Macrium Reflect Free restore - some questions.

TheOwner · 04 Jun 2023

Hi, I have some question about restore:

1. In partitions tab "Copy selected partitions when I click Next" is checked checkbox by default. That means if i want do Windows restore with all partitions, I only need hit "Next"? Is this the same as copy all partitions?

2. Do I have to delete all partitions on target disc before restore?

3. If I not delete partitions before restore, old data will remain on disc? For example if I install new program, but after my image backup, then I restore, does this program keep here? Or recovered partition is always erased first, which allows restore Windows to exactly same state when backup was created?

Thank you.

dalchina · 04 Jun 2023

1:
Restoring an image from Windows - Knowledgebase 8.0 - Macrium Reflect Knowledgebase

Moving and Resizing the restored partition
To restore partitions, select Copy Partitions, you can then select Exact partition offset and length to restore the partitions to the same location on the target disk, or select Shrink or extend to fill the target disk to resize the partitions automatically to fit the target. It's also possible to select a different target disk and to drag partitions to different locations, and resize them manually them to use the available space. Simply drag the source partition to any available partition or free space on the target disk

2.: no

3:

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.

From pg 6 of the user manual (via link from program's GUI)
https://updates.macrium.com/reflect/...user_guide.pdf

Ghot · 04 Jun 2023

@TheOwner

This may help...

Macrium Reflect and AOMEI Backupper - GUIDES | Windows 11 Forum

TheOwner · 05 Jun 2023

So in short, all new data created after backup, will not be present after restore right? I need to know, when i use restore, if this only copy data from backup to target disc and overwrite files with the same name and newer files let where they are or restore wipe that partition first, then copy content of image backup.

Ghot · 05 Jun 2023

TheOwner said:

So in short, all new data created after backup, will not be present after restore right?

Correct. When you restore from a backup... it takes you back to the day you made the backup.

I need to know, when i use restore, if this only copy data from backup to target disc and overwrite files with the same name and newer files let where they are or restore wipe that partition first, then copy content of image backup.

When you restore from a backup, it "overwrites" the Windows partitions, with those in the backup image.

I repeat... "When you restore from a backup... it takes you back to the day you made the backup."
It's like a time machine.

If you made the backup two weeks ago... when you restore from that backup, your Windows drive will be like it was... two weeks ago.

It's "like" System Restore, but....

1. System restore "merges" the restore point with the current Windows.
2. Backup software "overwrites" the current Windows with the backup image.

Backup software is better, because it "erases" (overwrites), corrupted files or infections.

Macrium Reflect Free restore - some questions.-backup-software.png

TheOwner · 05 Jun 2023

Now i understand, thank you.

cereberus · 05 Jun 2023

TheOwner said:

Now i understand, thank you.

Data added since the backup is only wiped if it is on the drives included in the backup.

I always keep my data on a separate drive for this reason (my E drive) and my E drive is not backed up by Reflect.
I do backup the E drive (of course) to an external usb drive.

The advantage of keeping data on a separate drive is it keeps the image backup of the C drive (plus hidden partitions) lean and mean.

If you keep all your data on the C drive, the image backups just inexorably grow over time.

You must of course backup your data drive periodically as well to another drive (not C drive).