Macrium Free being discontinued.

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[Microfix]

It looks like the popular Macrium Reflect free is being discontinued early 2024. I had this message appear in the pop-up when upgraded to the latest version.

 

EDIT: corrected discontinue date

(Note – I wasn’t sure where to put this in the forums so feel free to move it)

• This topic was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Microfix.
• This topic was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by thebox.

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Peter-B UK, KP, exjnb2ny, JohnW, LHiggins, CAS, samak, lmacri, geekdom, SueW, Cybertooth

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[Microfix]

thebox wrote:

It looks like the popular Macrium Reflect free is being discontinued early 2024. I had this message appear in the pop-up when upgraded to the latest version.

 

EDIT: corrected discontinue date

(Note – I wasn’t sure where to put this in the forums so feel free to move it)

• This topic was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Microfix.
• This topic was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by thebox.

The paid license is half price today (Black Friday).

https://www.macrium.com/black-friday

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geekdom, glnz, SueW, Cybertooth

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thebox wrote:

It looks like the popular Macrium Reflect free is being discontinued early 2024.

But if you already have the free software, the legacy will live on — and you can continue to use it.

On permanent hiatus {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1992 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox116.0b3 MicrosoftDefender

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JohnW

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I have three Qs re the Home 4-pack and then I’ll probably buy at Macrium’s 50% off rush:

1. I have five machines in the family now and will soon have a sixth.  Do you see any way I can buy 1½ 4-packs for $105 total ( = 1.5 x $69.98) ?
2. Is this an annual subscription or one-time purchase that continues (like buying Office 2021)?
3. If it’s an annual subscription, what happens at the end of the year?

Thanks.

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Macrium Reflect Home is not subscription software.

Macrium Reflect Support Policy.

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gjacwel, glnz

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PKCano – thanks for the link.

I think that “Support Policy” page is a bit confusing.

1. I’m guessing it means my purchase will be good for the current version 8.xx, but what happens when Macrium invents version 9.xx?
2. I’m also guessing that the version 8.xx I buy will continue to work with “support” going down over time, but I’ll have to re-purchase to upgrade to 9.xx when the time comes.

To the knowledgeable crowd here – if you’ve purchased MR in the past, what has been your experience with this issue?

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According to the linked Policy:

Macrium 8 Free will receive security updates till Jan 2024. After that, it won’t necessarily support later versions of Windows 10/11 after version 22H2. But you can continue to use it after that – it will work on what it does support.

If you buy Macrium 8 Home, you get extra features the Free version doesn’t have. You will get updates for Macrium 8 Home for a year after version 9 is released. It will continue to work after that on whatever versions of Win it supports.

It is my guess you will get a price break on Home v.8->v.9 upgrade.

See #2500966 below.

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FYI

1) Take note that the 50% Off Black Friday Deal ends 01 December 2022.

2) “Macrium Reflect Free Product – End Of Life (EOL)

Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7167 is the last version to receive feature, compatibility or bug fix updates.

Will future security vulnerabilities be fixed?

Yes, security patches will still be provided until 1st January 2024. After that date we will no longer provide any changes to the v8 Free code base.

Can I continue to use Macrium Reflect Free?

Yes, you can continue to use the software in perpetuity, your license to use the software is unaffected.

Will Macrium Reflect Free have any new features or updates for future Windows versions?

Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 supports Windows XP SP 3.0 up to, and including, Windows 10 & 11 version 22H2. There will be no new features or support for later Windows operating system updates.

Note: This notice only applies to Macrium Reflect Free.”

Re : https://www.macrium.com/product-support-policy

HTH

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klang, samak

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FYI: I’m still using Reflect Free V6 and it works just fine. Don’t need all those fancy new features they keep adding. I’m still using V6 because I can script it with PowerShell and it works great with my code for Non-Techie backups.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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CAS, Charlie, SueW, geekdom, Cybertooth

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I was never been computer savvy; just savvy enough to be a member of this forum and ask questions.  So, when you say that you ran script Macrium using Powershell I am at a complete loss. I currently have an version 8 and if it can be used unsupported by updates, as you have with version 6, I’m happy with that.

Some additional information: I’m still using Win 10 (21H2) and am sticking with it as long as possible. My computer is incapable of downloading Win 11 and I’ll use Win 10 as long as I can just like many users here still use Win 7. (I expect that O patch will like fill the update void for Win 10 as they have for Win 7.

Any suggestions about Macrium or otherwise? Thanks in advance.

Peace, CAS

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CAS,

Using Reflect V-8 is just fine if you understand how to use the program, as it is obvious you do.

I’m using V-6 because the interface of Reflect stymies many and I can do some tricks with PowerShell to make it easier to use once it is setup right. Can’t move forward to V7 or V8 as they won’t exit back to PowerShell like V6 does.

If you’re interested in how I do this you can download the Backup for Non-Techies.Zip file from my OneDrive and read the PDF included therein.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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CAS

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Thank you for providing the PDF for where to get V6 Reflect.   I’ve been using it for several years, back to Version 4 I believe and it has always worked perfectly.  I have a V7 bootable stick that I have to use sometimes when a laptop doesn’t have the MR boot App on it.  I did notice a year or two ago that my Version 7 Stick, read and created perfect image restores of V8 files, so my conclusion was that all the V7 and V8 were tweeks to the UI and not the basic “Volume Shadow Copy” of one device to another.    That appears to be the same for V6, given your post.  Is my conclusion correct based on your experience?

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Backup software Macrium Reflect Free is being retired and Free alternatives.

…

There are free alternatives available for Macrium Reflect, here is a short list:

AOMEI Backupper — Another free solution with paid upgrades. The Standard Edition is free to use, supports file, system, disk and partition backups to all sorts of storage devices, including Network/NAS and cloud. It lacks some features, including differential backup, encryption or dynamic disk backups.

