Using Imaging Software

[XhenEd]

To put macrium into perspective, for me it's very fast. I take hourly incrementals and they take about 45 seconds on average. I just recently had to install a utility that was for a one shotuse. I installed it right after one of my hourly''s ,then did a restore. Restore took 45 seconds.

Thanks for this, @Peter2150! Great to have you here in MT participating!

I forgot to mention that the speeds of backups and restores also heavily depend on the hardware used, especially the hard drive. The faster the hard drive, the faster the backups and restores.

Mine is a slow HDD. That's why I got those times.

 

[HarborFront]

Hi

With regards to BitLocker being turned on in C: drive does rollback of UNENCRYPTED image have any effect? This was discussed here but no concrete answer

What is the best (Backup and) Disk Imaging Program for Windows 10 Professional? - Page 2 - Backup, Imaging, and Disk Management Software

To put macrium into perspective, for me it's very fast. I take hourly incrementals and they take about 45 seconds on average. I just recently had to install a utility that was for a one shotuse. I installed it right after one of my hourly''s ,then did a restore. Restore took 45 seconds.

How about its "snapshot" feature? Does it work as fast too?

Thanks

 

[Mohan Rajan]

Rollback RX Home is an enhanced version of Windows System Restore, it can restore Windows using a snapshot. It's quick and easy, but not a full backup solution.
RollBack Rx Home | PC Time Machine Windows System Restore Software
ToolWiz Time Freeze

Backup is more time consuming, but allows you to keep your backup separate to your primary system.
Best Free Backup Software for Windows 10, Windows 8.1/8, Windows 7, Vista, XP

Having not used Rollback RX, I do not know if it can Restore Windows onto a different HDD if your original HDD fails.

Please do not use RollbackRx. I have used it before and it is not compatible with disk imaging software.
I use Aomei Backupper Pro and it's pretty cool.
My HDD of 55 GB is backed up in around 25 mins to a usb drive with Aomei.
My goto app for imaging is Macrium Reflect.

 

[shmu26]

Please do not use RollbackRx. I have used it before and it is not compatible with disk imaging software.
I use Aomei Backupper Pro and it's pretty cool.
My HDD of 55 GB is backed up in around 25 mins to a usb drive with Aomei.
My goto app for imaging is Macrium Reflect.

You can use both Rollback and regular imaging, but, as you mentioned, there is a major limitation: the regular imaging will not capture the Rollback partition. So if you restore your system image, you will have to reinstall Rollback, and you will lose your snapshots.
However, if you restore a snapshot, this will not disturb your regular image software at all. It is safe to do that.
A lot of people use both, knowing that they risk losing their snapshots (but not their system images).

 

[HarborFront]

Please do not use RollbackRx. I have used it before and it is not compatible with disk imaging software.
I use Aomei Backupper Pro and it's pretty cool.
My HDD of 55 GB is backed up in around 25 mins to a usb drive with Aomei.
My goto app for imaging is Macrium Reflect.

Is Aomei Backupper Pro a Backup/Restore program or a "snapshot" program?

Rollback RX is a "snapshot" program

Thanks

 

[shmu26]

Is Aomei Backupper Pro a Backup/Restore program or a "snapshot" program?

Rollback RX is a "snapshot" program

Thanks

Aomei is backup, it is comparable to Macrium Reflect

 

[HarborFront]

Aomei is backup, it is comparable to Macrium Reflect

Do you think you can help to answer my posts #43 & 44 regarding Rollback? Thanks

 

[Handsome Recluse]

@Umbra It seems the Home version only restores C: but it seems to prevent the formatting of drives.
@HarborFront It looks like Rollback is the only up-to-date snapshot program for Windows.
Still. The significant extra boot time.

 

[shmu26]

Do you think you can help to answer my posts #43 & 44 regarding Rollback? Thanks

I have no experience with bitlocker, so I pass on that one.
As regards Macrium snapshot, last time I checked, it is not compatible with SSD, so I don't use that feature, either. Sorry I can't be of more help.
This thread might interest you: http://forum.macrium.com/Topic439.aspx

 

[Peter2150]

How about its "snapshot" feature? Does it work as fast too?

Thanks

There is no "snapshot" feature. It's just fast enough you can use it that way

 

[HarborFront]

I have no experience with bitlocker, so I pass on that one.
As regards Macrium snapshot, last time I checked, it is not compatible with SSD, so I don't use that feature, either. Sorry I can't be of more help.
This thread might interest you: MACRIUM REFLECT as a snapshot tool...

