macrium reflect recovery cd (no cd/dvd drive)

[Cytherian]

^ Well, that sounds discouraging... I won't give it a try then!

Forget what I said about downloaded files being needed to complete a software install. I was on a different mental track... and looking back on it, it doesn't make sense (so no wonder why you didn't understand). When booted off of WinPE, it would only be for installing Windows, and as we all know the core files needed for networking are installed and then utilized when booted up into full Windows (not WinPE).

Anyway, a lightweight OS for Internet browsing purposes would probably be best with Linux.

 

[SIW2]

Yes, you can d/l premade linux live cd's .

You might get hold of a decent pe someone else has made, with explorer interface, sound, youtube video, etc. - but doing it yourself is a really major undertaking.

It is like building a small version of windows almost from scratch.

 

[Cytherian]

Thanks, SIW2. I'll keep an eye out for one.


Meanwhile, I used Macrium Reflect to create a Win PE + Reflect ISO disc. It was fairly easy to do so. However, I have some questions.

• Reflect had to download a WAIK ISO file in the process, totaling 1.75Gb. But the final ISO disc created is about 170Mb. Why was this necessary? Were certain files extracted from it?
• WAIK was installed on my computer. There's a "Windows System Image Manager" and a "Volume Activation Management Tool" shown. Well, I ran the WSIM and it looks a bit odd to me. There are window tiles for "Distribution Share", "Windows Image", "Answer File", "Properties", and "Messages". The File menu focus is on managing Answer Files. I don't get the sense that this is something a general user would utilize. Did Macrium Reflect need to install it and then run various scripts automatically, for creating the ISO image? Is there any point of leaving it installed, or should I just delete it, along with the KB3AIK_EN.iso?

 

[SIW2]

Vista doesn't have the tools included for mounting and handling wim files. Neither does XP.

Macrium , Easeus and others who offer to create pe will always download the whole thing.

Only about 130mb of those files are needed for the simple pe they make.

If you have WAIK installed - you may as well keep it if you have the space.

You can use that if you want to make any changes - add drivers - whatever.

Now you have it, you can play around with the wim macrium made.

Alternatively , store the k3baik.iso just in case you decide you decide to have a go at it in future.

It will install itself from the iso.

There is a lot of stuff in there for the deployment guys to create custom install.wims, which they can deploy throughout a whole bunch of pc's in a business, for example.

Hobbyist PE builders don't use those bits.

 

[Cytherian]

What would be some practical needs for playing around the the WIM that Macrium made? I did locate it... over in "C:\Boot\macrium\WAIKFiles\ISO\sources", named "boot.wim". I take it that this WIM file was used to create my recovery DVD. So, if I wish to have some other files stored on the created recovery DVD, I can update this WIM and add them to it using the WAIK management tool?


Also, while I have your ear, I'm wondering if I can take the full contents of the recovery disk and copy them to a disk partition I have defined, which also stores a backup image made with Macrium Reflect. If I then install a boot manager program, would it auto-recognize the presence of that WinPE environment on that partition? Obviously my intent would be to be able to boot off of this partition if something went wrong with my main operating system installation, without having to deal with external media.

 

[SIW2]

I can update this WIM and add them to it using the WAIK management tool?

That's the gist of it.

You only need to put the wim on the other partition. You can boot a wim off a hard drive. Easiest way is to use easybcd to add it as a boot menu entry.

 

[Cytherian]

You only need to put the wim on the other partition. You can boot a wim off a hard drive. Easiest way is to use easybcd to add it as a boot menu entry.

Ah, I didn't know that. VERY cool... and convenient. So all I need is my Macrium Reflect image backup file and the wim file present on the partition, and I can recover from that alone. Nice. Thanks!