Paragon Backup & Recovery Free — This is the backup solution that I use. It supports all major features, including file, partition/disk and entire computer backups, scheduled backups, incremental and differential backups, and more.

Rescuezilla — An open source backup solution that supports creating and restoring data backups. It is operating system agnostic…

EaseUS Todo Backup free

Veeam Backup free

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KP, exjnb2ny, lmacri, CAS, glnz

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Alex – do any of these free apps have scheduling for automatic daily / weekly / monthly backups?

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Alex, thanks for suggesting the Paragon backup. I went to their site, checked out the features  and I plan to install it when Macrium goes EOL.

Peace, CAS

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Alex5723

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PKCano wrote:

Macrium 8 Free will receive security updates till Jan 2024. After that, it won’t necessarily support later versions of Windows 10/11 after version 22H2. But you can continue to use it after that – it will work on what it does support.

I wonder, since it isn’t reaching EOL till Jan 2024, if Macrium will again offer a Black Friday deal next November 2023 before Macrium Free reaches EOL. No way to know, but there is another Black Friday/Cyber Monday in 2023 before Jan 2024.

Just thinking…

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I run Macrium Reflect Home 8 on my main computer (highest priority), and Macrium Reflect Free on 2 other computers. I see that Macrium has a discounted 4-pack for Reflect Home 8 available for $69.98 right now. Maybe next year!

https://www.macrium.com/black-friday?x-campaignid=v8-013cb

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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glnz wrote:

Paragon Backup & Recovery Free

Yes, Paragon Backup & Recovery Free.

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I recently used Macrium Reflect to do a clone of a laptop HD replacement. I was amazed on how it worked and did the clone with 100% accuracy. I then asked about their backup program. I like to see full files (non-compressed) on a MyBook, which I currently do with GFI Backup (old 2009 ver3.1) and allows me to view on any computer. Problem with MR was it can do the same thing, but you need to have their program installed on a computer to view those files, even though they’re not compressed. I still have Macrium Reflect and will get the special deal for one computer as John W mentions.

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Does anyone know if there is a trustworthy place to still obtain Macrium Reflect Free?  Major Geeks, perhaps?  I have never used Macrium, as I’ve used R-Drive Image (paid) for years but it’s slow and the support is not good (replies are quick, but 80% of the time it is “update to the new version”…which is NOT free if it’s been over a year since purchase).  So I was thinking of switching to a new imaging solution concurrent with my move to Windows 10 on a new pc.  Would welcome any recommendations, either free or paid.  I assume the paid Macrium Reflect Home (paid) would be well-regarded?  Thanks.

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Check out Image for Windows – TeraByte Unlimited. It is not free but good support and free updates until the next major release.

--Joe

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rick41, bbearren

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A single license for home use (currently US$49.98) allows installation on up to 5 PC’s.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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rick41

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If you check my shared onedrive you can download the Backup for Non-techincal users.zip file. The zip contains a pdf file where you’ll find a safe place to download Macrium Reflect Free V6. (Yes, it still works on Win 11 just fine). When you install it you’ll have to do an immediate update to bring it up to the latest build of version 6.3.1865.

BTW: The install media created by this version will still boot (at least on W10) after applying CVE-2023-32019 and the activating powershell program and registry fixes!

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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BTW: The install media created by this version will still boot (at least on W10) after applying CVE-2023-32019 and the activating powershell program and registry fixes!

the CVE-2023-32019 reg stuff are included in the newly released August 2023 cumulative updates, which are “enabled” by default as Microsoft stated in MS support article 5028407.

IMPORTANT The resolution described in this article has been released enabled by default. To apply the enabled by default resolution, install the Windows update that is dated on or after August 8, 2023. No further user action is required.

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rick41

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rick41 wrote:

Does anyone know if there is a trustworthy place to still obtain Macrium Reflect Free? Major Geeks, perhaps?…

Hi rick41:

I currently use Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 (rel. 11-Jan-2023) and believe the 64-bit download link on the MajorGeeks site at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html should still download the correct installer (reflect_setup_free_x64.exe), assuming you have a 64-bit OS. Any Macrium Reflect v8.1.x versions released after that, including the latest v8.1.7544 (rel. 06-Jun-2023) are only intended for users with a paid subscription.

If you scroll to the bottom of the Macrium Product Support Policy it notes that Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 will receive security patches, if required, until 01-Jan-2024 and that you can continue to use Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 in perpetuity after 01-Jan-2024, although it will receive no further updates after that date.  That support policy also says that Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 is currently compatible up to and including Win 10 & Win 11 v22H2,  but I don’t know yet if Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 will continue to run correctly if the user updates their OS beyond Win 11 v22H2 after 01-Jan-2024. I’m going to wait until December 2023 or January 2024 to see if Macrium offers a discounted subscription for their paid version of Macrium Reflect for Home before I decide what I’m going to do with my Free v8.0.x edition when it reaches end-of-life.

If you’re interested in using Macrium Reflect, Susan Bradley has posted an instruction video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjpBdzC8fug.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3208 * Firefox v116.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23050.9-1.1.23060.1005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.34.275-1.0.2089 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279

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rick41 wrote:

..I was thinking of switching to a new imaging solution concurrent with my move to Windows 10 on a new pc. Would welcome any recommendations, either free or paid. I assume the paid Macrium Reflect Home (paid) would be well-regarded?

