09 December 21, 02:30
We at Geeks For Your Information are very pleased to announce our
Macrium Reflect Home Edition ver8 Christmas 2021 Giveaway!
Macrium Reflect Home Edition ver8 Christmas 2021 Giveaway!
We would like to thank Macrium Software
for sponsoring the giveaway prizes.
for sponsoring the giveaway prizes.
Macrium Reflect is the complete "no-bloat" backup solution for personal use. Protect documents, data and operating systems using advanced disk imaging technology. It will backup your data/sensitive files into protective storage --encrypted and safe from corruption. In the event of computing disasters, (like partial or whole system failure) Macrium Reflect can recover from any backup image created and restore your data, partitions or even whole hard disks in a matter of minutes!
Macrium Reflect also helps you upgrade your hard disk or try a new operating system with the knowledge that everything is securely saved and can be easily recovered. Taking full advantage of Microsoft Volume Shadow Service data is managed efficiently and can be automatically streamed to a secure storage even when your drives are active and in-use.
Improved UI with Macrium Reflect 8
Macrium Reflect creates an accurate and reliable Image of a hard disk or the partitions on the disk. In the event of a partial or complete system loss, you can use this image to restore the entire disk, one or more partitions, or even individual files and folders. During the imaging process, Macrium Reflect copies the contents of entire volumes including a reference to their physical location on the storage device to an image file (.mrimg). You would normally store the image file on local or network drives, or removable drives connected using USB or eSATA.
New in Macrium Reflect version 8:
- Resilient File System (ReFS) and exFAT support for Server and Server Plus Editions
Added support for Windows Resilient File System (ReFS) and Extensible File Allocation Table (ExFAT) file systems for Intelligent sector copy, MIG and, in the case of ReFS, for CBT as well.
- Dark Theme
Macrium Reflect v8 includes optimized Light and Dark theme user interface options to enhance the user experience.
- Intra-Daily scheduled backups
Macrium Reflect v8.0 now includes Intra-Daily scheduling of backups for a minimum of 15 minute intervals between start times, providing near continuous backup protection.
Intra Daily Backups with Macrium Reflect 8 - Removable media Imaging and Cloning support
v8.0 includes support for imaging and cloning USB Flash drives. Flash drives can be imaged and cloned using the same functionality, and UI, as regular internal disk drives. USB Flash drives can be cloned to other USB flash drives or internal disks. Flash drives show in the Reflect main window alongside internal disks.
Removable flash media and exFAT support with Macrium Reflect 8 - Automatic partiton resizing when restoring or cloning to different sized disks
Macrium improved the 'Restore and Clone' functionality by adding automatic fill/shrink where the target disk is a different size to the source. The most common disk copy tasks are now automated and we've also added the ability to set free space before and after a copied partition to precisely locate and resize partitions on the target disk.
Automatic Partition Resizing with Macrium Reflect 8 - New 'Existing Backups' view
The 'Restore' tab in v7 is now 'Existing Backups' and added extra functionality, including the ability to view backup files in their backup chain hierarchy, navigate to individual folders where backups are stored and edit the comment field in existing backups.
- Improved File and Folder backup wizard
Added folders to 'File and Folder' backups by adding a tree selection for 'root' folders for greater user experience.
- Improved backup file name functionality
New run time parameters enable dynamic information to be included in backup file names at run time.
- New tbFAT driver for mounting File and Folder backups
In v8.0, F&F backups containing files larger than 4GB in size can now be mounted in Windows Explorer showing the original file size and contents. In earlier versions of Macrium Reflect, backed up files would be split into multiple 4GB chunks, and the only way to restore large files was by using the File Restore functionality in the main application. Macrium added a new driver to mount all F&F backup files. The maximum size of a contained file is now 3.9 TB rather than 4 GB.
- Redesigned and Improved 'Log' view
The Log view page has been extensively redesigned in v8 to make locating logs much easier. Macrium also improved the performance when accessing and searching large quantities of logs, as may be necessary when running Intra-Daily backups.
- OAuth 2.0 email authentication for Gmail and Outlook 365
Macrium Reflect v8.0 includes OAuth 2.0 to authenticate Macrium Reflect to send emails using the user's Microsoft or Gmail account. It's easy to setup and uses the user's account sign in, including two factor if enabled, to securely authenticate.
- viBoot now includes Oracle VirtualBox support
v8.0 adds Oracle VirtualBox support for instant virtualization of Macrium Reflect Images. For customers without Windows operating systems capable of running Hyper-V, or those that require USB drive virtualization, VirtualBox provides a great solution to reduce Time To recover (TTR), or to test Image restore capability.
