- Macrium Reflect allows you to create complete system images, including boot and recovery partitions, to restore your computer in the event of serious failures.
- The rescue media with Windows PE is essential for booting the PC and restoring images when Windows is not working or there are problems with the BCD.
- Mounting Macrium images as virtual drives makes it easy to recover specific files and use those copies to migrate programs and settings to another computer.
- Verifying, properly compressing, and storing copies on external media ensures that backups are truly useful when they are needed most.
When we talk about backups with Macrium Reflect, images, and restoration , we're really talking about having a lifeline for your PC: an exact copy of your system that you can bring back to life when something goes wrong. From a Windows 10 crash to a hard drive that decides to die on the worst possible day, having a well-made image can save you hours of reinstalls and headaches.
However, simply making backups isn't enough; it's crucial to understand how to create, mount, and restore Macrium Reflect images , which partitions to include (such as OEM, EFI, or MSR recovery partitions), how to use the rescue media, and how to resolve common errors like the infamous "Cannot open BCD Store" message or problems with the Windows PE Start Menu. We'll look at everything step by step, using clear and accessible language.
What is Macrium Reflect and why use disk images
Macrium Reflect is a disk image-based backup tool , very popular in both home and professional environments, and, along with tools like wbadmin, offers advanced recovery and automation options. Instead of simply copying individual files, it creates an image file containing the operating system, programs, settings, partitions, and data, allowing you to restore a complete computer to its state at the time of the backup.
The great advantage of working with images is that you can restore the entire system in the event of a serious failure : ransomware, a critical Windows 10 error, an update that prevents the PC from booting, or even a hard drive that has failed and needs to be replaced with a new one or a faster SSD.
In addition, Macrium Reflect supports incremental and differential backups , so you don't need to create a full image every time. Incremental backups only save what has changed since the last backup (regardless of its type), while differential backups only save what has changed since the last full backup. This saves you time and space. To better understand the differences and how to configure them, see the dedicated guides on incremental and differential backups.
Another strength is its support for different file systems, such as NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT , and the ability to encrypt images with a password . This allows you to save your backups to external hard drives, network drives, or even cloud storage solutions with added security.
Key functions: image creation, incremental backups, and rescue media
To get the most out of Macrium Reflect, it's important to understand its main functions related to imaging and restoration . The first is creating disk or partition images: you choose the disk or partitions, select the option to create an image, choose the destination (external disk, network, etc.), and launch the process.
In this process, you can decide whether you want a full image or a combination of full and incremental/differential backups . The full image is the foundation: a complete snapshot of the current state. From there, incremental and differential backups save only changes, significantly reducing the size and time of each backup.
Another vital function is the creation of Rescue Media , usually on a USB drive or DVD. This media includes a Windows PE (or Windows RE) environment with Macrium Reflect integrated. It allows you to boot your computer even when Windows fails to start, and from there you can restore a complete system image or repair certain boot problems. If you're looking for alternatives or complementary tools for managing rescue media and cloning, you can consult tutorials on RescueZilla.
The tool also allows disk cloning , useful when you want to migrate from a mechanical hard drive to an SSD while keeping everything exactly the same: operating system, programs, OEM recovery partitions, etc. Cloning copies sector by sector (or file by file, depending on the configuration) so that the new disk is functional and bootable.
Finally, Macrium Reflect includes advanced options such as verification of the created image , scheduling of automatic backups, notifications, and different retention policies to manage how many full and incremental images to keep.
Which partitions to include in the image: system, recovery, EFI, and MSR
A common question is whether it makes sense to back up the entire disk with all its partitions (including OEM, EFI, and MSR recovery partitions) or focus only on the C: partition, where Windows and the main data are usually located. Many users choose to back up only the system partition, but others prefer to make a 1:1 copy of the entire disk.
By including the OEM recovery partition, you're also preserving the manufacturer's tools for restoring your device to its factory settings . This makes sense if you want to be able to revert to that original state at some point, for example, to sell the device or to perform a clean reinstallation, just as it came from the factory.
In addition to the recovery partition, there's the EFI partition (on UEFI systems) and the MSR partition . The EFI partition contains the boot loader and the data necessary for the system to boot , while the MSR is used internally by Windows on GPT disks. Creating a full disk image by selecting all partitions ensures that the boot loader and boot structure are preserved correctly when restoring or migrating to a new disk.
Many users have performed full system restores of this type, transferring the image to a new hard drive or SSD , and the system has continued to boot without issues, even retaining the OEM recovery options. As long as you respect the partition order and take into account disk alignment (something Macrium usually handles well), you shouldn't have any problems.
Regarding compression, you can choose between a compressed or uncompressed image . Compression reduces the space occupied on the external drive, at the cost of slightly more processing time. Leaving the image uncompressed might give you more peace of mind if you suspect your hardware isn't performing optimally or you want to minimize any risk of corruption, but in general, Macrium's compression is quite reliable.
How to properly create a rescue medium with Windows PE
If you encounter errors such as " Windows PE boot menu is not installed " when attempting to restore from within Windows 10, it indicates that the Macrium boot component in the system's BCD has not been configured correctly. This menu allows you to select the rescue environment when you turn on your PC without needing to use a USB drive.
To fix this, one of the first things to check is that the rescue media was created correctly and that there are no problems with the BCD store . The BCD (Boot Configuration Data) store is the database where Windows stores information about boot systems and menus. If it is damaged, locked, or inaccessible, Macrium will not be able to add its boot entry.