Hi rick41:

You might also be interested in Susan Bradley’s short tutorial for EaseUS Todo Backup at Step by Step Setting Up EaseUS Todo. There are quite few users in this forum who use the Free or Home (paid) edition of this disk imaging software and post in the EaseUS Todo Backup board of this forum, and it’s one of the options I will looking at if I decide to switch to a different program when my Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 reaches EOL on 01-Jan-2014.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3208 * Firefox v116.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23070.1004-1.1.23070.1005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.34.275-1.0.2102 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279

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rick41

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There still is a way to get Reflect Free directly from Macrium. Download the Macrium Reflect Download Agent from this page. Then change the filename to any other name than reflectdlfull.exe. Only if you change the filename will you get a choice between Reflect Free and Reflect Home when running the Download Agent. If you don’t change the filename you get a choice between Home, Workstation and (I believe) Server.

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PL1, Coldheart9020, rick41, Cybertooth

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Thanks for all the helpful information, watchouts, and links, including current and possible future Macrium options.  Any further suggestions/opinions also welcomed.

EDIT:  Oops, meant to post this as a reply to the question I added today.  Oh well…

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lmacri wrote:

rick41 wrote:

..I was thinking of switching to a new imaging solution concurrent with my move to Windows 10 on a new pc. Would welcome any recommendations, either free or paid. I assume the paid Macrium Reflect Home (paid) would be well-regarded?

Hi rick41:

You might also be interested in Susan Bradley’s short tutorial for EaseUS Todo Backup at Step by Step Setting Up EaseUS Todo. There are quite few users in this forum who use the Free or Home (paid) edition of this disk imaging software and post in the EaseUS Todo Backup board of this forum, and it’s one of the options I will looking at if I decide to switch to a different program when my Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 reaches EOL on 01-Jan-2014.
————
Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3208 * Firefox v116.0.2 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23070.1004-1.1.23070.1005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.5.34.275-1.0.2102 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279

use an old version of Easeus Todo Backup Free edition (I have the older 12.8 and 13.0 versions of those stored on my usb flash drives). the 13.5 & higher versions of Todo Backup Free no longer include the disk clone/system clone options, which are only featured in the Home & Enterprise editions.

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rick41

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I am currently using MReflect Free version 7.2

I have/had downloaded the installer for MReflect Free version 8.0.7279 a while back but never installed it.

Would this installer still work?

Would version 8.0 install over my existing version 7.2?  Or do I have to uninstall 7.2 first? Or can I have both versions installed and functional?

If I have to uninstall 7.2, can I retain my prior backups?

Version 7.2 Free provides an option to “check for updates” .  Would that work and be a better way to update, or is that only for paid versions?

Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2 and Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 (RIP)

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Tex265 wrote:

Version 7.2 Free provides an option to “check for updates” . Would that work and be a better way to update, or is that only for paid versions?

Hi Tex265:

I have a Win 10 OS, and if I recall correctly I ran a check for updates (Other Tasks | Check for Updates) with Macrium Reflect Free v7.3.6391 back in Jan 2022 and the upgrade to v8.0.6392 was seamless and all my old full disk images on my external hard drive were still recognized. After the upgrade to v8.0 I created a fresh bootable USB for emergency recovery (Other Tasks | Create Rescue Media) and a new full disk image just to be safe but I don’t think that was really necessary.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3324 * Firefox v116.0.3 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23070.1004-1.1.23070.1005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.0.277-1.0.2114 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279

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Coldheart9020

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A couple of weeks ago I installed a version of Macrium Free 8.????, that was not the last update, from an install file I downloaded some time back. I had no problem installing it, and updating it to the last version of MR8 they released (check for updates). Then I used it to image the Win10 Home v1903 machine before I upgraded it to Win10 22H2. Imaged the machine again after I updated and installed all the programs.

Worked like a champ.

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Thanks to all for your info and commentary.

Now that I have looked at the size of MR Free 8 vs MR Free 7, it is quite a bit larger.  So if all I am after is a full manual backup monthly and restore capability, what would I actually gain by updating since both would do the job and neither is going to receive further updates?

I haven’t suffered from lack of updating my version 7.2 (that I know of anyway).

Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2 and Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 (RIP)

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@PKCano

Was this a first time install?  Or an upgrade/update as I am contemplating?

IF @Imacri is remembering correctly, the program updater “should” work – right?

Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2 and Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 (RIP)

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The install I talked about was a first-time install on that machine.
The installation of v8 over v7 should just be an upgrade without any problems. All of your images and definitions are usable in either version and your preferences should be retained.

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Tex265 wrote:

IF @Imacri is remembering correctly, the program updater “should” work – right?

Hi Tex265:

This is a screenshot of the pop-up I first saw in Macrium Reflect Free v7.3.6284 on 06-Nov-2021. I initially clicked “Later” because I wanted to wait for feedback from other users just to make sure no one was experiencing problems with the upgrade, and on 06-Jan-2022 I launched Macrium Reflect Free v7.3.6391 (the last v7.x update released 18-Nov-2021 according to the v7.x release notes <here>) and clicked “Now” to do the in-place upgrade.

If you run a check for updates in your current Macrium Reflect Free v7.3.x and don’t see that prompt asking if you would like to upgrade to v8.x then it’s possible you clicked “Never” at some point after Nov 2021 to stop that prompt from nagging you to perform the upgrade.

Tex265 wrote:

… So if all I am after is a full manual backup monthly and restore capability, what would I actually gain by updating since both would do the job and neither is going to receive further updates?…

If you don’t upgrade to Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.x you won’t receive the feature changes and bug fixes listed in the v8.x release notes <here> for updates released between Nov 2021 and Nov 2022. However, most of those feature changes only apply to the paid version of Macrium Reflect, and many of the bug fixes in v8.0.x were added to improve compatibility with Windows 11.

If you’re only using Macrium Reflect Free to create full disk images of your Win 10 computer then I don’t think you would notice any major differences between the v7.3.x and v8.0.x user interfaces, but if  Macrium Reflect Free v7.3.x is working on your Win 10 v22H2 computer without any glitches then you’ll have to decide for yourself whether you want to upgrade to v8.0.x or not.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3324 * Firefox v116.0.3 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23070.1004-1.1.23070.1005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.0.277-1.0.2114 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279

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FYI

Black Friday Sale 50% off Reflect 8 Home Annual Plan

Highlights
———–
Black Friday Sale – Get a massive 50% off PLUS 6 months free!
Black Friday Sale – 4 Pack Special – Get a HUGE 75% off PLUS 6 months free!

