The first step to backing up is selecting and installing backup software.
As a result, in this first step in our series about backing up with Macrium Reflect, I'll do just that - download and install the current version of Macrium Reflect 5.0.
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Macrium Reflect
The first place to start is the Macrium website.
Click the Download Free Trial button near the lower right.
This will take you to the c|net download center where you'll need to click Download Now to complete the download.
The downloaded at this stage is not actually Macrium itself, but rather an installer. After downloading, run it and you'll be presented with a dialog box in which you'll select which version of Macrium that you want:
If you've already purchased the program, select Full version and copy in the license key where requested. Otherwise, simply select Trial installer and the Standard version.
Be sure to select the correct version - 32-bit or 64-bit - for the system on which you're installing Macrium.
After the program downloads, it automatically runs Macrium setup:
Click Next to begin the installation. After extracting the file, the Setup Wizard begins:
After agreeing to the license terms (if you've purchased the product), you'll once again be asked to provide your license key:
You'll be taken to a setup options page. By default, everything is selected, which is appropriate:
The only change from the defaults that I recommend is to check Install for all users.
Click Next followed by Install and the installation begins. When complete, click Finish and you're done.
Macrium Reflect has been installed on your machine.
The setup program will place a "Reflect" icon on your desktop - double-click that and Reflect will start.
Video
Video Transcript
This is Leo Notenboom for AskLeo.net.
Downloading and installing Macrium Reflect.
Macrium Reflect is available at Macrium.com. Download the free trial. We'll go ahead and download this from the c|net downloader. Since we're using Google Chrome, it's asking if it's OK to download an .exe file; well, I think it is. We will go ahead and click on that to run it.
Now, I'm going to go ahead and install the full version because I'm going to want to show off all of its features and functionality. I believe that the trial has the majority of what you would like to evaluate and I encourage you to go ahead and do that before you purchase the product to make sure that it meets your needs. Since I have purchased a license for this, I'm going to go ahead and do that.
You do have to select the correct architecture, and in this particular case, this is 32-bit machine and we're going to save it to our Downloads folder. Running the installer directly after downloading - as you can see, what we downloaded initially is an installer program; a downloader that is now going to download the correct version of Macrium Reflect. Once the file is downloaded, we're going to go ahead and run it immediately so that we can go ahead and install the software.
As you can see, it's a fairly large download (162 MB); through the magic of some video editing, we're going to make it take a lot less time than it actually did. For those concerned about the size of the download or the length of time it might take, in my case on a 3 MB connection, that was probably about 10 or 15 minutes. Macrium does make the product available on CD as well, I do believe.
So, it's been successfully downloaded. We hit OK and the installer should fire up.
Windows User Access Control asks us to confirm and we hit 'Next'...'Next' again. Accept the license agreement. It wants my key again even though I gave it to the downloader. Confirmed the registration of the product.
In this particular case, we have options to choose from; the location to install the product is where I want it. We do want to install it for all users most typically. The product itself and the various rescue boot media creators are installed as well. We'll hit Next; click Install (the installation can actually take a second or two to get started) but once it does, it's fairly quick. And that's it. We have installed Macrium Reflect on this computer.
The icon's been placed on our desktop; we'll double-click it. Confirm that, yes, we do want to allow this program to make changes on our computer as backup software goes. It's very reasonable and common for that software to need what boils down to administrative access to your machine.
And there it is - Macrium Reflect. Installed and running on our machine.
In the next video in this series: first things first. We'll create a rescue media bootable disk.
Next Steps
The next video in the series: Macrium Reflect 2: Creating Rescue Media.
Thanks for putting this series together, Leo. In the past you’ve recommended using Acronis True Image. Does this series represent a change in that previous recommendation, moving to Macrium as your preferred backup, or are you presenting this as simply another alternative?
