Serious Discussion What is the best replacement for Macrium Reflect

[tofargone]

Based on experience, it takes me a number of hours to reinstall and replace various software - enough time that it shoots a big hole in my day. So, I use backups - paid Macrium 8 Home and, now, free Hasleo. I will not be moving up to Macrium X, but will continue to use Macrium 8 Home because I have a lot of backups saved to external HDD from Windows 8.1, Win 10 and Win 11, and I might want to drop back to one of them some day. In truth, Hasleo is fast becoming my favorite.

Chuck I own the following software. I have used it. I really like it. I use Macrium "just because". IF I couldn't use macrium I would use the following software.

It was purchased by Ashampoo, but the company who made it (sorry can't remember their name) was in business for a long time, so this software has been polished. I don't think Ashampoo did much at all to the software, they added a couple more features after they purchased it.

It takes you thru the steps of making any kind of backup or images that you desire to, it also gives you a variety of schedules and hands off automatic procedures and also manual ones , if you prefer those. It is very EZ to use. I loved it.

I bought the from the original owner years ago, and then again from Ashampoo just to have a license, since the original owners retired.

It does NOT offer a subscription. Just a license for the version sold. You don't have to keep buying, I think Ashampoo has upgraded it 2 times in the last 7 years. Hope this helps. And it's on sale $16.00 I think.

Ashampoo® Backup Pro 26

The ultimate fix for malware infections, hard disk defects and Windows crashes

www.ashampoo.com

 

[Chuck57]

Chuck I own the following software. I have used it. I really like it. I use Macrium "just because". IF I couldn't use macrium I would use the following software.

It was purchased by Ashampoo, but the company who made it (sorry can't remember their name) was in business for a long time, so this software has been polished. I don't think Ashampoo did much at all to the software, they added a couple more features after they purchased it.

It takes you thru the steps of making any kind of backup or images that you desire to, it also gives you a variety of schedules and hands off automatic procedures and also manual ones , if you prefer those. It is very EZ to use. I loved it.

I bought the from the original owner years ago, and then again from Ashampoo just to have a license, since the original owners retired.

It does NOT offer a subscription. Just a license for the version sold. You don't have to keep buying, I think Ashampoo has upgraded it 2 times in the last 7 years. Hope this helps. And it's on sale $16.00 I think.

Ashampoo® Backup Pro 26

The ultimate fix for malware infections, hard disk defects and Windows crashes

www.ashampoo.com

Ashampoo is the old Ocster backup, which was a pretty good program in its day. I recall trying it before moving on to something else. If I remember, it was reliable but painfully slow, although that could have been my computer. I'll check for reviews, but it'll have to do better than Hasleo before I'd change. The price is certainly decent.

 

[n8chavez]

At this point it's Hasleo. It's free, for now, easy to use and has delta restore. IFW is not free, but it's without a doubt stronger and more versatile than Hasleo.

 

[bazang]

Do you mean: 'In your humble opinion'? As again I disagree with you & you must have a very simplistic install.

It is simple arithmetic. What you pay for Macrium is not worth what you get. There's a bunch of features that are not needed. My "install" - whatever that means - there are various devices configured differently based upon functionality.

It is commonly parroted that Macrium is so reliable, and yet in testing it has proven to fail many times when it was needed most. My experience, and others' experience, is that Macrium is no more reliable than the typical backup-imaging-disaster recovery solution.

Heck, the built-in Windows 7 Backup utility has been more reliable than Macrium when it comes to restoring an image.

I can clean install and run a script to reinstall and load configurations into all software and that process is done within 30 minutes. It completely configures networking and the rest. An image backup & restore solution is not needed. Most people that use one do it for no good reason. The only thing they really need to protect are their valuable files. When I begin to ask people what they are really backing up, it is not their cherished family digital photo album and PhD research & thesis. It turns out to be spank bank porn collections, stolen movies, pirated games, illegal game mods, etc.

