Tell your backup software, win Macrium Reflect Home license!

I have always been focused on recovery since in my previous life, that is what I specialized in. In the PC world I started using Ghost. It worked great, but it became difficult to use due to new hardware technologies and many times it never did get updated. I searched for a replacement and landed on Acronis. I started with version 8 and upgraded several times to ATI2014. There it was used on a Windows 7 Desktop system and really worked well with no issues. My old laptop had died 2 years ago so I got a new one which had Windows 8 installed. Unknown to me, ATI2014 would not support Windows 8. I had to upgrade to ATI2015.

Surprise, the UI was in my mind poorly designed. It worked under Windows 8.1 but it didn't have support for USB 3.0 on the Linux recovery side. I joined a very large vocal group on their user forums complaining about the inability to restore your system. The alternate solution was to build their PE disk, but its rather convoluted, but I did and it worked. Since I really was not happy with ATI2015, I started a search for other backup solution. They included Acronis, Aomei, Easytodo, Macrum and a couple of other not widely used products. I bench marked them all for performance, ease of use and most importantly the recovery. All passed the last test with the exception of 2 of the lessor known products. Since I already had purchased Acronis, I continued to use it, but I also perform similar backup steps with Aomei and Macrum Free version.

Shortly there after Windows 10 was announced and of course I tried several Preview version and install the upgrade on the Win 8.1 laptop. All of the backup products were tested under Win 10 and all worked just fine. However I decided to keep Win 7 on my desktop until the foreseeable future. 2.5 months ago, the Win 7 system died (mother board - it was 8 years old). So I built a new system and installed Window 10 Pro on it + ATI2015 + Macrum + Aomei. Both Macrum and Aomei functioned properly, ATI2015 did not. Its Linux recovery literally crashed trying to access a USB 3.0 backup device and the newly rebuilt PE disk, didn't even see the USB 3.0 devices. It seems that their PE builder uses Win 8.1 ADK, which does not support these new USB 3.0 Devices. I needed to make a decision, which was to Purchase Macrum Reflect Home (4 Lic versions).

I always have been a fan of Macrum's UI and its functionality. It is now on both of my W10 systems as the primary backup tool.

Again as several others have stated, If I win, I will donate the version to who ever needs it the most.

Hi All,
Glad to know you haven't forgotten me. Busy with other things atm, so haven't been posting much.

I think I was the first to enthuse about macrium, way back in the Vista days over on VF. It was then picked up by Shawn and others. Became very popular on that forum, then transferred to SF and here. At the time, I think it was the only free imaging solution.

Superfly said:

Macrium...'nuff said..now gimme,gimme,gimme!

Just joking ...got Pro, so hoping to see worthy winners...preferably a non-Macrium user with a good motivation...like me ole' bud @SIW2 - who is, AFAIK, a keen Aomei fan. (My 2nd choice BTW)

I do use Aomei. Switched from macrium a while ago. They both do the job. Just some difference in features, UI, etc.

I started using the free version of macrium on my little home server about 2 months back.

Last month my os drive decided to stop working. Macrium to the rescue, did a restore and my server was up and running in no time.

I am impressed with Macrium and would not mind winning a licence. /Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.