imaging software

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I am still in the process of bringing my new build into daily service ( ok maybe I am slow and a procrastinator as GF likes to accuse me of). I purchased Acronis imaging S?S for my old build but like every bit of s/w I have ever actually purchased (excepting Office97 and ZtreeWin) I have been disappointed with it. I have been thinking of Macrium Reflect but a single license is more than I wanted to pay and did not include a Linux option. TeraByte BootIt Bare Metal has been recommended here and on WS before, checking out the TB site I have been confuse in the past s to just what to get for my needs no and in the future. I now see that they offer a

SPECIAL BUNDLE PRICING
Purchase the BootIt Collection and the TeraByte Drive Image Backup and Restore Suite together for one low price.  

which is cheaper than the alternative MR. I am concerned that the collection seems a bit schizophrenic with so many differing products, using the full functionality of the collection might be a pain.

Am I gonna regret this? I like supporting good software but I have a bad track record, or rather the SW I have bought has . 🤨 😐

especially @bbearren who I know uses this product.

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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If you are a non-commercial user I have found the free version of Macrium Reflect to work  well.  Some people use the built into windows “Backup and Restore (from Windows 7).”

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rc primak

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I have free and paid backup software and find the free stuff does everything I need.
The only feature I have paid for is rather technical and took a fair bit of set up, so I can’t see 90% of people using it.

cheers, Paul

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rc primak, wavy

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I am using Acronis True Image for years. Never disappointed me.

https://www.acronis.com/en-eu/personal/computer-backup/

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rexr

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[Kathy Stevens]

We also use Acronis True Image.

If you have a Western Digital drive in your PC you can download a free copy from the Western Digital site.

Ours are set up to automatically backup our SSD C drives to second internal drives at the end of each day and we back up to an external drive at the end of day Friday.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Kathy Stevens.

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rexr

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RE Acronis True Image
I have the package and have been using it for several years, as I said I have been disappointed. I really do not like its tendency to lose its data base (or what ever ) every so often. I do NOT like the GUI. My personal choice seems to be either Macrium Reflect or the Terebyte product.

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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rc primak

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Hi,

I used all of the above software without problems except for Acronis, which totally scrambled my system drive.  Their support was never able to tell me why.     I currently use Aomei products.  Aomei BackUpper with many of the functions is free, as is Aomei Partition Assistant.  I like to use Aomei OneKey which is a dual booting system somewhat like the old “Library” software that ‘reinstalls’ your chosen setup when you wish.  You do have to give a little thought to the process when you update the OS or add new software/data files to your C: partition.   (Make sure your system is free of virus’ and etc. when you update the OneKey file.)   OneKey is not free but only has a nominal cost.  I found all three easy to install and use.    Jim

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I’ve been using TeraByte’s imaging software for 20+ years, never had a failed restore.  I have had aborted images when there is a problem with the drive I’m trying to image, which amounts to running chkdsk /r and then trying again.  So far, that has always succeeded.

Don’t be confused by all the optional software including in that bargain price.  You may never use some of it.  Image for Windows has a straight-forward UI, and good tutorials are available on their support site.

“Personal or Home Users. If you are a real person, and if all Software under this license is used exclusively for personal non-commercial use only, then each licensed copy may be installed on four additional Computer Systems owned or controlled by you, or a member of your immediate family in the same household.”

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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bbearren wrote:

I’ve been using TeraByte’s imaging software for 20+ years, never had a failed restore.  I have had aborted images when there is a problem with the drive I’m trying to image, which amounts to running chkdsk /r and then trying again.  So far, that has always succeeded.

Don’t be confused by all the optional software including in that bargain price.  You may never use some of it.  Image for Windows has a straight-forward UI, and good tutorials are available on their support site.

“Personal or Home Users. If you are a real person, and if all Software under this license is used exclusively for personal non-commercial use only, then each licensed copy may be installed on four additional Computer Systems owned or controlled by you, or a member of your immediate family in the same household.”

I do like the 5 computer/system part, I am unsure how that would apply to one computer with a dual boot as to running the backup form either boot with the same license ( I have at least 5 computers it could be used on)

It same I do not have to install the whole package on each machine just perhaps the imaging one on some.

