How-To Geek

The point is that Macrium works.

I'm not drowning out alternatives, I'm reporting as point of fact. Don't break something that works or not broke in the first place.

But you have not given a viable alternative have you?

Why do we need untested and unreliable methods?

You certainly have have not given any that beats the systems we have in place.

So, you still with redo then?

The point is that Clonezilla & Redo work. As does PING. They are tested and reliable. Just because the people on the great HTG forum have not tested it means absolutely nothing. You are only a miniscule percentage of windows users in the world. You are not the end all, be all when it comes to knowledge. Have a little humility. I acknowledge Macrium works, I gave it a good test run. Why can't you do the same for something else. You don't have to like it, the acid test is does it do what it is supposed to do.

Just because you want to use one way does not make it better, right or more reliable than another. I would rather be flexible and be versed in more than one way to accomplish a task.

No I don't use Redo on my personal machine. I set it up for unsavvy computer users whom I have done work for on their machines, most of whom lost their OS and data because they don't image and back up. I make the bootable CD for them. When I return their machine I show them how to make and restore an image so they never have to lose everything again and pay someone to do what they can do themselves. Redo is perfect for these kind of users.

On my personal machines I use Clonezilla for imaging of OS partitions, of which I have Windows 8, Ubuntu 12.10, Ubuntu Development Release and Sabayon X. For my data which is on a separate hard disk I use rsync (command line) from linux to back up all my data to a third internal hard disk. And for redundancy I have my OS images on both internal disks (data and backup) and an external disk. I have my data on both internal data disks and an external disk. My OSs are on separate disk as well booting all of them from GRUB.

It's not about the others being wrong, its about AVAILABILITY OF SUPPORT...this is what we do, not confound the novice with excess choices. HTG support is too limited in numbers of knowledgeable people to cover all choices.

Hi presence1960,

I think things have gone overboard here from where i am sitting programs are programs they each will do different things. I think all Mike was trying to do is convey what most users are comfortable with. i think i could compare this to used car salesmen trying to pitch a kind of car that the customer would want with out knowing the person that they are trying to sale to. What i think that HTG does well they attract knowledgeable users that offer array of fixes to any OPS problems. No, i am not saying that you are wrong or right about this i just think it's a matter of taste.

John

I agree John. What irks me is Mike said other tried and tested software is not a viable alternative. That specifically Redo and Clonezilla are untested and unreliable. I just wish some people would check their facts before making unfounded claims. The other issue I see is closed-mindedness to an alternative way to accomplish the same task, which has been tried and tested, proven reliable by the rest of the computer community. just because those on HTG haven't used it or heard of it is no reason for scorn. This reminds me of a quote: There is a principle which is a bar against all information and will forever keep a man in everlasting ignorance. That principle is contempt prior to investigation.

Well, i can't speak for HTG as a whole but in my lifetime which i have been in the computer field for 20+ years i can honestly say that people who get used to a piece of software change won't happen unless the OS has a major upgrade like from 7 to 8 they are so used to working with said software that if it works for them why change? i myself like macrium because of ease of doing it with my disability it helps me to do images quicker.

I will not be told how to help someone who has a problem, unless my advice is incorrect or unsafe. Using a different software to accomplish the same task is neither. I would think a community would welcome and benefit from having as vast an array of options as possible. This will enable us to help more people and increase our knowledge and experience at the same time. For instance coming from linux (still active in ubuntu forums) I have never heard of Macrium Reflect. I did not write it off, instead I downloaded it and installed it. I tested the software for over a week. It works just fine. That is open-mindedness which is in stark contrast to the reception I received here.

Like Mike said why fix something that's not broken? Nobody said you are wrong or right like you said you was given a opinion about how you operate with different kind of software that 80% of the people haven't used and that's all right i have no problem with that. What i have a problem with is that though is you thought mike was belittling you and he wasn't. He was merely pointing out that the 80% wasn't going to switch from something that is working to a software that the OP will have to relearn the basics again and i can tell you the few of the 80% will stay with what they know and comfortable with. Not that yours don't have merit or anything i am just telling you what i think because i know the majority of the people here.

John