 for a month and 60 for lifetime.
I don't think any program that does this is free.
The way they work is one backs up the old computer, then installs the
backup on the new computer using either semi-universal drivers, or maybe
more likely the drivers that the source computer had, even if they don't
work quite right, and after installation, the program looks for and
installs the proper drivers for the make and model of the destination computer. Seems to me this method should work.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=system+transfer+pc
Also maybe search for Restore to dissimilar hardware. Yes, that
brings up many hits for Acronis, even though system tranfer PC didn't bring up any afaik..
I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I
pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the
meantime. :)
Do I have clogs too? Where are they?
Clogs=wooden shoes - Yorkshire term for dying :(I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I
pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the
meantime. :)
Do I have clogs too? Where are they?
<snip>
Jim the Geordie wrote:[...]
[...]What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one,
and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one.
The one thing I forgot to say is that win11 has in my opinion and some others' numerous annoying things,
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 15 Feb 2025 09:56:18 +0000, Jim the Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I
pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the
meantime. :)
The one thing I forgot to say is that win11 has in my opinion and some others' numerous annoying things, (mostly the taskbar that will no
longer go more than one row high, Of course if our current taskbar is
only one row high, that won't likely matter to you.), and otoh not much
new, and even less that is new that I want. I had to buy a new laptop,
so I got one with win11, but I would probably be happier with same thing running win10. Read my other threads here and read more about what's
wrong with win11.
micky wrote:
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 15 Feb 2025 09:56:18 +0000, Jim the
Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I
pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the
meantime. :)
The one thing I forgot to say is that win11 has in my opinion and some
others' numerous annoying things, (mostly the taskbar that will no
longer go more than one row high, Of course if our current taskbar is
only one row high, that won't likely matter to you.), and otoh not much
new, and even less that is new that I want. I had to buy a new laptop,
so I got one with win11, but I would probably be happier with same thing
running win10. Read my other threads here and read more about what's
wrong with win11.
I think we'd all be happier with Win10, micky. But MS are ceasing to
support it later this year; pushing us to Win11. But there are rumours
of Win12 in the pipeline. What new hardware will that demand?
It could well be that many Win11 machines will need upgrading.
What new hardware?
Maybe some group in MS is working on a front-end CPU add-on which brands >every byte coming out of it with an encrypted laser beam; which will zap >non-recognised bytes as it moves through the RAM. (:-
Ed
(Assume that I have created a
rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Question: if my hard drive is compromised, how would I get to the
Macrium file to start the rescue process?
Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
Jim the Geordie wrote:[...]
[...]What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one,
and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one.
Two additions to Graham's excellent (of course! :-) post:
The new computer will not only have different hardware, which will
require different drivers, but it will also very likely have Windows 11, instead of your current Windows 10, so a one-to-one copy is also not
possible for that reason.
When - or before - you stop using your old computer - and perhaps get
rid of it - use Macrium Reflect to make a complete image backup of that computer and keep it 'forever', just in case there was something on the
old computer which you forgot to copy, were not aware of that it was
needed, etc.. You can restore files from the 'old' image to the new
computer. External disk space is cheap, so no reason not to have this fallback. (I still have image backup of my previous computer and the one before that, covering 10 years (from last use of the oldest one.).
Hope this helps.
micky wrote:
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 15 Feb 2025 09:56:18 +0000, Jim the
Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I
pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the
meantime. :)
The one thing I forgot to say is that win11 has in my opinion and some
others' numerous annoying things, (mostly the taskbar that will no
longer go more than one row high, Of course if our current taskbar is
only one row high, that won't likely matter to you.), and otoh not much
new, and even less that is new that I want. I had to buy a new laptop,
so I got one with win11, but I would probably be happier with same thing
running win10. Read my other threads here and read more about what's
wrong with win11.
I think we'd all be happier with Win10, micky. But MS are ceasing to
support it later this year; pushing us to Win11. But there are rumours
of Win12 in the pipeline. What new hardware will that demand?