ReFS and ExFAT Support
Macrium added support for Windows Resilient File System (ReFS) and Extensible File Allocation Table (ExFAT) file systems for Intelligent sector copy, MIG and, in the case of ReFS, for CBT as well.
In Macrium Reflect v7 and earlier, both ReFS and ExFAT file systems would appear as unformatted volumes. Creating images of unformatted volumes causes every sector in the volume to be copied. Although such images are perfectly good, they take a long time to complete and the image file sizes are much larger than necessary. In v8, Intelligent sector copy has been introduced for both file systems. This means that only used clusters are copied, significantly reducing the time to image and also reducing the size of the resultant image files. Additionally, MIG now protects Macrium backup files saved to either file system and CBT can be used to further increase the speed of Incremental ReFS images.
Windows ReFS Support with Macrium Reflect 8
Features:
- Macrium Super-Fast Imaging
- File and folder backup
- Rapid Delta Cloning increases cloning speed by copying file system deltas
- Backup file Consolidation with Synthetic Full backup support
- SSD trim support
- Pre-defined backup plan templates
- Mount images in Windows Explorer for easy item level recovery
- Rapid Delta Restore recovers your images in minutes or even seconds
- Restore images to dissimilar hardware using Macrium ReDeploy (Not included in the 30-Day Trial)
- Protect your backups from ransomware with Macrium Image Guardian
- Backup files and folders to a single compressed archive file.
- Recover partitions and entire disk images with just a few clicks of your mouse.
Disk Imaging
Macrium Reflect creates an accurate and reliable Image of a hard disk or the partitions on the disk. In the event of a partial or complete system loss, you can use this image to restore the entire disk, one or more partitions, or even individual files and folders. During the imaging process, Macrium Reflect copies the contents of entire volumes including a reference to their physical location on the storage device to an image file (.mrimg). User can store the image file on local or network drives, or removable drives connected using USB or eSATA and assign the storage to be protected by Macrium Image Guardian.
Configuring a Backup with Macrium Reflect
Differential and Incremental Images
Macrium Reflect can create Full, Differential, and Incremental images to optimize backup speed and disk space Full Differential Incremental requirements. When you image a volume for the first time, it is referred to as a image. A image file Full contains the data Full stored in the volume. Macrium Reflect provides two alternative methods of all backing up your data after the initial full image has been completed:
- A Differential image that backs up all the data that has changed on the volumes since the last Full Image Differential was taken.
- An Incremental image that backs up all the data that has changed on the volumes since the last image taken whether that is a Full, an Incremental or a Differential image.
How to create Incremental and Differential Backups using Macrium Reflect
File and Folder Backups
To create a backup, select the files and folders you want to backup, apply File and Folder filtering File and Folder criteria to include and exclude files and/or folders, and Macrium Reflect creates a compressed backup file (.mrbak) that can be restored directly or browsed using Windows Explorer. Storing backups in a single file is beneficial because it can be compressed, encrypted and stored elsewhere with ease. As you can for images, you can also create, and file and folder backups to optimize backup Differential Incremental speed and disk space requirements. File and folder backups are ideal if you only wish to backup specific documents, photos or music, rather than your whole system.
File and Folder Backup using Macrium Reflect
Disk Cloning
Macrium Reflect, you can clone your system disks to enable you to swap failed disks out of your system and get things back up and running again in minutes. Cloning is often confused with imaging. The process is identical but instead of storing data to a file, it replicates volume contents and disk structures to an alternative device. When the cloning process is complete, the target disk is identical to the original and contains a duplicate of all volumes, files, operating systems and applications.
Cloning a disk is particularly useful to upgrade an existing hard disk and in the event of a hard drive failure, you can simply replace the failed disk with a clone and have your system up and running again in minutes. However, cloning a disk is not an efficient way of backing up your data if it changes frequently because the clone will only contain one point in time as there is no 'Backup Chain' history that is available with disk images. Also, "disk images" can be compressed and saved to any location.
Cloning a disk using Macrium Reflect 8
Restoring Images
Macrium Reflect restores disks or their partitions exactly as they were when the backup was taken. The restore process also enables you to expand or shrink partitions if the restore target is a new disk and a different size to the original. If your whole system becomes corrupt, you can load Macrium Reflect and restore your image despite being unable to boot Windows. You can boot from the Macrium Reflect Windows PE rescue media and use Macrium Reflect to find and restore your images.