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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Kathy Stevens wrote:

Ours are set up to automatically backup our SSD C drives to second internal drives at the end of each day and we back up to an external drive at the end of day Friday.

I create a full image backup every 2 weeks and incremental backups, daily, to an external HDD.

I am still using version 2019 as version 2020 was buggy (for me) and I got refunded.

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rc primak

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wavy wrote:

checking out the TB site I have been confused in the past as to just what to get for my needs now and in the future. I now see that they offer a SPECIAL BUNDLE PRICING “Purchase the BootIt Collection and the TeraByte Drive Image Backup and Restore Suite together for one low price.”

The bundle is for a clone/image utility, boot manager, and partition manager. BIBM covers the latter two. Do you have a need for the latter two? If not, there’s no reason to get the bundle.

You have four choices that include some form of cloning/imaging:

• $30 Image for DOS/linux
• $39 Image for DOS/linux plus Image for Windows
• $50 Image for DOS/linux/Windows plus BIBM (boot and partition manager)
• $40 BIBM (with Image/Restore built into the boot manager)

wavy wrote:

I do like the 5 computer/system part, I am unsure how that would apply to one computer with a dual boot as to running the backup from either boot with the same license

The Terabyte license describes a “Computer System” as “a single computer that you or your organization owns or controls.” I’m not a lawyer, but to me that implies per box, not per OS installation, and …

( I have at least 5 computers it could be used on)

… it sounds like your interpretation of a “computer” is consistent with that.

Besides, Terabyte makes a very popular product that encourages multi-booting, so if they meant each OS installation was a “computer”, I’d think they would spell that out in their license terms because it would affect a lot of their customers.

If you install Terabyte Image on both partitions of a dual-boot, I believe that counts as one “computer”. That’s the way I like to use it. It’s very handy to be able to boot into one partition and restore a backup to the other partition, and vice versa. It also has the advantage of not having to fiddle around with alternate “rescue media”.

In fact, it sounds like bbearren uses the exact same strategy:

bbearren wrote:

I rebooted into the B side of my Windows 10 dual boot. From Restart to the B side desktop took 1:10. I opened Image For Windows, acknowledged the UAC with my Administrator PIN, selected Restore, Normal, selected my image location, the image I wished to restore, and the partition to which I wished to restore it, and clicked Start. That took 0:46. The restore was complete after 2:58. Reboot to the A side was another 1:10, and I was back to where it had all begun before my piddlin’, in 6:04.

 

 

wavy wrote:

My personal choice seems to be either Macrium Reflect or the Terebyte product.

I’ve been a user of Terabyte products for 19 years, and Macrium for about 6 years, so I have experience with both. I’ve tested about 20 different products over the last 25 years, and Terabyte Image is the most reliable, bar none. Macrium is my choice for second best. There are a few arcane scenarios where it will fail, but those are almost entirely odd-ball partition layouts that most people wouldn’t be using. For almost everyone else it’s going to work well. And since it has a fully functional free version, I’ve never had a reason to recommend a third choice.

As far as choosing between the two, IMHO Macrium has the better UI. Like several other utilities, it uses a “map” paradigm to graphically display the partitions you’re working with. That’s very useful, and something the Terabyte Image suite sorely lacks.

Macrium is also very fast. Two weeks ago I setup my daughter’s computer with a BIBM dual-boot, but also installed Macrium Reflect for her to use. She knows how to use BIBM’s Image, but it’s cumbersome and she finds Macrium easier to use — and after all, the “better” product is the one she’s more likely to use. Macrium was about three times faster than Image running from BIBM. Undoubtedly, the efficiency of Windows drivers comes into play here and Image for Windows is also quite fast, but regardless, Macrium was still impressively fast.

Both Terabyte and Macrium allow you to add comments to an image when it’s created, but Macrium more readily displays those comments when you’re perusing your images. Terabyte makes you call up each image and look at the comments one at a time.

Macrium also has a “Fix Windows boot problems” function, that’s one of the handiest features found in any image restore product anywhere. It takes the place of having to fiddle around with BCD editors or arcane commands from a command prompt when a restored image fails to boot. It’s of little value if you use BIBM for multi-booting (though BIBM has it’s own BCD editor built-in), but the Macrium feature can be a lifesaver for people who boot the standard Microsoft way.