It could well be that many Win11 machines will need upgrading.
What new hardware?
Maybe some group in MS is working on a front-end CPU add-on which brands every byte coming out of it with an encrypted laser beam; which will zap non-recognised bytes as it moves through the RAM. (:-
Ed
On 16/02/2025 16:00, Frank Slootweg wrote:
Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
Jim the Geordie wrote:[...]
[...]What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one, >>>> and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one.
Two additions to Graham's excellent (of course! :-) post:
The new computer will not only have different hardware, which will
require different drivers, but it will also very likely have Windows 11,
instead of your current Windows 10, so a one-to-one copy is also not
possible for that reason.
When - or before - you stop using your old computer - and perhaps get
rid of it - use Macrium Reflect to make a complete image backup of that
computer and keep it 'forever', just in case there was something on the
old computer which you forgot to copy, were not aware of that it was
needed, etc.. You can restore files from the 'old' image to the new
computer. External disk space is cheap, so no reason not to have this
fallback. (I still have image backup of my previous computer and the one
before that, covering 10 years (from last use of the oldest one.).
Hope this helps.
So, you are saying that I could save an Image (not Clone!?) of my
present Windows 10 pc, using Macrium, and in the event of moving to a
Windows 11 pc, I could selectively copy files from that Image to the new
one?
If that is the case then using the Macrium method which keeps the files >current (incremental?), would be better/easier than me just backing-up >'Documents', 'Images' and the like when I remember to do so?
On 16/02/2025 16:48, Ed Cryer wrote:
micky wrote:Having said all that, several posters in this group appear to have
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Sat, 15 Feb 2025 09:56:18 +0000, Jim the
Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
I'm 84 now and can probably stumble on with my Windows 10 in the hope I >>>> pop-my-clogs before it does, but I'd rather have something to do in the >>>> meantime. :)
The one thing I forgot to say is that win11 has in my opinion and some
others' numerous annoying things, (mostly the taskbar that will no
longer go more than one row high, Of course if our current taskbar is
only one row high, that won't likely matter to you.), and otoh not much
new, and even less that is new that I want. I had to buy a new laptop, >>> so I got one with win11, but I would probably be happier with same thing >>> running win10. Read my other threads here and read more about what's >>> wrong with win11.
I think we'd all be happier with Win10, micky. But MS are ceasing to
support it later this year; pushing us to Win11. But there are rumours
of Win12 in the pipeline. What new hardware will that demand?
It could well be that many Win11 machines will need upgrading.
What new hardware?
Maybe some group in MS is working on a front-end CPU add-on which
brands every byte coming out of it with an encrypted laser beam; which
will zap non-recognised bytes as it moves through the RAM. (:-
Ed
Windows versions well before Version 10 and seem to be coping.
Having said all of that, I think the consensus is that you should use an image, rather than a clone, to preserve your files. That's what I would
do.
If that is the case then using the Macrium method which keeps the files
current (incremental?), would be better/easier than me just backing-up
'Documents', 'Images' and the like when I remember to do so?
I refer you to the advice from VanguardLH, where he says that regularly scheduled (automated) backups are usually preferred because humans can't
be relied upon to perform backups on a regular basis, even with the best
of intentions.
On 16/02/2025 16:00, Frank Slootweg wrote:
Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
Jim the Geordie wrote:[...]
[...]What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one, >>> and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one.
Two additions to Graham's excellent (of course! :-) post:
The new computer will not only have different hardware, which will require different drivers, but it will also very likely have Windows 11, instead of your current Windows 10, so a one-to-one copy is also not possible for that reason.
When - or before - you stop using your old computer - and perhaps get rid of it - use Macrium Reflect to make a complete image backup of that computer and keep it 'forever', just in case there was something on the
old computer which you forgot to copy, were not aware of that it was needed, etc.. You can restore files from the 'old' image to the new computer. External disk space is cheap, so no reason not to have this fallback. (I still have image backup of my previous computer and the one before that, covering 10 years (from last use of the oldest one.).
