Unless you are still using v7.2 for some specific reason then you might like to note this
Macrium Reflect KnowledgeBase - user guide [version-independent link]
and while you're thinking about backups don't ignore Backup and Restore Device Drivers - TenForumsTutorials
Denis
Background:
I'm using Macrium Reflect Free ver 7.2 (MRF). Up to now, I have a 500GB SATA SSD for my C drive with Win10 and installed programs only, and a 2TB mechanical HDD for data only. Been easy to image the entire C: SSD and restore it. And easy to image the D: data drive more frequently than the C drive.
My motherboard only has one M.2 NVMe slot and I plan to install a 2TB NVMe SSD. Because the M.2 NVMe SSD will be much faster than my current SATA SSD, I want to partition the SSD as C: (400GB) and D: (1.5TB).
My questions are:
1. If I use MRF to image all of the partitions on the 2TB SSD, except the D partition, as the backup for the C drive, will that backup everything needed to restore the C drive as a bootable SSD and run Win10 normally? .... In other words, are all boot records, etc. contained in the partitions visible in MRF?
2. Say my Win10 develops a problem and I want to restore only the C drive as described in item-1, without affecting the D partition. Can MRF do that? Has anyone here actually done that?
Note: I want to partition the 2TB SSD with a D: partition because I backup my data much more frequently than I backup my C drive. Imaging the D partition only I don't have to include and backup the C partition needlessly.
1. Yes, you can chose any partition(s) to back up.
2.Yes you can backup only one (C:) partition but only for archival purpose as that will not help to restore whole operating system. You also need other partitions that go with OS in order to have disk bootable.
If they (OS drive) and data drive are separate, you can backup only that drive and restore it to for instance another disk if that one dies etc.
2. My current system SSD (500GB SATA) that is my Win10 system drive (C:), has 3 partitions as follows:
.... 1. 499MB Recovery Partition.
.... 2. 100MB EFI System Partition.
.... 3. 465GB C: Partition.
I expect the 2TB NVMe SSD to have those 3 partitions plus the D: partition. My question is if I image the 3 partitions above from the 2TB SSD, will that make the SSD bootable? IOW, are all boot records and what ever else is needed, included in partitions 1 or 2 above to make the SSD bootable?
And if I restore the image backup of the system (the 3 partitions above) to the 2TB SSD, will that work without affecting the D: partition?
Possible to replace a 250GB SSD , with a 500GB SSD , by using an MR complete OS-image .......??
OS ( C-partition ) , together with the system-partition , on 250GB SSD to 500GB SSD.
1.Possible to remove the 250GB SSD from the PC , and place the 500GB SSD on its place first .
2.Boot the MR-resque media and copy the image to this new SSD ...........will this work , or am I forgetting something ??
Yes, possible to backup (make image) that 250GB SSD and to restore it to new 500GB drive, all partitions (Recovery, EFI and C:,) After restoring that image on 500GB drive, all partitions will stay same size as original leaving you empty part of whatever space is left and it can be formatted to make it D: partition.
After that is finished, old SSD removed and everything is working on new drive, you can connect old ssd, clean it up and do whatever you want to use it for.
Windows Disk Manager will not let you delete any partitions from that old SSD (because of active and system partitions on it) so you will have to use some other program like Mini tool partition wizard to do it.
I did similar thing but from 120GB drive to 250GB NVME SSD. In my case, whatever space was left up to 250GB I just extended C; partition to the end of drive.
Because I use NVME for OS and some programs and another 250GB SSD for installing games, now I make backup of both drives at same time so they are in sync.
Hi,
Or simply use diskpart.Windows Disk Manager will not let you delete any partitions from that old SSD (because of active and system partitions on it) so you will have to use some other program like Mini tool partition wizard to do it.
"del par override"
Cheers,
Thanks folks for your responses.
Has anyone with a drive (SSD or HDD) that has C: and D: partitions on it, actually imaged ALL of the partitions (except the D: partition) and later restored the image to the drive without affecting the D: partition and then verified that the drive is bootable into Win10?
, thanks for the answers and the links, I will read them later.
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