incremental image using Macrium Reflect

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If I image (not clone) an HDD and choose the Macrium Reflect incremental image option, are the files created by the daily increment readable to Windows? i.e., if I wanted to restore a particular file for a particular day, can I just go to that day’s incremental file and (outside of Macrium Reflect) just open it like I would any directory to seek out the file I’m interested in and copy its content?

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I suspect the answer is yes – other backup programs work that way. Why don’t you test it and let us know?

cheers, Paul

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I suspect the answer is yes – other backup programs work that way. Why don’t you test it and let us know?

cheers, Paul

Paul,
If I change from differential to incremental then I’ll get back to the forum with my answer.
However, I trust your intuition and will keep that in mind.
Dan

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Bromberg,

FWIW, I would stay away from incrementals. When using them your image/backup is only as good as the weakest link in the chain, e.g. if one of the increments goes bad you’ve basically trashed your whole image/backup.

What I do is take only Full images then I use RoboCopy to do daily scheduled, via task scheduler, backups to keep my data backup up to date, the system/program files don’t change that often and are easily recovered from source/download if necessary.

Ok, I’ve put on my lead underwear let the slings and arrows fly!

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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RG,
I understand your reluctance to rely on an incremental backup’s long chain of files but why not use a differential backup which only relies on the full image and the one (and only) differential file?

BTW, I see you’re a PowerShell user. I started reading a Powershell in 24 Hours book and even emailed the author with the question how a home-user could benefit from it. His reply confirmed where his book was going, i.e., PowerShell is mainly meant for system admins of a company. Since you’re retired (like me), how do you benefit from it?

Dan

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RG,
PowerShell is mainly meant for system admins of a company. Since you’re retired (like me), how do you benefit from it?
Dan

Dan,

I wholly disagree with that statement!

PowerShell is a scripting language and as such can offer many benefits to the single computer user. It is the upgraded, object aware, replacement for the Command Prompt.

I’ve written all kinds of scripts using PS that automate a bunch of functions I use all the time. You can find my PS learning journey in the Windows Programming Forum here on the lounge.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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RG:
Seems odd that an author of a PowerShell book would discourage a home-user from learning it, but I’ll take a look at the MVA videos you recommended. Meanwhile, what’s the most useful PS script you’ve come up with for a home-user?
Dan

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RG:
Seems odd that an author of a PowerShell book would discourage a home-user from learning it, but I’ll take a look at the MVA videos you recommended. Meanwhile, what’s the most useful PS script you’ve come up with for a home-user?
Dan

Dan,

That depends on your setup, how many machines, and how you use them. It’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all!

My favorite is the one that reports your hardware/software configuration as I use that one to test out new stuff I learn and I’m constantly adding to it. I try to keep it heavily commented so others can learn from it also.

For your convenience I started a new thread in Windows Programming and posted the latest version along with a link to the original thread, too old to reply to.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Dan,

That depends on your setup, how many machines, and how you use them. It’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all!

My favorite is the one that reports your hardware/software configuration as I use that one to test out new stuff I learn and I’m constantly adding to it. I try to keep it heavily commented so others can learn from it also.

For your convenience I started a new thread in Windows Programming and posted the latest version along with a link to the original thread, too old to reply to.

HTH :cheers:

Cool! I’ll be sure to check it out.
Thanks,
Dan

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If you have unlimited storage then full or differential are fine. For ordinary folk an incremental saves on disk space and in my experience is just as good.
Recent backup software will even consolidate incrementals and lob older copies of files – you can set how long to keep data.

cheers, Paul

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Paul,
When you say Full backup is that the same as Differential without the differential “add on” file? i.e., Macrium Reflect only offers incremental & differential options; is Full the same as 1 file containing the OS & personal data as opposed to the incremental files and the (one) differential add-on files?
Thanks,
Dan

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When you say Full backup is that the same as Differential without the differential “add on” file? i.e., Macrium Reflect only offers incremental & differential options; is Full the same as 1 file containing the OS & personal data as opposed to the incremental files and the (one) differential add-on files?

Full = everything currently on the PC / selection.
Differential = everything that has changed since the last full.
Incremental = everything that has changed since the last full or incremental backup.
Diff and Inc usually create a new backup file each time you run them. The advantage is in not modifying and possibly corrupting the previous backup, plus you can duplicate the backup / copy the backup files by only copying the latest rather than the whole lot.

Whether full the backup is stored in one or more files is up to the backup program, under guidance from the user.

cheers, Paul

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This excellent thread is over my pay-grade, however, let me see if I understand correctly:
Full image often means making an exact copy of a partition and compressing said partition material into an image file, which stored somewhere on hopefully reliable external media.
A full image can be made of: a System Reserved partition, an OS partition, a data partition, and so on. Each partition would have its own image file.
A full image can also be made of an entire hard-drive, from Track Zero to its end.
I think Windows 8 and 10 have additional hidden partitions that can be full-imaged, correct?
Cloning a sheep or cloning a hard-drive is similar in that an exact copy of an entire entity is made.

"Take care of thy backups and thy restores shall take care of thee." Ben Franklin, revisted

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This excellent thread is over my pay-grade, however, let me see if I understand correctly:
Full image often means making an exact copy of a partition and compressing said partition material into an image file, which stored somewhere on hopefully reliable external media.

Yes.

A full image can be made of: a System Reserved partition, an OS partition, a data partition, and so on. Each partition would have its own image file.
A full image can also be made of an entire hard-drive, from Track Zero to its end.

Yes to both questions.

I think Windows 8 and 10 have additional hidden partitions that can be full-imaged, correct?

Yes.

Cloning a sheep or cloning a hard-drive is similar in that an exact copy of an entire entity is made.

Yes.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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This excellent thread is over my pay-grade, however, let me see if I understand correctly:
Full image often means making an exact copy of a partition and compressing said partition material into an image file, which stored somewhere on hopefully reliable external media.
A full image can be made of: a System Reserved partition, an OS partition, a data partition, and so on. Each partition would have its own image file.
A full image can also be made of an entire hard-drive, from Track Zero to its end.
I think Windows 8 and 10 have additional hidden partitions that can be full-imaged, correct?
Cloning a sheep or cloning a hard-drive is similar in that an exact copy of an entire entity is made.

According to a recent reply: images can be stored in a partition but clones cannot.

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According to a recent reply: images can be stored in a partition but clones cannot.

That is correct! :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Don’t ask RG, he’ll say they’re all great – which they are, but that’s besides the point.

cheers, Paul

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If I image (not clone) an HDD and choose the Macrium Reflect incremental image option, are the files created by the daily increment readable to Windows? i.e., if I wanted to restore a particular file for a particular day, can I just go to that day’s incremental file and (outside of Macrium Reflect) just open it like I would any directory to seek out the file I’m interested in and copy its content?

A Macrium Reflect backup file is created in a proprietary format with a .mrimg extension. If you want to read specific file(s) from the backup, you have to mount the file (using Macrium) and assign it a drive letter. Then you can extract the file(s) and do what you wish with them.

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A Macrium Reflect backup file is created in a proprietary format with a .mrimg extension. If you want to read specific file(s) from the backup, you have to mount the file (using Macrium) and assign it a drive letter. Then you can extract the file(s) and do what you wish with them.

Not surprised but thought I’d ask the question just to be sure.
Thanks for your info.

Dan

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