-The Black Friday Sale 2023 offer is only for the Home Annual Plan. If I am not mistaken this plan is based on annual subscription model. Unfortunately, the perpetual plan of One-Time Purchase is not included in this Black Friday Sale offer.

-An extra 6-month free subsription is included in the offer.

-The Black Friday Sale Offer expires November 28th, 2023.

HTH.

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LHiggins, rick41, SueW

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Better off with the one off license. You still get bug fixes but no new features.

I am using V7 paid without issue.

cheers, Paul

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rick41, Cybertooth

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Paul T wrote:

Better off with the one off license. You still get bug fixes but no new features.

I see that for One-Time-Purchase it says, “Access to minor updates & fixes for this version only.”  So does this cover all bug fixes?  No need to be concerned about the word “minor” here?

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I’m a Macrium user and use the “one time purchase” version.

So does this cover all bug fixes?

Yes and even some improvements.  What it does not provide is new features.  This is not issue from me as I prefer to create image backups manually (not scheduled) directly from the “Definition Files” tab, then “Run”, then choose the type of image I want i.e. Full, Incremental or Differential.

Macrium is reliable and restoring images has been flawless.  I don’t need new features. It’s got everything I need for POM.

If I was in an IT role managing groups of machines, the new features the subscription model provides could a good thing.

Desktop Asus TUF X299 Mark 1, CPU: Intel Core i7-7820X Skylake-X 8-Core 3.6 GHz, RAM: 32GB, GPU: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti 4GB. Display: Four 27" 1080p screens 2 over 2 quad.

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rick41

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Just checking – so if we are using the Free version of Macrium – I have one on Ver 7 and one on Ver 8 – is there any reason to buy the Home version?

I use Macrium once a month – sometimes more – to make backups before I do the monthly MS updates, and so far it has worked fine on both of my computers.

Is there any reason to purchase the Home version?

Thanks!

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I’m using v8, and don’t find any reason to buy Home version until v8 stops working. It works on Win10 and 11, so far. And there was an update last month, which may be the last one it gets.

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LHiggins

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which may be the last one it gets.

I have the paid stand alone Home version and can confirm it will continue to get bug fixes and such just not new features.

Desktop Asus TUF X299 Mark 1, CPU: Intel Core i7-7820X Skylake-X 8-Core 3.6 GHz, RAM: 32GB, GPU: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti 4GB. Display: Four 27" 1080p screens 2 over 2 quad.

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rick41

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The free version 8 runs out of updates Jan 1, I think.

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LHiggins, rick41

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I’ve been using Macrium as one of the free image backup programs suggested long ago by Ask Woody for the recommended approach to installing Windows patches.  I only use it for that because of the risk of OS patches leaving Windows unbootable or otherwise severely impaired.  I’m not sure I remember, but I think the other suggestion was EaseUS Todo.  To me, clearly the goal was to provide more than one choice.

I think it would be a service to provide updated advice for applying Windows patches wisely?

-Dave

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That’s exactly what the master patch list is all about.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Susan Bradley wrote:

That’s exactly what the master patch list is all about.

“Master Patch List” sounds like a list of patches approved for install plus information about patches not yet approved?  I’m interested once I know what patches I want to install, how to best go about that, including suggested free image backup software recommended.  Does the MPL cover that?  If not, is it covered somewhere else?  Is there perhaps an obsolete MPL to look at before having to commit to Plus membership?

-Dave

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commit to Plus membership

Come on in, the water’s fine.

Desktop Asus TUF X299 Mark 1, CPU: Intel Core i7-7820X Skylake-X 8-Core 3.6 GHz, RAM: 32GB, GPU: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti 4GB. Display: Four 27" 1080p screens 2 over 2 quad.

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MPL is an “install this, don’t install that” list.

There is plenty of discussion here about backup: https://www.askwoody.com/forums/forum/askwoody-support/backup/

Plus membership is very cheap and very worthwhile. No downside!

cheers, Paul

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The work that this site does to track and report Windows Update issues makes Plus membership a bargain!  Add to that the other resources that it makes available (e.g., Q&A with an informed community, knowledge base, etc.) and membership yields dividends.

I’ve spent a lot more and received a lot less for other things compared to Plus membership.

And no, I’m not affiliated with the site or its management and these unsolicited opinions are my own.

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windbg, opti1, Cybertooth

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Since  @Imacri’s post and the last previous post to this one Major Geeks updated their download for Macrium Reflect Free to versions 8.1.7784 / 8.0.7783 with date 12/01/2023:

They also added the Home version(s) since the last time I was on that page. What is the difference between the Home version and the ‘non-Home’ version of MR Free?

I had assumed that MR Free could be downloaded once and then subsequently be moved from PC to PC as needed, or even multiple copies made of the downloaded file and installed on different PCs at the same time. Is this not correct?

Why I am asking – I have the paid Home edition with all four licenses being used. I would like to also have a copy of the Free edition to use when I am transitioning from one of the existing PCs and temporarily need a fifth copy of MR for initial setup on the new PC. Does MR Free allow this?

Thanks!

 

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opti1 wrote:

… Major Geeks updated their download for Macrium Reflect Free to versions 8.1.7784 / 8.0.7783 with date 12/01/2023…They also added the Home version(s) since the last time I was on that page. What is the difference between the Home version and the ‘non-Home’ version of MR Free?

