| Developer(s) | Paramount Software UK Ltd |
|---|---|
| Stable release | 5.0.4196 / December 22, 2011 |
| Operating system | Window XP, Vista, 7, Server 2003, Server 2008 |
| Type | Backup software |
| License | Commercial Use Shareware Home Use Freeware |
| Website | www.macrium.com |
Macrium Reflect is a backup and disk imaging software program for Microsoft Windows developed by Paramount Software UK Ltd in 2006. It creates disk images and file backup archives using Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service to ensure 'point in time' data accuracy.
As of November 2011[update], the latest version supports Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008, both in 32- and 64-bit editions. The application has a VBScript generator that uses Windows Script Host WSH to enable system administrators to handle complex backup scenarios. Backup definitions can be saved as XML files for simple editing and re-running. Macrium Reflect also offers Windows Preinstallation Environment 3.1, and Linux based system recovery solutions.
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Macrium Reflect can create full, incremental and differential backup images to optimize speed and storage requirements. Data is compressed in real time using Abraham Lempel LZ based compression algorithms. Images can be mounted as a drive letter in Windows Explorer and restored using a custom Live CD.
Macrium Reflect can also backup files and folders into a compressed virtual drive. This can be mounted as a drive letter in Windows Explorer for file recovery using copy and paste. Full, incremental backup and differential backup files are supported as well as data compression.
The Windows System partition cannot be restored whilst Windows is running. To overcome this issue the PC has to be started with another operating system using a Live CD. There are typically three ways to do this:
1. A customized Linux kernel can be used to load the restore software and overwrite the Windows system partition. The Linux kernel is booted from CD/DVD and completely loaded into main memory. This enables any partition on local hard disks to be freely accessed for update. This is the option used by Acronis True Image Home and others.
2. Microsoft provides a cut-down version of Windows called Windows Preinstallation Environment or Windows PE. This also creates a Live CD but is proprietary and needs to be licensed from Microsoft before distribution. This option is used by the current version of Norton Ghost.
3. There is a "free to create" version of Windows PE called BartPE. This requires building the Windows PE disc from existing Windows system files. There are no licensing issues with BartPE as the required files are included with Windows. BartPE is only compatible with Windows XP and Server 2003 32 bit. BartPE plug-ins are provided by Acronis and other backup software vendors.
Macrium Reflect v5 offers Linux and Windows PE as standard.