Windows 10 and Cloning

I'm using an older HP 8740W Running Windows 10 Professional, and want to know if cloning the internal drive to an external one will create a drive that can simply be swapped back into the computer if a primary disk fails?

A corollary to that question is whether such a clone drive can be installed in a different 8740 W, and whether it could be installed in a completely different model computer?

I'm using a trial version of Macrium, which is pretty impressive so far.

 

1) Yes

2) Yes but you may run into issues like BSODs/crashes due to different drivers or you may get away with it. Personally, I wouldn't ever do it because OCD.

3) Trial? Why? Macrium's Free and the free version is all you need.

Macrium Reflect Installation/Usage Guide

 

Well, there are a few differences between the free and paid versions, the most significant to me being ransomware protection. Apparently ransomware can attack disk images, most likely when the backup drive is attached. I think the paid version also can make scheduled differential backups, where the free does not.

Regarding the problems with using a cloned drive, what about disk images? I made two uncompressed disk images so far using Macrium. Can these disk images be installed in a different machine?

Thanks!

 

BTW The paid version does have some cool features that I need such as incremental backups, encryption, and Change Block Tracking (ok, the latter is more of a bonus than hard requirement). Restore to different hardware might come in handy too I guess. To be fair, I don't need the Image Guardian since it only protects images on local volumes.

Well, worth the money imho, and it's not very expensive either.

 

2. Restore to different hardware feature is not available in the Free version, you need the Home edition at least. You might be able to get around this with some hacking, but see my earlier post.

 

I'm glad you appreciate the program, as after reading too many reviews I finally hit upon Macrium.

Aside from a few niggling idiosyncrasies, the program runs exceedingly smoothly, with never any sense that you weren't going to end up with a perfect image. No hiccups,, which I appreciate in a program.

It'd be nice to know if a disk image of my trusty, 16 x 10 HP 8740W could be installed on a ProArt ASUS StudioBook like the Pro X, which looks like an ideal, cash permitting, 16 x 10 laptop. There's a reason the Renaissance artists all used, essentially, 16 x 10.

Again, I'm making uncompressed images, as I read that the data on them can be read directly from the image.

In any event, it sounds like you're fairly certain the paid version will accomplish my goal of migration?

Thanks, and Happy New Year, which you' re allowed to say till Tuesday. (Wednesday, with an extension)

 

I haven't had a chance to try the feature myself yet, but a quick google should clarify this. Plenty of resources on the web, and generally very favourable opinions regarding reliability of the software. Remember to re-create the rescue media after upgrading to a commercial version, since that will enable the restore to different HW functionality.

Happy New Year and good luck!

 

Remarkably, I've never created rescue media. I am using the paid version now, albeit as a trial, so can I make the rescue media now? Is it fairly straightforward to do?

 

Did you even read the guide that I linked??? It has a video detailing how to do this from A to Z



@etern4l

I have the Home version but I don't need any of its features like encryption (way slower and my backup is always with me anyway I'm not that paranoid and I have a very secure setup so never bothered about ransomware) nor do I care about scheduled and differential backups.

The way I setup my machine is:

1) Format

2) Install Windows

3) Tweak it to my liking

4) Create Base Image

5) Install All drivers

6) Install All software 6+ games

7) Install Antivirus

8) Configure all Firewall rules for every app

9) Create final image

So in the future if there are many software and driver updates, I go back to the base Image. If I simply had some bug, bad update, etc, I go back to the final image which is the last working (good) image so I'm ready to go.

I don't want Macrium Reflect services or ANYTHING running in the background that my affect performance even if it's small. There is a performance hit as Reflect is always monitoring the changes to files and the OS nevermind that anti-ransomware component.

I only backup/restore from the recovery media.

 

AFAiR the trial does not support restoring to different hardware. You can create the media now, but would need to recreate it following full version installation, should you wish to ultimately restore to a new computer. It's fairly straightforward, it's in the "Other tasks" menu if I remember correctly - three clicks if you want to use the defaults. You only need a small USB stick since it doesn't actually copy the full recovery environment to it for some reason.

Your backup setup and requirements are very different than mine indeed. There is no backup duration impact due to encryption for me. It uses AES which is incredibly fast and I backup over the network. Yes, the CBT feature is controversial. I haven't noticed any impact on performance, easy enough to disable if I do. The much faster incremental backups are nice to have.

 

I don't take any performance hit because I'm not doing incremental backups. What I am going to do is attach my external drive every week or two weeks or so, and do a manual, on demand differential backup… Then disconnect.

It's my impression that the restore to any device will not work unless I have the paid version, but the backups I'm making now (from my understanding) will work once I pay for the full version. Am I mistaken in this, as I call asking the gentleman at Macrium.

 

Best worth clarifying with Macrium, I think the backups will work, but you may need a recovery media created with the paid version. So if it's a non-recovery scenario, you are fine. You buy a new machine, install Home version, create recovery media, boot the new device from the recovery media and restore. if the old device fails though, you will have to jump through an extra hoop: install macrium Home on a throwaway OS on the new device, create recovery media, unregister this installation of Macrium so you dont lose the licence (if it's bound to the OS not hardware), then boot from the recovery media and restore to the new device.