Macrium Reflect Free: Create a disk image without rebooting

by Brad Linder Jun 10th 2008

There are a couple of ways to backup your computer. You could perform regular backups of your important files and data so that you can restore them if your goes kaput and you have to build a new system or reinstall the operating system and programs from scratch. Or you can create a complete disk image that you can use to restore your computer to exactly the state it was in the moment you created the backup.

While there are plenty of free utilities for performing both types of backup, most free disk imaging software requires you to reboot your computer and load Linux or simplified version of Windows to complete the image. That means you can't create your backup while you're using your PC to do other things. But Macrium Reflect Free Edition lets you create an image of your Windows system while using Windows.

Macrium Reflect comes in 32 bit and 64 bit versions and is compatible with Windows XP and Vista. You can image a complete disk or just individual partitions. And you can save your images to a local hard drive, network drive, or optical disc. You can also schedule backups and create restore discs using Linux or BartPE.

We were able to backup a partition with 12GB of data in just about 16 minutes. Since Macrium Reflect lets you create compressed backups, the image weighed in at just 8GB.

There are some features that you can only access by paying $40 for a fully licensed copy of Macrium Reflect, including Windows Server 2003 compatibility, differential and incremental backups, and the abililty to backup and restore individual files and folders. But the free edition is still pretty useful and provides an easy to use alternative to previously mentioned DriveImage XML.

Tags: backup, image, macrium, macrium-reflect

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

mtbiker said 8:07AM on 6-11-2008

DriveImage XML does this too - for free. I've used it a number of times, last time to back up an Asus eeePC to an iPod. Very flexible, free and easy to use.

Ian Tammy said 8:07AM on 6-11-2008

But DriveImage XML doesn't work with Vista. It relies on a BartPE plug-in for system recovery. This is not compatible with Vista or 64 bit Windows!

mtbiker said 8:07AM on 6-11-2008

Well I stand corrected then. If you're using XP, DriveImageXML (reviewed here 2 years ago) works a treat.

Ken said 10:50AM on 6-11-2008

Thanks, this will prove useful, i was looking for something like this better than DriveImage XML. I find driveimage to be a little slow. I don't mind paying $40 for the additional feature. Better than software like acronis for $1,000. What a rip off!

Steve said 8:50AM on 6-15-2008

Excellent product.
Macrium Reflect is simple and easy to use. Install it and start backing your system up in just a few minutes. The wizards guide you through the simple steps without you having to read loads of manuals etc.

Featured Time Waster

Civiballs is a beautiful, soothing physics puzzle Time Waster

I have an absolute weakness for physics games, and while Civiballs isn't the strongest physics-based game, what it lacks in the physics department it makes up for a few times over in style and fun.

In Civiballs, you are presented with a few colored balls, and your goal is to get those balls into the same-colored urn on the level. The "civi" part of Civiballs is that there are 3 sets of levels to play, each representing a different civilization. While the civilization doesn't affect gameplay, the artwork for each level is beautifully themed to it's appropriate era.

To play the game, you are given only one tool - a sword with which to cut the chains that are holding the balls. The puzzle part of the game is in figuring out what order, and with what timing to cut each chain. Do it right, and all the right balls end up in the right urns, with no stray balls entering an urn (a no-no). Do it wrong, and you get to start over again.

Civiballs is not terribly deep on gameplay; the entire game can be completed in about 15 minutes. But if you enjoy this type of game, it will be a very enjoyable 15 minutes.

View more Time Wasters