I just bought a new laptop and i would like to use Macrium Free to make an image of the SSD before i do anything.
Is it possible to download or create a bootable Macrium USB drive without installing Macrium first?
Can this be done on a different pc?
Yes - pretty much- like any live boot disk. It's created from a fixed iso file in Macrium.
Last edited by dalchina; 09 Sep 2020 at 16:56.
Yes, install Macrium on another PC and make the rescue usb. It contains the full version of Macrium and can make images as well as restore them.
The first thing I do on any new PC (new to me, actually I tend to buy used second hand machines) is to boot from my Macrium rescue media and make a system image.
Thank you all for your answers.
Exactly was i was thinking: Make an image before i even make the first boot into windows.
One more question:
Is there an official Macrium iso for download to create a bootable rescue disk?
Maybe i could bypass the need to install Macrium on a different pc. I found this thread here, but i am a bit concerned about just downloading an iso.
No, there isn't, you create your own rescue media so that it can include specifics for your PC, for example: your WiFi password so you can restore from an image on your network. You can also choose whether or not you want to enable SMB1 in its networking.
As Cereberus said, the rescue media "...is not guaranteed to boot on every different pc although it is rare. Sometimes you need to add drivers from new device for it to work...". Having said that, I haven't yet found any PC that wouldn't boot from my rescue media and let me make an image to a locally connected USB HDD.
Maybe i could bypass the need to install Macrium on a different pc. I found this thread here, but i am a bit concerned about just downloading an iso.
I would be too. Though I do note that the Youtube video with the link to download the ISO says it was posted by the same 'Spartan' who wrote that Ten Forums post that you linked to.
But I don't see any real reason not to install Macrium on another PC. If you really object to it being installed then you could easily uninstall it when done. You could even create a restore point before installing then use system restore afterwards, if you really want to leave no trace behind.
Last edited by Bree; 10 Sep 2020 at 08:21.
Thanks @Bree
It was just a thought. I would be doing this on a very old laptop, that i have recently installed win 10 on. It's not the fastet pc and i really don't want anything on it that isn't strictly necessary. Anyway, I have installed Macrium with Revo uninstaller, so once i'm done creating (and testing) the rescue media, it can be removed completely.
Thanks again.
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