Macrium Reflect - Free Replacement

[ComputerDave]

We've successfully used Macrium to create and deploy images of the Windows OS for a few years now. Now that their latest version is subscription-based, I'm considering moving on to something else.

1) What do you use?

2) I've thought it is unwise to use a general Win 11 image for both AMD and Intel machines. Instead, we usually make an image for a specific model of machine that we offer in the store, and then "stamp" that image on each new laptop / Desktop. Otherwise, when reformatting a customer's machine, we do it the long way with a Win 11 bootable FDD. Is this still best practice, or is there a new and improved way?

Thanks in advance for what I am sure will be excellent advice.

 

[Sky-Knight]

I haven't imaged a machine in years for the purposes of installing fresh Windows, the OEM licensing baked into motherboards doesn't officially support it, and that deployment method is technically a license violation to boot.

There is nothing an image can do that I cannot do with a powershell script, which is what I do now. Install Windows from USB stick, run script and I'm done faster than an image deployment in most cases anyway. Process is now hardware agnostic to boot, and the same play works on every device that crosses my bench.

Backup / Restore operations are all imaged based, and there is no such thing as a free product that services this need. Macrium turned into a subscription for a reason, they're just like everyone else in the space.

But if you really want a free imaging solution that supports programmatic deployment, you can always use Clonezilla.

Another option, that could be considered a more direct replacement for Macrium, but is also more powerful yet MUCH harder to use: https://www.urbackup.org/

 

[sapphirescales]

Active@ Disk Image has been extremely reliable for us. Literally thousands of image backups and restores with zero failures. It's cheap too. You can try the freeware version as it has the basic functionality needed to make disk images but you'll need to buy a license for business use. Still, at $49 or $99 depending on what features you need, it's an absolute steal. We've also been able to customize and brand it using Resource Hacker, though that's NOT officially supported by the developer!

 

[ComputerDave]

I haven't imaged a machine in years for the purposes of installing fresh Windows, the OEM licensing baked into motherboards doesn't officially support it, and that deployment method is technically a license violation to boot.

There is nothing an image can do that I cannot do with a powershell script, which is what I do now. Install Windows from USB stick, run script and I'm done faster than an image deployment in most cases anyway. Process is now hardware agnostic to boot, and the same play works on every device that crosses my bench.

Backup / Restore operations are all imaged based, and there is no such thing as a free product that services this need. Macrium turned into a subscription for a reason, they're just like everyone else in the space.

But if you really want a free imaging solution that supports programmatic deployment, you can always use Clonezilla.

Another option, that could be considered a more direct replacement for Macrium, but is also more powerful yet MUCH harder to use: https://www.urbackup.org/

So, if I understand correctly, this allows you to backup / restore images using powershell alone? I'd appreciate it if you could expand on that a bit more, because this sounds like using any imaging software at all is unnecessary.

 

[ComputerDave]

Active@ Disk Image has been extremely reliable for us. Literally thousands of image backups and restores with zero failures. It's cheap too. You can try the freeware version as it has the basic functionality needed to make disk images but you'll need to buy a license for business use. Still, at $49 or $99 depending on what features you need, it's an absolute steal. We've also been able to customize and brand it using Resource Hacker, though that's NOT officially supported by the developer!

Thanks for that suggestion! I'm on their website now, and you're right—the pricing is excellent compared to what others are offering. I'm definitely going to look into this.

 

[timeshifter]

Still, at $49 or $99 depending on what features you need, it's an absolute steal.

So the Business version can be used to image / restore lots of different drives and you're still license compliant as long as you only install it on one computer - i.e. a Windows to Go USB drive even?

 

[tf76]

Easy disk cloning and imaging | Rescuezilla (Clonezilla GUI)

Free bare metal restore solution with graphical interface on a live CD. Point-and-click to backup and restore an entire computer. Bare metal disaster recovery restores all programs, documents and settings. GPL open source.

rescuezilla.com

 

[sapphirescales]

So the Business version can be used to image / restore lots of different drives and you're still license compliant as long as you only install it on one computer - i.e. a Windows to Go USB drive even?

That's how I understand it, yes.

 

[NETWizz]

I liked Macrium Reflect 8 a LOT for my personal computers particularly the VSS backups are great, and it works well with Differential, Incremental, and Full.

I bit the bullet and upgraded to Reflect X from Relect 8, and now I am on the treadmill of paying each year, but 8 was abandoned and not supported, so it is not like 8 is going to be working well in three or four years. At work we use Veeam and it does okay. It is crazy expensive though. Also used to use Platespin.

Tempted to try Active if it does differential, incremental, scheduling etc.

 

[sapphirescales]

Tempted to try Active if it does differential, incremental, scheduling etc.

It does but only the professional version for $99. I think they have a trial though.