Hi opti1:

I’m guessing the new download links for the “Home” edition of Macrium Reflect on the MajorGeeks site are intended for users who want to install the Reflect 8 Home edition (i.e., the paid version of Macrium Reflect for home users). Here’s an old image I captured in November 2021 that shows that there used to be a separate download button for Macrium Reflect Free v8.x on the Macrium download page at https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree that has since been removed. That’s why I now suggest that users who want to install Macrium Reflect Free v8.x download the installer from MajorGeeks at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html.

The comparison charts at https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree currently show the different features for paid versions of Reflect 8 Home (for home consumers) vs Reflect 8 Enterprise (for business users). You can download a free 30-day trial of the paid Reflect v8 Home edition on that download page, but the section titled “What Happens When You Download a Free Trial” states that on day 20 of the 30-day trial of Reflect 8 Home that “we’ll send you an end-of-trial reminder with instructions on upgrading to a paid version and what happens if you choose not to“. That’s is rather vague, so I’m not sure if you will automatically revert to Macrium Reflect Free v8.x f you choose not to purchase a new Reflect 8 Home license after the 30-day trial ends or use a spare license to activate the product.

Also see the Macrium blog 5 Reasons to Upgrade to Macrium Home Edition. The most important difference between Macrium Reflect Free v8.x and the paid Reflect 8 Home is that Macrium Reflect Free can do full and differential backups but cannot do incremental backups. Incremental backups are especially useful if you have a large volume of volume of files that are revised / added every day. See the TechTarget article Full vs. Incremental vs. Differential: Comparing Backup Types for an explanation of the different backup methods.

And of course, once Macrium Reflect Free v8.x reaches end of support in January 2024 it will stop receiving critical bugs fixes and security updates.

opti1 wrote:

… I have the paid Home edition with all four licenses being used. I would like to also have a copy of the Free edition to use when I am transitioning from one of the existing PCs and temporarily need a fifth copy of MR for initial setup on the new PC. Does MR Free allow this?

What exactly are you trying to do? For example, do you want to use Macrium Reflect to transfer personal data files (e.g., .txt, .xlsx, etc.) in your C:\Users\<yourusername> folder over to the new computer, or do you mean that you created a full disk image of your “old” computer that you created on an external backup drive with Reflect 8 Home and want to use that image to re-image the hard drive on the new computer (i.e., make an exact copy of every file on the old computer to the new computer, including the Windows operating system)?

Depending on what you’re trying to do, keep in mind that you always have the option of installing the free trial of Reflect 8 Home from https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree on the new computer that you can use for 30 days without a license.
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Imacri wrote:

I’m guessing the new download links for the “Home” edition of Macrium Reflect on the MajorGeeks site are intended for users who want to install the Reflect 8 Home edition (i.e., the paid version of Macrium Reflect for home users).

Thanks for responding. This is what I was thinking as well.

Also see the Macrium blog 5 Reasons to Upgrade to Macrium Home Edition.

Right. Once up to speed each new PC will get the ‘Home’ edition installed and the license from the corresponding old PC that’s going to be retired.

What exactly are you trying to do?

I prefer to keep Windows and software applications on the C: drive and data on the D: drive. So I will be making frequent images of the C: drive on each new PC as I bring it up to speed.

Depending on what you’re trying to do, keep in mind that you always have the option of installing the free trial of Reflect 8 Home from https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree on the new computer that you can use for 30 days without a license.

Yes, but I anticipate my transition periods will be longer than 30 days . . . 🙂

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I would like to also have a copy of the Free edition to use when I am transitioning from one of the existing PCs and temporarily need a fifth copy of MR for initial setup on the new PC.

I would suggest an alternate approach I’ve used for transitioning to a different machine.

On the machine your transitioning FROM, start your installed licensed copy of Macrium, then use the “Remove License” feature to free the license key.

Then install the Macrium paid version software on the machine you are transitioning TO and enter your existing license key.  I’ve done this and it worked perfectly.

It would seem to eliminate all the trouble of using a free version of MR, but maybe I’m missing something.

 

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Thanks for responding.

No, you aren’t missing anything. I had considered your ‘Remove license’ approach but I anticipate a transition period where both the old and new PCs will be running concurrently for a while. Installing the Free edition on each new PC as I bring it up to speed and then moving over the license from the corresponding old PC when I retire it feels cleaner to me.

 

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lmacri wrote:

That’s why I now suggest that users who want to install Macrium Reflect Free v8.x download the installer from MajorGeeks at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html.

Is the current Macrium Free Edition rescue disk iso from Major Geeks also acceptable and safe?  It is v8.0.7279, and downloads from mega.nz.

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opti1

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Download the file and then right click on it and select Properties > Digital Signature.
Check the signature is from PARAMOUNT SOFTWARE UK LIMITED and the certificate is valid.
If so, install. If not, let us know.

cheers, Paul

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rick41 wrote:

Is the current Macrium Free Edition rescue disk iso from Major Geeks also acceptable and safe? It is v8.0.7279, and downloads from mega.nz.

Hi rick41:

I would not advise downloading that old v8.0.7279 Macrium rescue media ISO posted on the MEGA site and I’m not sure why that link is even available on the MajorGeeks site. There are instructions in the Macrium knowledge base article How to Create a Rescue Media ISO Image File if you need to create your own up-to-date ISO.

I would also advise that you update all your rescue media after updating to Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 (released 01-Dec-2023) since the change log at https://updates.macrium.com/reflect/v8/v8.0.7783/details8.0.7783.htm notes that this version fixes a serious bug in previously created rescue media.

Bug fixes and Security Updates v8.0.7783 – 1st December 2023

Rescue Media

We have successfully addressed a longstanding issue related to the rescue media, rectifying the potential failure to auto-populate the ‘Existing Backups’ view. The root cause of this problem was identified as a change, made by Windows Update on some systems, to a GPT attribute setting that concealed the system volume at PE startup.