Hope this helps.
So, you are saying that I could save an Image (not Clone!?) of my
present Windows 10 pc, using Macrium, and in the event of moving to a
Windows 11 pc, I could selectively copy files from that Image to the new
one?
If that is the case then using the Macrium method which keeps the files current (incremental?), would be better/easier than me just backing-up 'Documents', 'Images' and the like when I remember to do so?
Jim the Geordie <jim@jimxscott.co.uk> wrote:
On 16/02/2025 16:00, Frank Slootweg wrote:
Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
Jim the Geordie wrote:[...]
[...]What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one, >>>>> and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one.
Two additions to Graham's excellent (of course! :-) post:
The new computer will not only have different hardware, which will
require different drivers, but it will also very likely have Windows 11, >>> instead of your current Windows 10, so a one-to-one copy is also not
possible for that reason.
When - or before - you stop using your old computer - and perhaps get >>> rid of it - use Macrium Reflect to make a complete image backup of that
computer and keep it 'forever', just in case there was something on the
old computer which you forgot to copy, were not aware of that it was
needed, etc.. You can restore files from the 'old' image to the new
computer. External disk space is cheap, so no reason not to have this
fallback. (I still have image backup of my previous computer and the one >>> before that, covering 10 years (from last use of the oldest one.).
Hope this helps.
So, you are saying that I could save an Image (not Clone!?) of my
present Windows 10 pc, using Macrium, and in the event of moving to a
Windows 11 pc, I could selectively copy files from that Image to the new
one?
Yes.
If that is the case then using the Macrium method which keeps the files
current (incremental?), would be better/easier than me just backing-up
'Documents', 'Images' and the like when I remember to do so?
I actually do *both*: Image backup of everything with Macrium Reflect
and file-level backup of my most important 'data' files (which also
includes files which are *not* in 'Documents', 'Images' and the like,
for example Thunderbird's mail store ('profile')).
Image backup would be enough, but theoretically an image backup could become corrupt in some way that you can not access any files in the
image anymore. Very small risk, but not impossible. Making both image
and file-level backup makes that I always can restore my most importnat
data files. "A single backup is no backup!" (Of course you should keep multiple levels/copies of backup and preferably both 'onsite' and
'offsite'.)
As to "(incremental?)": The free version of Macrium Reflect can only
do (Full and) Differential backups, where Differential is all changes
since the Full, so the latest Differential replaces all earlier ones.
The paid version of Macrium Reflect can also do Incremental backups,
which are all changes since the last Full/Differential/Incremental.
Thanks, Frank, but all the various replies have fried my brain.
Fact of the matter is that I have, and have had for some time, a 900+ Gb
hard drive, bought with the purpose of backing up my pc in case anything
went wrong.
I installed Macrium and, I think, backed up everything using it, left it running and promptly forgot about it. In the events I described earlier,
I realised that although it would have been nice should anything have
gone wrong; it didn't, so I have never had cause to see whether I had
the nous to be able to use it.
Now my quest has changed to getting the info from one m/c to a
*different* m/c when/if I get a new m/c.
I did a Macrium 'image' backup this morning and failed miserably in
working out how to get access and extract individual files for folders
from it.
I fear Macrium is overkill for what I need, and in the light of that, I
am currently doing a Windows backup to see whether that is within my
brain capacity.
On Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:14:10 +0000, Jim the Geordie
<jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
On 16/02/2025 16:00, Frank Slootweg wrote:
Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
Jim the Geordie wrote:[...]
[...]What I really want is to buy a new computer to replace this ageing one, >>>>> and to transfer as much of the info on this machine to the new one.
Two additions to Graham's excellent (of course! :-) post:
The new computer will not only have different hardware, which will
require different drivers, but it will also very likely have Windows 11, >>> instead of your current Windows 10, so a one-to-one copy is also not
possible for that reason.