I get the human being lazy part, but paying the Macrium annual subscription just because a person is too lazy to do an hour or less of system rebuild is a bit much. It's a waste of money. Well, perhaps not if the person is still using obsolete HDD as the primary\OS drive.

The thing I know about backup & disaster recovery solutions is that people (and businesses) pay a lot of money for these software - whose publishers market their product through the use of fear-doubt-uncertainty (FUD). Only to find out they don't work when you need them the most. Businesses are a bit different. They have a maximum tolerable data loss (MTDL) threshold whereas home users - unless they are running servers and conducting biz from home - usually do not have.

I found disaster recovery to be best performed by a clean install of the OS and rebuilding the system. As a matter of fact, I do it on all systems every 2 to 3 years. I rarely spend more than half a day doing it on multiple workstations and various servers.

Edit - I just noticed that everybody says "Use this coz it is free." Says a lot. Nobody is defending overpriced, inflexible packaged paid Macrium.

 

[bazang]

My objection is the cost and the handcuffing nature of Macrium's subscription model. Given the cost, it seems like Macrium is not valuing its customer base like they should. Reflect now becomes the most expensive home-use imaging program.

Macrium's premium price has always been a problem. You are no different than the tens of thousands of people who have complained about Macrium's prices and absurd license packages over the years.

There are Microsoft services that I pay more than $20,000 per year for because that is required for the contracts. In total, I spend in excess of $200,000 per year in subscriptions, software version licenses, and support packages. And that is just the logical (software) part. It includes no hardware, which is even more expensive. Part of that is a backup solution that ain't cheap. It makes perfect sense for a business to spend the money for a backup solution, but for home users it doesn't make any sense (unless their side hustle involves running a business with data and files that need backed up).

 

[bazang]

I use Macrium for basic features only - daily backup of my system and personal files and occasional restore of both. I don't need "advanced features" which development seems to be a main reason for changed licensing and consequently increased cost for me. I don't see a reason why I should pay for them if I don't need them.

What you do is what most people do with a backup solution - use only its basic features. Those advanced features make sense only for a business that needs those features and it needs the business support that Macrium provides. Home users do not get that kind of support with their subscriptions.

You are not really paying for the software. What you are really paying for is the support (and that includes timely bug fixes and security patching). In the case of home users that run into problems with Macrium, they are left with a system that they cannot use and have to use an extra system to access Macrium's community forum for assistance.

In an era gone-by Macrium was the big dog. It was the pinnacle of non-enterprise backup and recovery solutions. However, slowly and surely, Macrium has fallen from that position over the years due to it being expensive and having a licensing subscription model that is not financially justified for home users.

 

[tofargone]

Ashampoo is the old Ocster backup, which was a pretty good program in its day. I recall trying it before moving on to something else. If I remember, it was reliable but painfully slow, although that could have been my computer. I'll check for reviews, but it'll have to do better than Hasleo before I'd change. The price is certainly decent.

Yep that's right, couldn't remember their name. I think the speed was one of the things ashampoo wanted to correct. Thanks

 

[Dark Knight]

Everyone seems to be asking what the big problem is with paying for the upgrade to X which was released today , the problem is that many of us do not support corporate greed , I posted this on another forum earlier today ....

I am not saying that Macrium isn't good software because it is but the content of the upgrade doesn't justify the price increase in the software they are asking for.

NOW , while some of you MAY be getting deals on the upgrade by buying three and four packs , per computer the end MAY justify the means. However, I would be purchasing (upgrading) for ONE computer and even with the 33% discount they are offering it is STILL more than I paid for V7 and is STILL around $50 more than I paid for the V8 upgrade over three years, and even worse would cancel out my V8 license, so after three years that V8 perpetual license I HAD would become useless should I decide not to continue paying another $140 for another three years after the first three expires because the backup feature would cease to work ...... so in MY case the end does not justify the means.

Now If there was some big GUI changes or something else worth the price increase I MAY have thought about it , but to just image and recover my system a little bit faster does not warrant what they are asking for it , I can image my system now in about thirty minutes or less (1TB drive) and can recover it and be back up in running in about twenty or less, I don't need to do it any faster than that and is certainly not worth the $50 price increase ..... FOR ME
Some of us ARE on a budget and need to watch what we spend .