After updating to the latest v8.0.7783 I created new rescue media (i.e., my custom Windows boot menu option for the Macrium recovery environment plus my bootable USB stick) as instructed in the Macrium knowledge base article Creating Rescue Media.
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The latest Free version at MG’s is the latest, it downloads direct from Macrium and it’s digitally signed by them – all looks in order to me.

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rick41 wrote:

Is the current Macrium Free Edition rescue disk iso from Major Geeks also acceptable and safe? It is v8.0.7279, and downloads from mega.nz.

Hi rick41:

Just an FYI that I sent an email to MajorGeeks customer support yesterday and the link to that outdated rescue disk ISO has now been removed from the Macrium Reflect Free download page at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html.
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lmacri wrote:

Just an FYI that I sent an email to MajorGeeks customer support yesterday and the link to that outdated rescue disk ISO has now been removed from the Macrium Reflect Free download page at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html.

lmacri –

Thanks that.

Today I installed Macrium Free on 2 pcs, one with Win7 Pro and one with Win10 Pro.  Then I created rescue iso’s.  The resulting iso on the Win10 machine was about 1GB, which is what I expected.  But the Win7 iso was less than half that size.  Is that normal?  Don’t know if this matters, but the Win7 is MBR and does not have a recovery partition, while the Win10 is GPT and does have a recovery partition.

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The Win7 rescue ISO is smaller than the W10 one?
I see no issue as long as it boots and runs MR.

cheers, Paul

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rick41

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Coming a little late to this party – but will the Macrium Free download from Major Geeks remain free – or is this the trial that will need purchase after 30 days?

Also – which would I download from the choices at the top of their page – the 64-bit or 64-bit home version?

Thanks – and Happy New Year!

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Grab a copy of the free version from the link posted by Imacri and save it locally just in case it is removed later. There seems no reason to think it won’t continue work.

cheers, Paul

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LHiggins

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Thanks Paul!

Hopefully it will keep working. I have Macrium 7 on my one laptop that I’d like to replace with version 8, but really don’t want to get the paid version. It’s a Win 10 Pro, 64-bit HP Envy laptop, and I just thought maybe I should try version 8 before I can’t get a free version anymore.

 

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LHiggins wrote:

…Also – which would I download from the choices at the top of their page – the 64-bit or 64-bit home version?

Hi LHiggins:

Use the 64-bit link shown below, which downloads the reflect_setup_free_x64.exe installer for Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.x (currently v8.0.7783).

As far as I know the 64-Bit Home link that downloads reflect_home_setup_x64.exe is the installer for the 30-day free trial of the paid edition of Reflect 8 Home (currently v8.1.7748) that is also available at https://www.macrium.com/products/home.  However, if you download the installer for trial version from the Macrium site you will be asked to create a Macrium account before you can start the download.
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LHiggins

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Great – thank so much!

And one other question – can the new Version 8 be installed on the same laptop that currently had Version 7? Will the new version delete the old one, or will both be available. I have several Version 7 backups that I’d like to have still working and didn’t want downloading and installing Version 8 to affect those in any way.

Thanks again for the help. Happy New Year!

 

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LHiggins wrote:

… can the new Version 8 be installed on the same laptop that currently had Version 7? Will the new version delete the old one, or will both be available.

Hi LHiggins:

I suspect that if you download and run the reflect_setup_free_x64.exe installer from MajorGeeks that it will detect that you already have Macrium Reflect Free v7.3.x installed on that machine and will perform an over-the-top upgrade to Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.x (i.e., you will have just the single installation).

I’m not certain because I (eventually) accepted the automatic upgrade from Macrium Reflect v7.x to v8.x that was handled by the built-in updater (Other Tasks | Check for Updates).  I started seeing the prompt shown below to upgrade to v8.0.x when I launched v7.3.6284 on 06-Nov-2021, and I kept clicking “Later” at each launch until I was ready to proceed with the upgrade from v7.3.6391 to v8.0.6392 on 06-Jan-22 and clicked “Now”.

LHiggins wrote:

I have several Version 7 backups that I’d like to have still working and didn’t want downloading and installing Version 8 to affect those in any way.

That shouldn’t be a problem.  I updated my emergency rescue media (i.e., my Windows boot menu and bootable USB stick) at Other Tasks | Create Rescue Media after upgrading to Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.x as a precaution but the image above notes that “Upgrading to v8 will retain all settings and image data” and my transition from v7.3.x to v8.0.x was  seamless – v8.0.x was able to recognize the full disk images I had previously created with v7.3.x that were saved on my external backup drive.
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Thanks! I made a backup of everything and a restore point, so I guess if something goes really wacky I can always roll back.

Good to know that the backup images can be read by Macrium 8 even if created in Version 7. I will make a new rescue media and boot disk once it is all working.

My concern was that since Version 7 is free and is working, I didn’t want to do the Version 8 upgrade and then end up needing to actually pay for it after 30 days.

I wonder if I can install it in a different folder – or on the other drive – that laptop has 2 drives – so that it is an independent install. Or can it be downloaded and run from a USB drive as a portable app I wonder.

Thanks again for the help! Will let you all know how it goes.

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Just a quick update. As figured, it did overwrite my old Version 7 with the new Version 8. I ran a backup and it worked fine, and created the rescue USB, so all seems good to go.

Hopefully in 30 days Macrium won’t be asking for an upgrade to the paid version.

Thanks for all of the help!

Happy 2024!!

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I am sorry to inform you that after 30 days it will be asking for a paid upgrade, unless you have bought a v7 license on or after 15th November 2020 in which case the upgrade is free (see this page). If you do not have a license for v8 it will fall back to restore only functionality after 30 days. If that is the case and you do not want to pay for the upgrade, it might be better to now restore an image that contains your system when v7 was still installed, in order to avoid the situation where you can only perform restores or having to restore the image containing v7 at that moment and then having to again apply all the changes that have been made since the date of the image.