24-Nov-2011
Thanks, Leo, a great series of articles. I’ve just rebuilt my wife’s WinXP machine, and on reading these articles, I’ve abandoned the previous backup solution, and installed Macrium instead. Installation, creating the Linux rescue media, and taking the first backups, proceeded smoothly as per your articles. On booting with the rescue media, I can see the Windows install and My Documents partitions (C: and D: on the internal disk drive), and the Macrium backups on the external disk drive.
I would like to suggest a possible additional article in this series – how to perform a restore in the event that the internal disk drive has to be replaced, and all we have is the rescue media, an image backup of C:, and a files/directory backup of D:. For example, would I need to partition the new disk before restore, or can rescue do this?
you stress that specifying 32 / 64 bit is necessary … if initially installed on 32 bit (Win xp) machine which subsequently has 64 bit (Win 7) installed … is this a problem?
29-Nov-2011
I enjoy the questions that readers submit and the answers Leo provides. This infomercial – not so much.
To Tom R: Of course we enjoy the questions asked and answered. That’s Leo! But I’m sure Leo gets asked many questions such as “What software’s best for . . . ?” When he has a strong recommendation such as this, I think it’s terrific of him to tell us exactly how to use it. How much software gets installed and unused because you look at the opening page and go “huh?”
I’ve been using True Image by Acronis for many years. To me, it has no peers. It has worked flawlessly for me through my last 6 computers, and saved my butt many times.
I push True Image to everyone I know who has even just a few computer skills, as well as those who are very skilled.
I’m not familiar with Macrium Reflect, and it may well be a great program. But, to me, nothing comes close to True Image. And I’ve been using lots of different recovery programs, since my DOS days back in the 80’s
They are constantly upgrading and improving the program.
My current version in Windows 7 64 bit will bring up the complete image in an Explorer window, with access to every file (to copy or inspect) in the image instantly by simply double-clicking the tif image file.
Please consider True Image for a future article.
Ron Hirsch
29-Nov-2011
I am conplaining about your add for signing up for a free newsletter which I am already getting. You can’t get rid of it and it ‘s location makes reading the articles a real pain. I suggest moving it or removing it or make it removable by the reader.
How do I find out whether I have a 32 or 64 bit
version? Please explain in simple layman’s terms.
@Tom
This isn’t an infomercial. It is a recommendation and a step by step tutorial on using a piece of software which may one day save your data from a disaster.
@Ron
Leo has recommended Acronis backup for years. Recently, he has changed his recommendation to Macrium Reflect. This is reflected in the update to the original article recommending Acronis.
http://ask-leo.com/acronis_trueimage_home_backup_software.html
@Anne O
This article might help.
How do I tell if I have 32 bit or 64?
Is there a link to their site somewhere on this page? I’m going to Google to find their site. All the links are for some uncompressor.
29-Nov-2011
It looks to me as this is a ‘How To’ and an implied recommendation.
A question: is the free version good to go – no restrictions – such as time limit, number of uses, backup types, etc?
I pay attention to your recommendations, Mr. Leo, because you pretty much know your stuff.
I’m always looking for a better way to do what needs must be done and you come through.
29-Nov-2011
Thanks very much for the video, Leo. You mention somewhere that you bought the Household 4 Pack of the Standard version. I think this is a good option for me also but wondered if I have to download that 162MB file for each computer I’m going to install it on (they’re all 64 bit). Thanks.
06-Dec-2011
Hi Leo,
You recommend 2 backup solutions in your articles: Macrium Reflect, and EaseUS Todo Backup.
What are the pros and cons for choosing one over the other.
In particular, there is an anti-ransomware function (Macrium Image Guardian) in paid Macrium. Is it valid to justify buying the license?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Charles.
Macrium Reflect is a little more intuitive and easier to schedule automatic backups. If we are talking about the free versions, Macrium reflect doesn’t have the ransomware protection. EaseUS Todo free offers incremental backups with the free edition. On my main computer, I use Macrium Reflect paid and on my other machines I use EaseUS Todo free. Fpr me, incremental backups are a must.
According to an email I just received from {email address removed}, Free Edition is no longer offered.
Sadly, this is correct. The trial version will do.