Question How reliable are File History and the free version of Macrium?

[modeonoff]

Hi, how is Windows' built-in File History and the free version of Macrium? Are they reliable?

Considering to use Macrium to clone my internal SSD where Windows 10 is installed and do an extra backup using Windows 10's File History before upgrading to Windows 11.

I have failed restoration experience using Norton Ghost, Acronis and Windows' Backup and Restore. Too bad I did not find out until I needed them to restore. What can we do to make sure that the backup/cloning works before it is too late?

 

[modeonoff]

For the drive that I use to image the PC via Macrium, will there be a problem if I also save other data to it? Not sure if this will mess up with Macrium.

 

[Lafong]

For the drive that I use to image the PC via Macrium, will there be a problem if I also save other data to it? Not sure if this will mess up with Macrium.

No.

A Macrium image is just a file.

A big file. With an .mrimg extension. It should be about 2/3 the size of the occupied space of the partitions it represents.

There is a "high compression" option to make it smaller, but it doesn't help much. The default is medium.

You choose which partitions to include in the file.

You CAN'T save it on a partition that is itself part of the image. If the image file includes the C partition, save it on D, E, F, etc. Other than that, anywhere it will fit.

Ideally....you back it up like any valuable file, so you have 2 copies.

By default, it would have a long weird file name, like 7433E844F22A0.mrimg

 

[USAFRet]

For the drive that I use to image the PC via Macrium, will there be a problem if I also save other data to it? Not sure if this will mess up with Macrium.

In a single folder tree on my NAS, I save a months worth of Images, for 4 systems and their cumulative dozen physical drives.

 

[modeonoff]

Within the free version of Macrium, Is there a setting that I could make so that the real creation date and time of files/folders are maintained rather than having the date and time changed to the time the backup/image/clone is performed?

 

[Lafong]

Within the free version of Macrium, Is there a setting that I could make so that the real creation date and time of files/folders are maintained rather than having the date and time changed to the time the backup/image/clone is performed?

I just checked 2 images I made in the last 2 months.

The files within each image still have the original created and modified dates...dating back to 2016 through 2018.

 

[USAFRet]

Within the free version of Macrium, Is there a setting that I could make so that the real creation date and time of files/folders are maintained rather than having the date and time changed to the time the backup/image/clone is performed?

Creating an Image does not change the date/time of all the files and folders in the drive Image.
If it did, that would almost certainly break the Windows install.

For instance, this is a sample of files existing in a Macrium Image of one of my other drives.
This Image was created Dec 8 2022

 

[modeonoff]

How come when I drag and drop the files from PC to an external drive, the date and time got changed to those of copying? Is there a way to maintain the original creation date and time?

 

[USAFRet]

How come when I drag and drop the files from PC to an external drive, the date and time got changed to those of copying? Is there a way to maintain the original creation date and time?

The Date Created will be when you do this Copy. You are creating a whole new file.
The Data Modified should stay as it was originally.

I just tried this.
From my NAS to an internal drive, and then from the NAS to a flash drive.
Same result.

 

[modeonoff]

This thread was created before Marcium announced that the free version would not be supported two years later.
Am I correct that if I need to recover the files two years later, I will need to pay for the subscription?

For the time being, shall I use Macrium Free version or try to find another software? I have an enclosure now. I can do the backup/imaging any time now.

 

[USAFRet]

This thread was created before Marcium announced that the free version would not be supported two years later.
Am I correct that if I need to recover the files two years later, I will need to pay for the subscription?

For the time being, shall I use Macrium Free version or try to find another software? I have an enclosure now. I can do the backup/imaging any time now.

Where did you read this "two years" thing?

 

[modeonoff]

Macrium Software | Product Support Policy

"Security patches will still be provided until 1st January 2024. After that date we will no longer provide any changes to the v8 Free code base."

So from 1st January 2024, it could be unsafe to use the software due to lack of security patch. Perhaps I interpreted it incorrect. Could you please check?

 

[Lafong]

This thread was created before Marcium announced that the free version would not be supported two years later.
Am I correct that if I need to recover the files two years later, I will need to pay for the subscription?

For the time being, shall I use Macrium Free version or try to find another software? I have an enclosure now. I can do the backup/imaging any time now.

I know nothing about this "two years" thing.

I don't see any reason why you wouldn't want to make a Macrium Free image in the next 5 minutes.