The only way to upgrade to v8 free is to use the latest v8 Free installer, which can also be downloaded directly from Macrium as described in this post. Unfortunately it is not possible to install an older version on top of a newer version, therefore it is not possible to install v8 Free on top of your current v8 trial, because your trial version is a higher version than the latest free version. The only way to do that is to uninstall Macrium keeping all settings (you can choose this after starting the uninstall process), reboot and then install the latest Free version. This might be another route you could choose, but it is more cumbersome in my opinion. Personally I would choose to restore the latest image with v7 installed and then upgrade to v8 free using the latest v8 Free installer.

 

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LHiggins

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Pim wrote:

I am sorry to inform you that after 30 days it will be asking for a paid upgrade… Personally I would choose to restore the latest image with v7 installed and then upgrade to v8 free using the latest v8 Free installer.

Hi LHiggins:

Before you make any further changes go to Other Tasks | Check for Updates and ensure your current installation is fully patched. If the reflect_setup_free_x64.exe installer for Macrium Reflect Free (i.e., not the reflect_home_setup_x64.exe installer for Reflect 8 Home) that you downloaded from MajorGeeks worked correctly then the top banner of your Macrium Reflect interface should say “Macrium Reflect Free” and show that you have v8.0.7783 as shown below.

If you have v8.1.7784 after patching then Pim is correct and you have upgraded to the 30-day trial of the paid version of Reflect 8 Home.
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Well, the possibility of reverting to a paid version did have me going for a bit – LOL! Thanks for the clarifications.

I checked my install and I have what Imacri showed above.

I used the reflect_setup_free_x64.exe installer, (from Major Geeks, not the Home installer) followed the directions at Major Geeks for getting the free version (To get to the free version. During installation, you need to check personal use > and agree to use the software only for personal, non-commercial purposes. Then, you will need to uncheck register this installation of Macrium Reflect) and my version does say Macrium Reflect Free version v8.0.7783. The info detail page also looks like this:

Right after I installed it, I did check for updates, and it said none were available.

This all matches what I also have on my Thinkpad which has been running Macrium V8 Free for over a year.

So, I think this all looks OK and I don’t need to revert back to V7? Hopefully I won’t be surprised at the end of the month – but it seems if my Thinkpad hasn’t tried to revert to the Home version, and this one is not the same as that – it should be good to go?

Thoughts?

And thanks for the info and help!

LHiggins

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lmacri

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Hi LHiggins. You are all set. I was under the impression that you had installed the trial version to upgrade to v8, because you mentioned being afraid it was going to ask for a paid upgrade which will never happen if you install Free. My bad and my apologies, I should have read Imacri’s post a bit better. I wanted you to avoid falling into the trap assuming that the trial version reverts to free, which it used to do, but which it does not do anymore. I sometimes still see confusion about that.

 

 

 

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LHiggins

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Hi Pim,

No worries – I appreciate the heads up in case there was a possible issue. I’m glad it all looks OK and I am not going to check for any additional updates just in case.

Yes, I was concerned about the free vs trial version issue and possibly having to pay later on. Glad that won’t happen.

Thanks again for your input – always welcome!

Have a great day!

Lily

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LHiggins wrote:

… I used the reflect_setup_free_x64.exe installer, (from Major Geeks, not the Home installer) followed the directions at Major Geeks for getting the free version (To get to the free version. During installation, you need to check personal use > and agree to use the software only for personal, non-commercial purposes. Then, you will need to uncheck register this installation of Macrium Reflect) and my version does say Macrium Reflect Free version v8.0.7783…

Hi LHiggins:

Thanks for mentioning the instructions in the Editor’s Note at the bottom of the Macrium Reflect Free download page on the MajorGeeks site.

I hadn’t noticed those instructions before so I sent another email to MajorGeeks suggesting that they move that Editor’s Note up to the top of the download page at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html where they would be more visible (which they didn’t do).

The goods news is that I also suggested they create separate download pages for Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.x (still at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html as shown below) and the 30-day trial for Reflect 8 Home v8.1.x (now moved to a new page at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_home.html), which they did do. Hopefully this will make it less confusing for users who are looking for the correct installer for the Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.x edition that just reached end of support in Jan 2024.

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LHiggins wrote:

(…During installation, you need to check personal use > and agree to use the software only for personal, non-commercial purposes. Then, you will need to uncheck register this installation of Macrium Reflect) and my version does say Macrium Reflect Free version v8.0.7783.

From the wording of the installation dialog, I doubt that leaving the “register this installation” box ticked would require buying a license at some point (i.e., moving from Free to Home paid).  Registration was clearly labeled as optional for personal-use buyers, and rescindable.  That said, I likewise unchecked “register this installation” using a “why take even a small chance?” reasoning.  I just mention this in case someone out there left the box ticked and is thinking “Uh Oh…”  If so, they probably have nothing to worry about.

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rick41 wrote:

Registration was clearly labeled as optional for personal-use buyers, and rescindable. That said, I likewise unchecked “register this installation” using a “why take even a small chance?” reasoning.

Hi rick41:

I agree. The Macrium Reflect Free v8 knowledge base article Unique Registration Code states that “Registration is mandatory for business installations and optional for home users“, and as far as I know that is still true even though Macrium Reflect Free reached end of support in Jan 2024. When I upgraded to Macrium Reflect Free v8.0 on my home laptop last year I chose to register my installation in the setup wizard as shown below, but I think registration is more for Macrium’s benefit so they can track the number of home consumers that are using the Free edition.  So far they’ve never used my email address for anything other than to send my verification code to complete the registration.

When I go to Help | About Macrium Reflect it shows I am using a licensed version of Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783.