So yeah, Macrium can take their greed and stick it where the sun doesn't shine because while most here are singing the upgrades praises they WILL lose customer base from those like me due to that greed. I will stick with my V8 perpetual license as it will (should) work indefinitely until such time it becomes too outdated and if Macrium hasn't gotten the message from the customer base it loses by then I will go with something else. I sincerely do not begrudge anyone making a profit but this is borderline theft.

 

[Digmor Crusher]

Just because they are asking more money for a sub then you are willing to pay doesn't make it corporate greed.

 

[oldschool]

Aomei Backupper has its Free version and Pro, which is frequently offered at discount for lifetime upgrades. The Pro version is faster, but either one is a good option.

 

[n8chavez]

Just because they are asking more money for a sub then you are willing to pay doesn't make it corporate greed.

The fact that they are switching to a more expensive business model than what they had before, which worked for both parties BTW, is what makes it corporate greed.

 

[Sorrento]

The fact that they are switching to a more expensive business model than what they had before, which worked for both parties BTW, is what makes it corporate greed.

It might have worked for you and some others but it probably didn't work well for Macrium - You are making assumptions - Which is totally beside the point as you don't like the product anyway.

A quote that was attributed to Winston Churchill among others: 'A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject'

 

[JasonUK]

I note that Macrium X uses a new backup format so even if you choose to retain your v8 licence it has no value in restoring Macrium X backups made during any trial/subscription period so unless you're still regularly backing up with v8 too it'll rapidly become useless... that's assuming you could even have both co-existing on the same system at the same time. I don't see any benefit in upgrading tbh.

Of the Terabyte/Hasleo alternatives mentioned I'd lean towards the more comprehensive Terabyte product as long as there was a 'normal' settings easy option as it looks pretty complicated Has anyone got any experience of R-drive too?

 

[Sorrento]

I gave Hasleo a good & quite long term test in imaging & restoring, I never had a single issue - if I was looking for a reliable imaging alternative program I'd certainly go for Hasleo which at the moment is free & works very well.

 

[Acadia]

Has anyone got any experience of R-drive too?

I own R-Drive as a backup for my two favorite backups, Macrium and Terabyte. I have only used it twice to recover and that was just testing, worked fine.
Here is an article that may be of interest to some: Best Windows backup software 2021: Free and paid options reviewed
But I had to laugh because the article only briefly mentions Macrium, and doesn't mention Terabyte or Hasleo at all.

I would feel safe relying on R-Drive, the only thing that I can really comment on is that is much slower at creating a backup than Macrium, and that's the old Macrium.
Acadia

 

[n8chavez]

It might have worked for you and some others but it probably didn't work well for Macrium - You are making assumptions - Which is totally beside the point as you don't like the product anyway.

A quote that was attributed to Winston Churchill among others: 'A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject'

I mean, this is a thread on Macrium. Should I really be changing the subject?

 

[Dark Knight]

The fact that they are switching to a more expensive business model than what they had before, which worked for both parties BTW, is what makes it corporate greed.

And there is no GUI changes , no added benefit and nothing added to the software itself other than you can back up and recover a little bit faster that warrants the price increase and the change in licensing model by forcing everyone who purchased a perpetual license to now pay a yearly fee. Yes is is straight up corporate greed.

 

[TairikuOkami]

I gave Hasleo a good & quite long term test in imaging & restoring, I never had a single issue - if I was looking for a reliable imaging alternative program I'd certainly go for Hasleo which at the moment is free & works very well.

Same here, creating and restoring 28GB backup takes about 45 secs, so I can not complain. Besides it is the only free backup with PreOS, so not much of a choice for me.

 

[WhiteMouse]

I'm keeping V8 until it breaks, then I'll find alternative. Btw, there are so many complaints about new pricing model that Macrium set the video to unlisted and disable comments.

 

[I Walk MY Way]

AOMEI Backupper