When - or before - you stop using your old computer - and perhaps get >>> rid of it - use Macrium Reflect to make a complete image backup of that
computer and keep it 'forever', just in case there was something on the
old computer which you forgot to copy, were not aware of that it was
needed, etc.. You can restore files from the 'old' image to the new
computer. External disk space is cheap, so no reason not to have this
fallback. (I still have image backup of my previous computer and the one >>> before that, covering 10 years (from last use of the oldest one.).
Hope this helps.
So, you are saying that I could save an Image (not Clone!?) of my
present Windows 10 pc, using Macrium, and in the event of moving to a
Windows 11 pc, I could selectively copy files from that Image to the new
one?
Technically, if the task is to preserve your files so that you can
access them later, that can be accomplished with both an image and a
clone. Arguably, a clone will be slightly easier to work with because
your files are easier to access. They're just sitting there, exactly the
way you're used to seeing them. An image will require you to "mount" it before you can access its files, and then probably unmount it
afterwards, so it's one or two extra steps. Both approaches, clones and images, have their own pros and cons, but they still have a lot in
common.
Having said all of that, I think the consensus is that you should use an image, rather than a clone, to preserve your files. That's what I would
do.
If that is the case then using the Macrium method which keeps the files
current (incremental?), would be better/easier than me just backing-up
'Documents', 'Images' and the like when I remember to do so?
I refer you to the advice from VanguardLH, where he says that regularly scheduled (automated) backups are usually preferred because humans can't
be relied upon to perform backups on a regular basis, even with the best
of intentions.
Jim the Geordie <jim@jimxscott.co.uk> wrote:[...]
[...]
If you ever want to try again to extract individual files from a
Macrium Reflect image, just let us know and we can give specific instructions.
In short [1]: Select the 'Existing Backups' tab, in the lower-right
pane right-click on your latest image, select 'Browse' and take it from there. The image file will be mounted as an extra drive (i.e. drive
letter), which you can use in File Explorer like any other drive. When
done, right-click the drive and use the Macrium entry to unmount the
drive.
[1] Done partly from memory, because I don't want to fetch my backup
drive from storage and go through the steps.
Yesterday, I wrote:
Jim the Geordie <jim@jimxscott.co.uk> wrote:[...]
[...]
If you ever want to try again to extract individual files from a
Macrium Reflect image, just let us know and we can give specific
instructions.
In short [1]: Select the 'Existing Backups' tab, in the lower-right
pane right-click on your latest image, select 'Browse' and take it from
there. The image file will be mounted as an extra drive (i.e. drive
letter), which you can use in File Explorer like any other drive. When
done, right-click the drive and use the Macrium entry to unmount the
drive.
[1] Done partly from memory, because I don't want to fetch my backup
drive from storage and go through the steps.
As I needed to take out my backup HDD to make another (Differential)
image backup, I might as well post more detailed/correct instructions
for accessing/copying files and folders in/from a Macrium Reflect image:
[Assuming the disk containing the image file(s) is online/connected.]
- Start Macrium Reflect.
- Select the 'Existing Backups' tab.
- In the lower-right pane, select the .mrimg file of your latest image
backup, i.e. the last Differential or Full (if no Differenttial).
- Right-click that entry and select 'Browse Image...'.
- In the 'Backup Selection' popup window, tick the partition you want to
browse, for example 'Windows (C:)' and click '[OK]'.
- The image of the partition will now be mounted as an extra drive, for
example 'Windows (E:)'.
- In File Explorer (FE), you can now access/copy files and folders in/
from that new drive, just like you can with any normal drive.
- When done, go to 'This PC' in FE, right-click the new drive and select
'Macrium Reflect' -> 'Unmount Macium Image'. Answer the UAC prompt.
Now the new drive will be gone.
Finally, remember, there are no such things as stupid questions. Only
stupid people.
On 15/02/2025 5:18 am, micky wrote:
<Snip>
Finally, remember, there are no such things as stupid questions. Only
stupid people.
I would tend to disagree.
