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- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows XP/Vista/7
- Date added: June 22, 2010
- Total Downloads: 989,278
- Downloads last week: 11,159
- Product Ranking: #1 in Backup Software
- See full specifications
- CNET Community
- This product is on 16 member lists. Add to my list Add to my Watch List
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 265 votes
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CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET staff on June 30, 2009
Backing up your computer shouldn't be a tedious task. Macrium Reflect Free Edition makes file backup incredibly easy thanks to its intuitive user interface and helpful wizards.
Installing the program did confuse us a bit, because although it's a free program, it refers to purchasing the program, and you're given a confirmation number. On top of that, the program recommends that you view the online tutorials before getting started, but you might have some trouble deciphering them unless you speak Italian. Luckily, the built-in Help menu is more than adequate and written in English. The user interface is simple but professional in appearance. Intuitive commands line the top of the window, and tabs reveal options for disk images, partitions, XML definitions, and scheduled backups. A helpful wizard guides you through the process of setting up your backup. We were able to quickly select our backup location (local hard disk, network, CD/DVD). Before proceeding, it provides you with a summary of your backup so that you can see the backup type, destination, compression type, and password protection. Here is also where you can make advanced configurations to the compression levels and file sizes.
The program did slow our computer while it worked its magic, and we were unable to browse or work with other resource-intensive programs at the same time. However, we were able to watch the backup process, and the program successfully backed up our C Drive without a hitch. If you're looking for a simple but reliable backup program, we highly recommend Macrium Reflect Free Edition to all users.
Publisher's description
From Macrium Software :Macrium Reflect Free Edition. An award winning disk imaging solution for free. A complete disaster recovery solution for your home and office. Protect your personal documents, photos, music and e-mails. Upgrade your hard disk or try new operating systems in the safe knowledge that everything is securely saved in an easily recovered backup file. Macrium Reflect supports backup to local, network and USB drives as well as burning to all DVD formats. This version is for non-commercial home use.
What's new in this version:
Version 4.2 build 2733 may include unspecified updates, enhancements, or bug fixes.More popular Backup Software downloads
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User reviews
- All versions: 3.9 starsout of 265 votes
- 5 stars
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- 1 stars
- Current version: 3.6 starsout of 11 votes
- 5 stars
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- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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2 stars
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Version: Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 2733
"Backup is a dream; restoring is a nightmare."
Pros: Backing up is a snap, does whatever size harddrive or memory you want to do and is very easy to figure out.
Cons: The tutorials are pretty clear but not enough info is given for folks who don't have a traditional computer setup. I went to the Learning Area before doing backup but after being unable to restore, realized info is incomplete and insufficient.
Summary: I read the reviews, both from users and editors, and the tutorials and decided to use it prior to re-installing Win XP Pro on my "streamlined" desktop (no cd/dvd burner). Unfortunately, when it came time to restore my partition, the software declared my C: drive locked and would not allow me to restore. I followed the instructions for the free version (going into the Setup and changing the boot seq.) but was not able to get the software to recognize the backup image on my USB memory.
The screen shot of the choices for backing up your memory is inaccurate. It shows 3 choices for backup destination: Linux-based, USB and other removable media, and to a CD/DVD. However, on my just-downloaded and installed version, it only gave me 2: the Linux-based option (wasn't an option for me) or the CD/DVD option, which explained was for any other memory options at the same time. WRONG. My entire backup was a waste and so, 2 days later, I'm still d/l'g and reinstalling all the software I had before the reinstall. Luckily for me, the data I lost wasn't critical but I lost movies my husband and I had bought and d/l'd online to watch before he died, which I hadn't had the heart to watch yet ...
Moral: do a dry run on any backup software you're contemplating before making the leap. Reviews aren't always what they seem. -
5 stars
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Version: Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 2733
"Excellent program. Quick, powerful, reliable, intuitive"
Pros: everything
Cons: There is nothing I don't like about the product so do I have to find something I don't like in order to submit. Also only a day or two after downloading a simple update CNET expect me to be able to do an honest review
Summary: I am not going to submit any more reviews. Three places to make comments. Three errors. CNET's demands are ridiculous. Too many characters, too few characters. Obligatory entry of "cons". Do you really think we have nothing else to do except meet your demands?
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1 stars
Version: Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 2733
"boot disk will not CREATE backups"
Pros: it is free
Cons: no serious geek would ~ever~ clone a partition within Windows, so you need the FULL app on a boot disk. Here, the book disk is castrated and only allows 'restores' -- no 'creates'. Better off with free Linux partitioning backup/cloning cd's.
Summary: This is castrated freeware that no sysadmin or geek would take seriously. And since partition cloning is not something a newbie will be able to successfully pull-off (backing up, then restoring down the road, then updating their system from the previous clone status...) I have no idea who finds this useful. Probably newbies who think they are accomplishing something.