According to the discussion in the link provided the "snapshot" feature (RDR) seems to work well with SSD.

I think I'll purchase the Macrium Reflect first and try out its RDR (snapshot). If not happy then I'll go for Reboot Rollback RX

Thanks

 

[Peter2150]

Thanks for this, @Peter2150! Great to have you here in MT participating!

I forgot to mention that the speeds of backups and restores also heavily depend on the hardware used, especially the hard drive. The faster the hard drive, the faster the backups and restores.

Mine is a slow HDD. That's why I got those times.

You are right totally depend on hardware. I only have HDD's and they are fairly fast. But my desktops are medium level gaming machines so they are indeed fast .

Also thanks for the welcome.

 

[HarborFront]

Hi

Anyone has experience with Reboot Restore RX? It'll restore the system to its clean initial state for every reboot and hard reset.

Isn't this the same as Shadow Defender?

 

[shmu26]

Hi

Anyone has experience with Reboot Rollback RX? It'll restore the system to its initial state for every reboot and hard reset.

Isn't this the same as Shadow Defender?

I have heard @Lockdown say that Rollback is more likely to leave remnants of the former state, so for that reason, Shadow Defender is more secure. Ask him for the details.

 

[Peter2150]

Hi

Anyone has experience with Reboot Rollback RX? It'll restore the system to its clean initial state for every reboot and hard reset.

Isn't this the same as Shadow Defender?

I think people have different experiences. Umbra's is good, mine less so. I wouldn't say they are the same. Rollback gives you the ability to have different configurations and keep them booting back and forth at will. ShadowDefender just captures your current config and when you boot out of it reset your system back. Not a bad way to surf as it will protect any and all visible drives as well as the mbr.

 

[HarborFront]

I think people have different experiences. Umbra's is good, mine less so. I wouldn't say they are the same. Rollback gives you the ability to have different configurations and keep them booting back and forth at will. ShadowDefender just captures your current config and when you boot out of it reset your system back. Not a bad way to surf as it will protect any and all visible drives as well as the mbr.

So Reboot Restore RX is more superior then SD?

Thanks

 

[Peter2150]

I think some you guys know, playing with imaging software is almost a hobby of mine. If you see me talking about an imaging program it means I've stress tested it. Taking multiple images and doing multiple restores. Once I've done around 30 restores I give the real test. I start a restore, let it run about 2 minutes and then do a hard reset essentially crashing the system and trashing the disk. It should be able to rerun the restore and make the system whole.

One of the reasons I do this is I know from experience that when you really need to restore an image you are going to be under stress. This is not the time to learn your restore set up.

 

[HarborFront]

I think some you guys know, playing with imaging software is almost a hobby of mine. If you see me talking about an imaging program it means I've stress tested it. Taking multiple images and doing multiple restores. Once I've done around 30 restores I give the real test. I start a restore, let it run about 2 minutes and then do a hard reset essentially crashing the system and trashing the disk. It should be able to rerun the restore and make the system whole.

One of the reasons I do this is I know from experience that when you really need to restore an image you are going to be under stress. This is not the time to learn your restore set up.

So do you have some reviews of the most common imaging software? Can point me to them?

I need to choose the right software now to get ready for the Windows Creators Update

Thanks

 

[Peter2150]

Hi HarborFront

I don't as I haven't the time for reviews. My imaging software of choice is Macrium, 2nd in line IFW. I also use Shadowprotect, but that is a bit of a special case. Other imaging software I've tested and consider good are AOMEI and Drive Snapshot. For speed and reliablity you can't beat Macrium. That I've gone beyond torture testing. As to Windows Creator update who knows. What I would do until that beast is tested is to image from the recovery environments. That way windows itself is inert.

 

[shmu26]

According to the discussion in the link provided the "snapshot" feature (RDR) seems to work well with SSD.

I think I'll purchase the Macrium Reflect first and try out its RDR (snapshot). If not happy then I'll go for Reboot Rollback RX

Thanks

Yes, the Delta works great on SSD. They call it "snapshot" because it is quick.
Maybe my memory is foggy, but I used to see an option in MR for a real snapshot, but this feature did not work with SSD. I don't see that option anymore. Either it was taken out of the newer versions, or I just remember wrong.

I suggest you take a trial version of Macrium Reflect Home. It has Delta, and it is good for 30 days.

If you want to get a longer trial, do this: install v7.
When your trial is about to run out, uninstall it, reboot, and install v6.
Then, upgrade to v7 on top of it, without uninstalling v6. This should give you another 30 days.