In some cases, when trying to add Windows PE to the boot menu from Macrium Reflect, the message “ Cannot open BCD store ” appears. This can be due to insufficient permissions, a corrupted BCD file, or the system partition reserved for boot not being mounted correctly in Windows.
As a best practice, it's recommended to create the rescue media on a bootable USB drive and test it on the same computer: restart, enter the BIOS/UEFI boot menu, and confirm that the USB drive boots into the Macrium environment. This way, even if the Windows PE menu integrated into the internal hard drive fails, you'll have a fully functional backup plan.
Common errors during restoration: BCD, Windows PE, and boot failures
When you try to restore an image from your C: drive in Windows 10, the process may fail at a crucial moment, displaying messages related to Windows PE or the BCD Store . This usually happens when you try to launch the restore from within Windows itself, expecting the system to automatically restart into the built-in rescue environment.
If the error indicates that the Windows PE boot menu is not installed , the restoration will not complete because the system does not know which environment to boot into upon restarting. This situation can occur if the Macrium entry in the BCD was deleted or modified, or if there have been changes to the boot partitions.
The message “ Cannot open BCD store ” indicates that Macrium Reflect is unable to access or modify the boot database. This could be due to a corrupted BCD file, insufficient administrator privileges, antivirus or security tools blocking changes, or improper management of the system reserved partition.
In these kinds of scenarios, it's safest to use the USB recovery media instead of trying to restore from within Windows. Boot your computer from the Macrium Reflect USB drive, locate the C: drive image you created, and launch the restore process from there, correctly selecting the destination partition and verifying that the boot options are configured correctly upon completion.
If the system fails to boot after restoring the image, Macrium Reflect offers utilities to repair the Windows boot process directly from the rescue environment. This feature can regenerate the BCD and restore corrupted boot files, allowing the restored system to boot again.
Mount Macrium Reflect images to access files
One of Macrium Reflect's most useful features is the ability to mount a backup image as if it were a disk drive in Windows Explorer. This allows you to open it, navigate between folders, and copy specific files without needing to restore the entire system.
The procedure is simple: first, you need to have Macrium Reflect installed on the computer where you will access the backup . Once open, go to the Restore tab and choose the option equivalent to "Open a backup image or file in Windows Explorer."
Next, locate the folder where you have stored your backup, select the image (a file with the typical Macrium extension), and the program will show you the drives contained within that backup , for example, drive C: and other partitions existing at the time of the backup.
Upon confirmation, Macrium will mount the backup drive as a virtual disk with its own drive letter in File Explorer. In a matter of seconds, you'll be able to see all your folders and files exactly as they were when you created the image, and you'll be able to drag and drop documents, photos, or any other data onto your current computer.
This is perfect if you only need to recover a few specific files and a full system restore isn't worthwhile. It's also very useful for quickly checking the contents of an old backup before taking more drastic measures.
Restore programs, profiles, and settings on another computer
Creating a system image is great for recovering stray data, but sometimes you want to transfer your programs, profiles, emails, and settings to a completely different computer, for example, when upgrading your system. Directly restoring from an image to different hardware isn't always ideal, because Windows might not be compatible with the new hardware.
In these cases, you can use migration solutions that work with the mounted Macrium Reflect image and automatically transfer applications, settings, user accounts, system customizations, and files. The idea is to treat the Macrium image as if it were "another hard drive" from which everything necessary is extracted. If you need guides for migrating data between computers, check out tutorials on migrating email and data.
The typical workflow is: on the new computer, you install Macrium, mount the image of your old system, and then run a professional migration tool that detects the backup virtual drive as the source . From there, you can choose whether to move everything or filter which programs, profiles, or folders you want to move.
This approach has the advantage that you don't need to restore the entire image on the new PC, avoiding many of the driver and hardware compatibility issues . You keep your applications, settings, and data, but on a fresh Windows installation adapted to the new machine.
For users who change computers and want "everything to be as it was before" without spending days reinstalling programs, configuring the desktop and recovering emails, this type of migration supported by Macrium Reflect images can be a real lifesaver.
Best practices: verification, compression, and storage of copies
To ensure your backups with Macrium Reflect are truly reliable, it's advisable to follow a series of best practices when creating and managing images . The first is to enable image verification after the backup is complete: Macrium checks that the file is not corrupted and that all data blocks can be read correctly.
Another recommendation is to define a backup strategy that combines a periodic full image (for example, once a month) with more frequent incremental or differential backups (weekly or daily, depending on the volume of changes and how critical your system is).
Regarding compression, it's common to use a standard compression level , which significantly reduces file size without significantly impacting performance. Leaving the image uncompressed might make sense if you have plenty of storage space and prefer to reduce CPU load during backup, but in most cases, compression is the better option.
Don't forget the basic rule of any backup policy: store copies on an external drive or a different drive than your main one. A dedicated USB hard drive, a NAS network drive, or even cloud storage (using backup folder synchronization) are all reasonable options to avoid losing everything if your PC suffers a disaster.
Finally, it's highly recommended to periodically test the rescue media and the integrity of the images : boot from the Macrium USB drive, check that the backups are detected, and, if possible, perform a test restore on a secondary drive. It's better to discover problems in a simulation than when you actually need the backup.
Understanding Macrium Reflect's capabilities for creating, mounting, and restoring images makes all the difference between a controlled scare and a complete disaster when your computer fails. By carefully managing which partitions you include, creating a functional recovery medium, monitoring for potential BCD or Windows PE errors, and taking advantage of the image mounting option to recover specific files or migrate to another PC, you transform your backups into real insurance, not just a simple "just in case" measure that you never know will work.
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