Furthermore, Windows 7 has full partition cloning built into it, so if I ~did~ want to backup within Windows, why on earth would ANYONE use a 3rd party tool when the built-in tool supplied with the OS will accomplish the SAME THING?
Therefore, as a FACT, this app serves no purpose for anyone with the skills to use it. Castrated boot disk is a non-starter. I can use free Microsoft tools if I want that workflow. -
4 stars
Version: Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 2733
"Has saved my bacon"
Pros: Great backup.
Cons: Having to make a new restore disk with each version.
Summary: I run several clean up programs and after running them I make a backup. When my system won't run right I just restore my latest backup. It is so frustrating when you install something new and it doesn't work right or it crashes your system. This has saved me from pulling out my hair and throwing my computer out the window. I highly recommend it to anyone. It does take some getting used to and a bit confusing for novices on how to use it. But once my friend who introduced me to it got me thru the first restore it is simple. I don't think I will be without it again.
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3 stars
Version: Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 2733
"Program finally worked after 5 attempts to save my sys"
Pros: The restore worked perfectly when it worked. For free its a good product.
Cons: I attempted to create a rescue disk 5 times unsuccessfully. I had no other options so I kept trying. Finally the disk created and I was a happy camper. Until I tried the restore. After 5 yes "5!" attempts to restore finally success. Same procedure
Summary: I would recommend this product If you don't have any other options. The restore should work from the windows boot screen without a disk, but you have to pay for that. After all the hoops Im back online. So Im happy. Thank you Macrium Reflect for the free lifeline.
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4 stars
Version: Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 2733
"It worked for me."
Pros: "C" hard drive quit but thankfully i had made a backup with Reflect on another drive. By using that back up and another operating computer I was able to clone "C" with ALL my 3rd party programs to a brand new drive, I lost nothing but some of my time
Cons: No problems
Summary: Price is right and I wouldn't be without it !!
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3 stars
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 2733
"Cloning not dependable enough for emergency backup"
Pros: It clones. No dragging & dropping manually.
Cons: These apps are all the same. They don't foresee problems. I know there are a lot of people out there in the same boat, with only superficial knowledge of computer architecture, things like 512 & 4096 byte sector, logical/primary drives.
Summary: Tips: Buy a good (like Scythe or Antec) $10-20 quiet (~800rpm) 120mm fan (slim one and/or bracket if space is an issue) and place it in front of your two or three 3.5" hard drives. Buy some rubber grommets & long screws for mounting a hard drive inside a case the way it's supposed to be mounted. A cool hard drive with some shock absorption even when the case is knocked stays working fine for years, as long as you don't kill it with software (virus, firmware updates, whatever).
There's lots of ways to cool & mount drives, depending on the kind of case you have but those are the cheapest/simplest and also best as far as cooling is concerned.
Use partitions to your advantage. A 20, 30, or 50GB C: (boot): is large enough for Windows. You might not even want to install some large utilities like virus protection directly to C:, as it slows down boot-up and hampers reliability. Install games, movies, etc to other (non-bootable) "drives" (partitions). If Windows ever corrupts, you're in a much better position to regain regular use.
To recover files if you do have them on a boot drive and it has corrupted/windows won't let you read/explore it use linux.
Linux can see Windows (fat/ntsf) partitions & files.
Download a user friendly linux like the latest Ubuntu (non-beta) or Ubuntu netbook (if you've got a small screen and don't want/need to constantly re-size windows), if you've got ~20GB free, a fairly new/powerful pc, and a want to relearn a new OS :-). Video card size & cpu speed isn't as important as ram. Xubuntu if you've got a slow pc.
If you just need to salvage files/folders and never use linux again get something barebones like tiny linux or puppy linux (4mb, 100mb). You can recover your files using these OS's, even from a cd or usb stick.
My personal opinion:
Forget clone drives for boot drives (only use for media, less chance of problems). Look up '5 Apps For Painless Windows Reformats' and get those types of programs for quick re-install of your OS & drivers which you don't have to "babysit". -
4 stars
Version: Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 2733
"Top open source program."
Pros: Does all that is says and more cleanly in a small package.
Cons: Does not have any.
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4 stars
Version: Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 2733
"Excellent but with caveats."
Pros: Remarkably fast,accurate backups,easy to use.
Cons: Has to be used with an iso convertor (Barts PE for windows) for restoring active partitions.
Summary: Excellent if you know how to!
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5 stars
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: Macrium Reflect Free 4.2 build 2733
"It works as advertised."
Pros: Simple to install, and to use. Made a boot disk flawlessly, and created and verified the backup file in short order. I'm quite pleased it.
Cons: It could be a little faster, but it meets my needs.
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