Deal with the "two years" thing later.

Nothing wrong with using more than one imaging program.

Buy the paid version of Macrium if you want. I did......not because it had extra features I needed, but because it was on a 50 percent off sale and I wanted to support the company.

I'm still on version 7 plus and have no current reason to move to 8.

 

[modeonoff]

OK. Thanks. Just use it and worry about the "two years" thing later.

 

[USAFRet]

Macrium Software | Product Support Policy

"Security patches will still be provided until 1st January 2024. After that date we will no longer provide any changes to the v8 Free code base."

So from 1st January 2024, it could be unsafe to use the software due to lack of security patch. Perhaps I interpreted it incorrect. Could you please check?

-------------------------------
Can I continue to use Macrium Reflect Free?
Yes, you can continue to use the software in perpetuity, your license to use the software is unaffected.
-------------------------------

It won't automatically break, or fail to recover images made before then.

 

[USAFRet]

In addition.....Reflect v9 is on the horizon.

 

[Lafong]

OK. Thanks. Just use it and worry about the "two years" thing later.

You can make an ordinary "full image" with 6 or 8 mouse clicks...........accepting all defaults.

Worry about the finer points AFTER you have one full image saved. You don't need to worry about templates or schedules or incrementals or differentials or any of that stuff for your first image. Get it done.....one image file of ALL partitions on your boot drive.

Make your "rescue media" on a USB stick immediately after making the image. Any USB stick of at least 1 GB capacity.

Confirm it will in fact boot your PC.

Then move on to some understanding of the restoration process so you aren't totally overwhelmed when your boot drive drops dead.

 

[modeonoff]

Make your "rescue media" on a USB stick immediately after making the image. Any USB stick of at least 1 GB capacity.

Thanks. I got a USB stick. For such "rescue media", what format is recommended to use to format it?

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks. I got a USB stick. For such "rescue media", what format is recommended to use to format it?

The function in Macrium will format it as needed.
Nothing you need to do first.

 

[modeonoff]

Thanks. I proceed to imaging then.

 

[Lafong]

Thanks. I proceed to imaging then.

Test the stick after you complete making rescue media.

You need to choose the stick as the boot device, rather than your C drive.

Will it in fact boot your PC? Yes or no.

If it will not boot your PC, it is useless. So make another one...something went wrong.

It should boot you into the Macrium interface, just as if you opened Macrium from your boot drive. It will be SLOW, might take a minute or more.

 

[USAFRet]

And I always have a couple of Macrium Rescue USBs around.
1 in a desk drawer, and another just sitting in the bottom of my PC case. Won't get lost or formatted.

 

[modeonoff]

I have used about 1TB of my 2TB internal SSD. Even at 9%, Macrium states that 19-22 hours are remaining. Is this normal? External backup drive is a Samsung 970 Evo Plus NVMe M.2 inside a Sabrent USB 3.2 Enclosure.

I am leaving my PC alone during this long imaging process. Will there be a problem if I continue to use the PC during imaging?

 

[USAFRet]

I have used about 1TB of my 2TB internal SSD. Even at 9%, Macrium states that 19-22 hours are remaining. Is this normal? I am leaving my PC alone during this long imaging process. Will there be a problem if I continue to use the PC during imaging?

Something is Not Right.

A full drive drive Image of about 1TB data should be under 2 hours.


What are you writing this Image to?
What type of drive?

 

[Lafong]

I have used about 1TB of my 2TB internal SSD. Even at 9%, Macrium states that 19-22 hours are remaining. Is this normal? External backup drive is a Samsung 970 Evo Plus NVMe M.2 inside a Sabrent USB 3.2 Enclosure.

I am leaving my PC alone during this long imaging process. Will there be a problem if I continue to use the PC during imaging?

I'd assume your speed is limited due to using a USB connection to the Sabrent.

Let it complete.

To an internal, it might take 90 minutes, guessing, for 1 TB occupied space on your boot drive.

 

[modeonoff]

Something is Not Right.

A full drive drive Image of about 1TB data should be under 2 hours.


What are you writing this Image to?
What type of drive?

External backup drive is a Samsung 970 Evo Plus NVMe M.2 inside a Sabrent USB 3.2 Enclosure. It is connected to a Thunderbolt 3 port at the back of my Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Xtreme.

As suggested, I use all default settings of Macrium.