 

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clutter, DriftyDonN, Ascaris, rc primak, wavy

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1. By booting from the Macrium Reflect Free Recovery CD I have never had a problem Cloning/Recovering my Linux systems.

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rc primak

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“Drive Snapshot” – I have been using for both business and personal for over 15 years.  Simple,  very small disk footprint, very fast, very compact image files.  Runs perfectly in Windows Recovery Environment with its GUI interface.  Trial version usage and very reasonable one-time license cost.

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Use Image for Windows to setup automated imaging in Task Scheduler.

I’ve been using TeraByte imaging (first in BootItNG, then using Image for Windows) for two decades.  I’ve never had a failed restore (and I’ve done a lot of restores).  I started with v1.xx and I’m now on v3.38.  I’ve never had a flaky update.

In short, I’ve never had a reason to even try another imaging software, because I’m quite familiar with Image for Windows and it has never failed me.  We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do.  For me, Image for Windows has been rock solid and easy to use for 20 years.

My imaging is totally automated.  The only thing I have to do is remember to plug my 3TB storage HDD into the drive dock on my NAS on Sunday mornings, let Task Scheduler do its think, then undock the drive and store it away.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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I’ve been using NovaBackup to do both data drive backup and OS drive imaging.  It’s highly configurable and the best solution I’ve seen for working with Amazon Cloud Storage.  It does not allow you to do a direct clone to a second potential OS drive in the same way Acronis or Macrium do.  It saves a system image to a second drive on your system and allows you to create a USB drive that will mount a minimal Win OS to permit you to remount your OS in case of a failure.

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Backing up to a second drive in your system is risky. If the power supply malfunctions or you get hit by an electrical surge, all internal and attached drives will likely be toast. I prefer to use external drives which are only connected to the system when imaging or restoring is taking place. And I have two or more copies of the external images. You just never know…

-- rc primak

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Ascaris

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[Ascaris]

rc primak wrote:

Backing up to a second drive in your system is risky. If the power supply malfunctions or you get hit by an electrical surge, all internal and attached drives will likely be toast.

I strongly agree with this.  I took care of one PC in an office where something like that had happened. The hard drive (it only had one) was dead, and the motherboard was beyond destroyed (the bottom of the case had crumbs of plastic from the covers on several chips on the motherboard).  The RAM still worked, surprisingly, but that was about all that still worked.  Well, I don’t remember if the CPU still worked or not (this was in the early to mid 1990s, so it’s been a while).

The power supply, as you might guess, was in really bad shape, and was probably the cause of the whole disaster.  If the user of that PC had backed up to an internal drive, it would have died alongside the drive it was supposed to be backing up.

 

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• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Ascaris.

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rc primak wrote:

Backing up to a second drive in your system is risky. If the power supply malfunctions or you get hit by an electrical surge, all internal and attached drives will likely be toast.

Not excessively risky.  Task Scheduler creates the images to an internal drive, then runs a Robocopy batch file to copy them to my NAS early Sunday morning.  When I get up Sunday, I take my 3TB storage HDD out of the box, dock it in the NAS, then launch another Robocopy batch file from the NAS to copy the images to the storage drive ( I say drive, but there are actually two), un-dock it and put it back in its box.

When I scrape all the burnt toast, I’ve got images no more than a week old to restore to the refreshed hardware.  Even if one of my 3TB storage HDD’s gets zapped during the process, I still have the other one.  And all my data is also backed up to my NAS and OneDrive on a daily basis.  I’m pretty well covered.  The internal drive is just one more layer of convenience/protection.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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I’ve been using imaging software since the days of Powerquest’s Drive Image. (as recommended by Fred Langa in the LangaList.) Also, at Fred’s suggestion, I switched to Terabyte’s BootIt and have been using it ever since. I’ve gone through BootItNg, BootitBM, and now, BootItUefi. It’s never failed me through many years and several computers. One of the features that I like is the ability to restore a single file (using Terabyte’s TBIView). I don’t know whether any of the other utilities have that feature.