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Thanks everyone for the clarifications!

lmacri wrote:

The goods news is that I also suggested they create separate download pages for Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.x (still at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html as shown below) and the 30-day trial for Reflect 8 Home v8.1.x (now moved to a new page at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_home.html), which they did do. Hopefully this will make it less confusing for users who are looking for the correct installer for the Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.x edition that just reached end of support in Jan 2024.

Glad Major Geeks changed their posting so it is clear which is the free version, since I was confused at first.

As to checking or not checking the registration box, I removed that check as Major Geeks instructed, and my Help>About info page shows the same as Imacri posted above.

Thanks to everyone for the help in getting the right version installed – and all seems exactly as it should be! Much appreciated!

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Peter-B UK

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Shame that the free home user option has been discontinued as I’ve used it a lot and found it to be a very useful bit of software for cloning internal drive to a new external drive.

Don’t know if there’s any similar free alternatives?

Thanks

Peter

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Peter-B UK wrote:

Shame that the free home user option has been discontinued as I’ve used it a lot and found it to be a very useful bit of software for cloning internal drive to a new external drive.

You should be able to continue using Macrium Reflect Free. The post here  points to the Macrium Product Support Page which STILL states:

Can I continue to use Macrium Reflect Free?

Yes, you can continue to use the software in perpetuity, your license to use the software is unaffected.

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Peter-B UK, satrow

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You might take a look at Hasleo Backup Suite.

 

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Peter-B UK

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Plenty of alternatives.
Free Backup Apps

cheers, Paul

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NaNoNyMouse, Peter-B UK, Cybertooth

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very useful bit of software for cloning internal drive to a new external drive.

You may already know this, but keep in mind a “clone” is not the same as an “image”.

Cloning copies the source drive sector by sector and if source drive has sectors errors they get cloned to the destination drive.

To avoid this, make an image of the of the source drive not a clone.  Imaging captures all your data as a bit map without sectors, so when you apply this image the destination drive it’s free of sectors errors.

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Is this Free Macrium Reflect version 8.0.7783 from Major Geeks still functional with the current Windows 11?

I want to install it on a newly built computer later on.

lmacri wrote:

Use the 64-bit link shown below, which downloads the reflect_setup_free_x64.exe installer for Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.x (currently v8.0.7783). MajorGeeks-Macrium-Reflect-Free-v8_0_7783-Download-31-Dec-2023

PS: I also have a file copy of the MR Free 7 version which I utilize on Windows 10.  Would this version work on Windows 11?

Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2 and Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 (RIP)

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The answer is probably yes. Why don’t you try it and report?

cheers, Paul

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opti1

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Tex265 wrote:

Is this Free Macrium Reflect version 8.0.7783 from Major Geeks still functional with the current Windows 11?

Hi Tex265:

I haven’t tested myself on a Win 11 machine yet but the system requirements on the MajorGeeks download page for Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 at https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html state it is compatible with Win 7 to Win 11.

Be sure to read the Editor’s Note at the bottom of that download page which states:

“To get to the free version. During installation, you need to check personal use > and agree to use the software only for personal, non-commercial purposes. Then, you will need to uncheck register this installation of Macrium Reflect.”

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I’m running Macrium 8 on my Win10 22H2 and Win11 23H2 (and on Win11 on several I take care of). Works great so far. Haven’t ventured into 24H2 yet – we’ll see how that does eventually.

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Heck, I still running and installing MR V6 free on non-business computers works great right up to Win11 24H2! Don’t need all those fancy new features…

I’m actually installing vers. 6.3.1765 and it still will update to 6.3.1865 (last v6 version) when you do the first run.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Thanks all.   Is the consensus also that MR Free v7.2.4325 that I am currently using on Windows 10 Pro x64 is also still viable?  Will it make the Recovery Media on Windows 11?

RetiredGeek wrote:

Don’t need all those fancy new features…

Agree and v7 is almost 1/2 the size of v8 – wonder why?

Paul T wrote:

Why don’t you try it and report?

Anyone familiar with my posts/questions knows I’m as chicken as they come to “experiment” with my systems. I know enough that nothing gets completely removed/deleted out of your system once installed.  And I will need a working backup to initially make a backup to use a backup (if that makes any sense).

Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2 and Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 (RIP)

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V8 free works. Even if it didn’t it wouldn’t trash your machine.
Install V8, make an image backup and let us know how you went.

cheers, Paul

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Tex265 wrote:

Thanks all. Is the consensus also that MR Free v7.2.4325 that I am currently using on Windows 10 Pro x64 is also still viable? Will it make the Recovery Media on Windows 11?

And the answers to my specific questions are:  ?

And I can’t make a backup without an answer/resolution to my questions since this will be a brand new system that has no backup program.

Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2 and Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 (RIP)

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Tex265 wrote:

And the answers to my specific questions are: ?

Hi Tex265

Since I’ve never run Macrium Reflect Free v7.3.x on a Win 11 machine all I can tell you is that I upgraded from Macrium Reflect Free v7.3.6391 to 8.0.6392 on my Win 10 Pro laptop in January 2022 and the transition was seamless. The v7.x and v8.x interfaces were almost identical and v8.x also recognized the full disk images I’d created with v7.x on my external backup drive. All I did was create a fresh Win PE rescue media on a removable USB stick after the upgrade finished and ensured that my custom settings hadn’t changed (e.g., that Other Tasks | Edit Defaults | Updates | Hourly Background Checks For Updates was still disabled).

There is at least one advantage to installing Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 on your new Win 11 machine – you’ll receive an extra ~ 2.5 years of bug fixes and security updates released between the end of support for v7.3.x (May 2021) and end of support for v8.0.x (Dec 2023).
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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5487 * Firefox v136.0.0 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.25010.11-1.1.25010.7 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.7.167-1.0.5160 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783

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Tex265

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