Restoring a System Image with Macrium Reflect
Restoring files and folders
Macrium Reflect restores selected files and their folder structures from File and Folder backup .mrbak files. There are a number of ways to restore backups:
Macrium Rescue Media
If in the event that your system or Windows OS is unbootable or if you lose it, you can start the PC using the Macrium Reflect rescue media on CD, DVD, or USB stick. The rescue media contains a bootable, lightweight version of Windows and a full version of Macrium Reflect. This lightweight version of Windows is called Windows Pre-installation Environment (also known as Windows PE or WinPE) and is provided by Microsoft. Macrium Reflect downloads the WinPE automatically for you and writes it to the rescue media. It will download just the components you will need to create your rescue media thus rescue your system.
Macrium ReDeploy
From the rescue environment you can launch Macrium to adapt the recovered Windows system to its new ReDeploy environment whether that is a virtual machine or a different computer. With Macrium Reflect, you can ReDeploy restore an image to a replacement computer or even create virtual hard drives to virtualize the machine, a technique sometimes called Physical to Virtual or P2V. Macrium ReDeploy is now included in all editions of Macrium Reflect except for the Free Edition.
VBScript, PowerShell and MS-DOS batch file support
Macrium Reflect stores backup definitions as XML files that are loaded using the Reflect command line. This enables powerful batch and scheduling processing using VBScript, PowerShell or MS DOS batch files. Macrium Reflect includes a VBScript and PowerShell generator that creates template script files for programmable control over your backup cycles and Pre/Post backup events.
Macrium Reflect - Rapid Delta Restore Animated Demo
Macrium Rapid Delta Restore (RDR)
The concept of RDR has been something that has been thought about for quite some time here at Macrium Software. We were aware of competing technologies that offer fast restore capabilities but wanted to build something better.
Where Macrium RDR differs is that it isn't dependent on VSS and a delta restore can be perform to any disk that has a previous copy of the imaged file system, no matter what its current state. This means that you can restore quickly back to the original disk (similar to the Open Snapshot) method, and have the flexibility to restore to a different disk that contains the same file system on it in any state.
Macrium Rapid Delta Clone (RDC)
As with Rapid Delta Restore (RDR) the concept of RDR has been something that has been thought about for quite some time here at Macrium Software. We wanted to build a clone solution that would effectively and rapidly copy only the differences between the source and target file systems. The advantage of this is obvious, RDC offers similar a performance increase as an Incremental disk image offers over a Full image and enables regular clones to be a viable and fast DR solution.
Changed Block Tracking (CBT)
Macrium Reflect Changed Blocked Tracker (MRCBT) reduces the amount of time it takes to perform incremental and differential images by monitoring the changes to an NTFS formatted volume in real-time. This is especially relevant when a file system contains very large files, such as virtual hard disk (VHD) files, where speed improvements are significant and can reduce the incremental image time from hours to minutes or even seconds. Traditionally, Macrium Reflect has detected changes to the file system by comparing the NTFS Master File Table (MFT) on the source volume, with the MFT of the most recent image in the backup set. While this is method is one of the quickest solutions available, we do not consider it an optimal solution when used in a continuous incremental scenario, especially if multi-GB files are present in the file system. In addition to numerous performance improvements, MRCBT tracks TRIM events (started with version 7.2). These events are generated by NTFS when a file is deleted or moved and are used by MRCBT to optimize the image by excluding the relevant blocks from the backup.
Macrium viBoot
Enables you to instantly create, start and manage Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machines using one or more Macrium Reflect image files as the basis of the virtual machine storage sub-system. Macrium viBoot will create two Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk (.VHDX) or VirtualBox (.VMDK) files respectively for each of the disks described within the selected Macrium Image file. The first VHDX/VMDK file is incomplete and only contains enough information to describe the disk layout and a signature to mark it as a Macrium viBoot VHDX/VMDK. The data for the disk is retrieved from the Macrium Image File by the Macrium Virtual Disk Provider filter driver as required. Because the data is not stored with the VHDX/VMDK, it size will never exceed a few megabytes. The second VHDX/VMDK file is a standard differencing disk that will receive any modifications made to during the lifetime of the virtual machine.
Quote:Note: The default location for the viBoot Microsoft Hyper-V VHDX files is C:
\ProgramData\Macrium\viBoot. This is configurable from within the Macrium viBoot UI.