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Zig

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[Zig]

One of the features that I like is the ability to restore a single file (using Terabyte’s TBIView). I don’t know whether any of the other utilities have that feature.

EASEUS Todo Backup can also do it.

Zig

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Zig.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Zig.

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[DriftyDonN]

Macrium Reflect does….:-)

Don

At least I am able to mount the image thru explorer and select file(s) and copy to desired location……

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by DriftyDonN. Reason: clarification

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All the 3rd party ones do IME.

cheers, Paul

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wilson123 wrote:

One of the features that I like is the ability to restore a single file (using Terabyte’s TBIView). I don’t know whether any of the other utilities have that feature.

Acronis True Image, which I use for years, can restore any file from its image backups.

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Alex5723 wrote:

Acronis True Image, which I use for years, can restore any file from its image backups.

Can Acronis True Image be incorporated into the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)?  I’ve never used Acronis, so I don’t know.  I do know that TeraByte’s Image for Windows can be, through a script that comes with the Image for Windows software.

I just updated everything to v3.38 today.  I click All settings > Update & Security > Recovery, then under Advanced startup click the Restart now button.  The system reboots into WinRE and there’s Image for Windows, along with all the other tools available in WinRE.

Of course the same script can build a rescue TBWinRE USB thumb drive or ISO to burn to disc.  My quickest option is just reboot to the B side of my Windows 10 Pro dual boot (takes less than a minute) and run Image for Windows from there.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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Does Terabyte allow usage on Windows Server?

I have been struggling to find an affordable solution for my lab machines. I use Macrium Reflect on our workstations but I cannot justify the price of their server licenses.

Would like to have a basic option to image servers prior to a reinstall or rebuild.

Sonic.

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SonicMojo wrote:

Does Terabyte allow usage on Windows Server?

“Windows Servers – Supports both Workstation and Server versions of Windows.”

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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dg1261 wrote:

Macrium also has a “Fix Windows boot problems” function, that’s one of the handiest features found in any image restore product anywhere. It takes the place of having to fiddle around with BCD editors or arcane commands from a command prompt when a restored image fails to boot. It’s of little value if you use BIBM for multi-booting (though BIBM has it’s own BCD editor built-in), but the Macrium feature can be a lifesaver for people who boot the standard Microsoft way.

Yes, very true… I have suggested people use the Macrium Reflect rescue media with the “Fix Windows boot problems” feature for fixing Windows, even when we weren’t talking about backing up.  It just works in a way that the MS boot fixer doesn’t (and should, given that it’s Microsoft itself writing the thing).

It’s not just useful for people doing booting the standard MS way.  It’s also quite useful in restoring a nonfunctional Windows boot in Linux dual-boot setups.  It might take a few more (relatively easy) steps after that (depending on UEFI or legacy boot type), but getting Windows working is the more annoying bit in a dual-boot setup anyway.  I’ve used it a number of times and found it to be a tremendously useful tool!

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dg1261

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I have used Terabyte for years. I buy the version “for Windows including DOS” and make a DOS boot disk that I normally use for backups (never quite trusted the capability to image the system partition while Windows is running, but that’s just me). I use the associated TBIView product (a free download, I think, not part of the commercial package) to verify that the backup for any given partition is good, especially for an image that is copied onto a portable drive. The great thing about TBIView is that you can see what is in the image file. You can also extract individual files and folders without having to restore the image file. I am not sure if other imaging software packages include this capability, I would imagine that some do. I am surprised that this capability doesn’t seem to make its way much into the conversation when backup software is discussed.

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twolery wrote:

The great thing about TBIView is that you can see what is in the image file. You can also extract individual files and folders without having to restore the image file. I am not sure if other imaging software packages include this capability, I would imagine that some do. I am surprised that this capability doesn’t seem to make its way much into the conversation when backup software is discussed.

All of the major backup programs I’ve tried have this, including Aomei Backupper, Acronis True Image, Macrium Reflect, as well as the one I use, Veeam Agent (in Linux, but it has a Windows version too, and I am sure it has at least as many capabilities as in Linux).  Some might call it “file restore” or “mount a backup as a drive.”

