I see two choices are available in creating rescue media...
Which choice is better?
If I create the rescue media on the backup drive which has the system partirion and the data partition do I need to also make the DVD rescue disk too?
It is important to have a bootable drive or disc that is not the computer's main HDD or SSD so that you can do a restore if the main HDD or SSD fails. My desktop and laptop computers both have an SSD as the main drive and a HDD as a data drive. The data HDDs both have bootable partitions with a hybrid of Windows 10 installation and Kyhi's recovery tools (see my quote in the middle of the OP):
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums
I also have a rescue USB flash drive configured the same way.
It is also important to keep the backup images themselves on a drive outside the computers in case a power surge or something similar knocks the whole computer out of commission.
The bootable partitions on the data HDDs are there just for convenient clean installs of Windows and major build upgrades (like from version 1511 to 1607). The USB flash drive and external drive with the backup images is for disaster recovery.
Hi,
If the backup hdd contains a partition with Macrium Reflect Rescue medium on it which is bootable then yes.If your hdd crashed on you PC would you simply replace it with a new hdd and "restore" it with your backup hdd?
In the above scenario it's not needed but still handy to have just in case.Where would the rescue dvd disk or usb flash drive come into the "restore" process?
Yes, see above.Wouldnt the rescue partition on the backup disc be used in the restore process?
Cheers,
Last edited by fdegrove; 26 Nov 2016 at 16:22.
The rescue media has nothing to do with disks and / or partitions on your computer or in which disk or partition you save it. The function of Macrium rescue media, also called as Macrium boot disk or boot media is to allow you to boot your computer with it when for instance you can no longer boot to Windows due whatever error and need to restore a system image.
If you save it on your local computer, it will be saved as an ISO image which does nothing to help you when you need it. The option to save the rescue media as an ISO image on local computer is there for those users who do not have a CD / DVD or USB available when media is created. It is useless on its own; you have to burn it to a CD, DVD or a USB flash drive in order to be able to boot a PC with it. A computer cannot be booted with an ISO image.
It is always recommended to create a Macrium boot media, either a CD or USB. A DVD is also OK but as the Macrium rescue ISO is only about 250 MB, a CD is enough if there are no small USB drives available.
In addition you can add Macrium rescue environment to Windows boot menu. The below tip is from Macrium Reflect tutorial:
Tip
OPTIONAL:
If you want to you can also add Macrium Rescue to Windows boot menu. It is a very practical option to be used when you want to restore an image or reset Windows boot records in case Windows refuses to boot normally.
To add Macrium Rescue to boot menu select Add recovery Boot Menu Option from Other Tasks menu:Select Windows 10 PE, click OK, accept all following prompts:
This will add Macrium Rescue to your Windows boot menu;
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