Both VHDX and VMDK files related to VirtualBox VMs are stored under C:
\ProgramData\Macrium\viBoot\VirtualBox
Macrium viBoot
Instant Virtualization for everyone with Macrium Reflect 8
Macrium Image Guardian (MIG)
The new Macrium Image Guardian (MIG) feature will prevent unauthorized modifying of Macrium Reflect backup files on local and USB attached volumes. MIG provides assurance to every Macrium Reflect 7.1 user that their latest backups are recoverable, even after the worst-case scenario of a ransomware attack. MIG is focused on the single task of protecting Macrium Reflect backup files, so has a small footprint and is very easy to administer. MIG protects backup files on local NTFS volumes by blocking unauthorized write activity. MIG is network aware and allows other networked Macrium Reflect v7.1 clients to backup to shared MIG protected volumes. Macrium Image Guardian protects these file extensions below.
Latest stable version is Macrium Reflect v8.0.6392 (18-November-2021)
Note: The latest update can be skipped if it doesn't apply to your installation or usage. Please see here
Bug fixes and Improvements v8.0.6392 - 18th November 2021
- Rescue Media
Some customers have reported incorrect drive letter assignments in Windows PE. This has been resolved.
If this issue affects you then please create fresh rescue media after updating.
- Server Plus
Improved performance of the Exchange Mailbox Restore wizard when selecting folders or mailboxes.
- Changed Block Tracker
We've added extra detection for nonconforming 3rd party file system kernel filter drivers to prevent system exceptions.
- Various
Various minor fixes and changes to improve Macrium Reflect.
Bug fixes and Improvements v8.0.6353 - 6th November 2021
- Encrypted Backups
After upgrading to v8.0.6350, scheduled encrypted backups failed with 'File is encrypted and supplied password is incorrect'. This has been resolved.
Macrium Reflect Product Comparison HERE
PERTINENT LINKS
Macrium Reflect Home Page HERE
Download Macrium Reflect Home 30-day Trial HERE
Macrium Reflect Support HERE
Macrium Reflect Blog_Techie Tuesday HERE
Macrium Reflect User Forum HERE
Macrium Reflect Knowledgebase HERE
Macrium Reflect Customer Support Portal HERE
Download Macrium Reflect Home 30-day Trial HERE
Macrium Reflect Support HERE
Macrium Reflect Blog_Techie Tuesday HERE
Macrium Reflect User Forum HERE
Macrium Reflect Knowledgebase HERE
Macrium Reflect Customer Support Portal HERE
Macrium Reflect Home Edition Licenses for this giveaway contest
Macrium Software has provided Geeks For Your Information Forum
5 licenses of Macrium Reflect ver 8 Home Edition as Christmas 2021 prize.
(12 months Essentials Support included)
5 licenses of Macrium Reflect ver 8 Home Edition as Christmas 2021 prize.
(12 months Essentials Support included)
CONTEST RULES
As Christmas 2021 gift, everyone can join in this contest including approved "new members" .
Note: 'new members' must have posted in the "Introduction" section HERE to qualify.
Note: 'new members' must have posted in the "Introduction" section HERE to qualify.
1. Please answer the question below.
"What feature/s of Macrium Reflect 8 Home convinces that it is the superior choice for your backup/imaging need?"
Post your reply as contest entry WITH your social media share. Please see sample entry below.
2. REQUIRED: Please share this giveaway by pasting the quoted text below in your Facebook/Twitter/Google+ Account.
(Share is NOT limited to popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram.)
Quote:Geeks For Your Information Forum [Official] Macrium Reflect Home ver8 Christmas 2021 Giveaway
https://www.geeks.fyi/showthread.php?tid=16295
Optional: You may want to like/follow Macrium Reflect's social networking sites as added support.
3. One entry per IP address ONLY. WE WILL BE CHECKING!
Only one entry per member is allowed. Dual entries will both be deleted and user will be banned from giveaway so please be careful.
If there are any questions / concerns pertaining to the giveaway/contest please get in touch with me through PM. Do not post it in this thread. Doing so will merit a warning and ultimately be banned from entering further giveaway/contests.
WINNERS WILL RECEIVE
Each of the FIVE (5) winners will get one (1) Macrium Reflect Home ver8 license inclusive of 12 months Essentials Support.
Winners will be selected by random.org and once posted,
winners will only have 5 days to send a PM to claim their prize.
winners will only have 5 days to send a PM to claim their prize.
Please include your details (Name / Email) in your PM claim.
NO CONFIRMATION FOR THOSE WITH INSUFFICIENT/INCOMPLETE DETAILS.
Prize will be FORFEIT if a PM claim is not received within the specified timeframe.
Prize will be FORFEIT if a PM claim is "not confirmed".
The Giveaway will run
from December 10, 2021 to January 10, 2022
from December 10, 2021 to January 10, 2022
Good luck to all!!!