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I have been using the Win 7 System Image app since it first became available. Before that, I had tried the TeraByte product on Fred’s recommendation (Langa List, WS, whatever?) but my dim recollection now is that I was never confident I knew how to use it. In any event, I have been very lucky in being able to restore from a Win 7 System Image the 2-3 times I have had to do that over the years. That being said, I have always wondered, but never looked into, whether there is a way to verify that I successfully made a Win 7 System Image.

So, besides this being a somewhat lukewarm testimonial for the Win 7 option,

(1) Does anyone have an opinion as to the benefits/detriments of using Win 7 System Image versus Terabyte, Macrium, or any of the other options? My very inexpert opinion is that the price is right, and it seems to make sense to use an MS product to make images of an MS OS.

(2) Is there a (preferably simple) way to verify that a Win 7 System Image has been made successfully?

(3) More generally, has anyone written a layman’s version of a tutorial on the major imaging options (e.g., here are the steps to make a system image using the X app, here is how to make the CD/DVD/USB (if any) that will be needed to restore from the image, here is how to verify that the image was made successfully, here is how to access a single file (if that feature is available), and here are the steps to restore from that image)? Or, maybe members who have a lot of experience with a particular product could write those steps up for that product, and Fred or someone else on the AW staff could aggregate those submissions into a single report.

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UrBackup is free and claims to backup any Windows version, plus Linux, and runs on Windows or Linux.

cheers, Paul

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Unfortunately, the features list on the site says this:

Limitations

Image backups only work with NTFS formatted volumes and with the Windows client. […]

 

 

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Two PCs, each one with a paid version of MR. Right off the bat, I can say it was worth every penny. In my humble opinion, this is one of  the best, if not the best backup software on the market right now. I have also used in the past, Acronis True Image, AOMEI Backupper etc..and with regard to speed, time taken to complete a Backup/Restore, nothing beats MR.

One more important feature with MR is its protection strategy against ransomware, meaning your backups are protected. Not many backup utilities have this special feature, like EaseUS ToDo Backup, which I am also using as a spare utility  backup just in case.

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“Not many backup utilities have this special feature, like EaseUS ToDo Backup, which I am also using as a spare utility backup just in case.”

?Does this mean Easeus has it, or not??

Zig

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I’m living in the past here but I still use Windows Home Server, even though it’s no longer supported.  It works just fine with Win10.  The first thing I tried when I found out it did was swap a freshly imaged Win10 C: drive with a spare and restore it.  No problems.  I know I should go to a newer method but it’s hard to compete with what works.

The only problem I have is with a new Dell laptop that has the Optane memory SSD.  It can’t figure out how to back it up even with the Optane function turned off.

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Bluetrix

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Groundhog45 wrote:

The only problem I have is with a new Dell laptop that has the Optane memory SSD. It can’t figure out how to back it up even with the Optane function turned off.

Welcome to AskWoody Groundhog45.

Fred Langa did a two part series back in June 2019 on Optane’s inner workings.  Part 1 and Part 2, he wasn’t overly enthused at the weighed results.

I found this post by JBurn12 from 4 months ago in the Intel forum, hope it helps.

I hope this helps some poor souls like me dealing with Hdd + Optane Memory pc’s, Macrium Reflect 7.2 is working for me, making backup, restore and rescue media, all which perform perfectly, without disabling Optane. They seem to be the only backup program dealing with this problem so far.

 

 

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[CalixtoWVR1]

Zig wrote:

“Not many backup utilities have this special feature, like EaseUS ToDo Backup, which I am also using as a spare utility backup just in case.”

?Does this mean Easeus has it, or not??

Zig

Sorry for my poor wording. What I meant was that EaseUS ToDo doesn’t have that protection feature. I think Acronis True Image has added it last year (not sure of the exact time…).

With regard to Macrium Reflect, as you might already know, it is called “Macrium Image Guardian” and for reference:

To protect Macrium backup files against ransomware attacks, our experienced team of developers added Macrium Image Guardian. MIG will prevent unauthorised modifying of Macrium backup files on local and USB volumes.

https://www.macrium.com/mig

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by CalixtoWVR1.

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Zig

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