When I used to teach Trade School (Electronics .... from structure of
matter through Resistors/Capacitors/Inductors through semi-conductors to
HF Transmitters/Receivers), I used to tell my students "There is no such thing as a dumb question .... except an UNASKED question .... cause If
YOU don't understand something, most likely others ALSO don't
understand, too".
In alt.comp.os.windows-10, on Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:05:13 +0000, Jim the Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:
I'm toying with the notion of creating a Backup using Macrium Reflect 8
Free.
Just suppose my internal hard drive suffers a fault and I need to use my
backup created with Macrium to restore it. (Assume that I have created a
rescue disc and my backup is on an external HDD)
Question: if my hard drive is compromised, how would I get to the
Macrium file to start the rescue process?
I haven't had to do it for this purpose but you can either go into the
BIOS and change the boot order, or you can do a one-time change of the boot-order (hoping you will only have to do this 1 or 2 times) so that
it boots from the external drive.
How to get into the BIOS or the one-time Boot Order varies from brand
to brand. For a Dell it is usually or always F2 and F12. For all
brands, you have to press the right key repeatedly during the boot
process to interrupt booting and display the BIOS (Basic Input-Output Something) values. Some of them are interesting and not confusing.
OTOH Eufi versus the other one, I never understood.
AFAIC, there is no problem permanently making boot from USB/external
drive permanently the first boot choice, because 99% of the time there
will be no such thing plugged in, and it will go to the second choice. I guess that might take a second or so. OTOH, when my PC had a DVD
drive, I did occasionally leave Hirens Repair whatever or a win10
install DVD in the drive and it would start to run that. It could happen
with a bootable flashdrive too, or a clone, but it hasn't happened to
me, except with a DVD.
Also beware that there is a difference, iirc, between a backup and a
clone. I think mere backups are not bootable. Macrium will make either
one, but you have to choose before it starts.
Finally, remember, there are no such things as stupid questions. Only
stupid people.
Just kidding.
On 2025-05-18 13:48, Daniel70 wrote:
On 15/02/2025 5:18 am, micky wrote:
<Snip>
Finally, remember, there are no such things as stupid questions. Only
stupid people.
I would tend to disagree.
When I used to teach Trade School (Electronics .... from structure of
matter through Resistors/Capacitors/Inductors through semi-conductors
to HF Transmitters/Receivers), I used to tell my students "There is no
such thing as a dumb question .... except an UNASKED question ....
cause If YOU don't understand something, most likely others ALSO don't
understand, too".
I have heard this before :-)
On 19/05/2025 2:47 am, Carlos E. R. wrote:
On 2025-05-18 13:48, Daniel70 wrote:Were YOU one of my students, Carlos?? ;-P
On 15/02/2025 5:18 am, micky wrote:
<Snip>
Finally, remember, there are no such things as stupid questions. Only >>>> stupid people.
I would tend to disagree.
When I used to teach Trade School (Electronics .... from structure of
matter through Resistors/Capacitors/Inductors through semi-conductors
to HF Transmitters/Receivers), I used to tell my students "There is
no such thing as a dumb question .... except an UNASKED question ....
cause If YOU don't understand something, most likely others ALSO
don't understand, too".
I have heard this before :-)
On 2025-05-22 16:27, Daniel70 wrote:
On 19/05/2025 2:47 am, Carlos E. R. wrote:
On 2025-05-18 13:48, Daniel70 wrote:Were YOU one of my students, Carlos?? ;-P
On 15/02/2025 5:18 am, micky wrote:
<Snip>
Finally, remember, there are no such things as stupid questions. Only >>>>> stupid people.
I would tend to disagree.
When I used to teach Trade School (Electronics .... from structure
of matter through Resistors/Capacitors/Inductors through
semi-conductors to HF Transmitters/Receivers), I used to tell my
students "There is no such thing as a dumb question .... except an
UNASKED question .... cause If YOU don't understand something, most
likely others ALSO don't understand, too".
I have heard this before :-)
Not likely, unless you taught in Madrid or Ottawa. :-)
I think I heard the phrase in Ottawa. I don't remember who said it.
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