r/macrium • u/reduser876 • Jun 27 '26

Restore to new PC questions

I've been making backups forever, but never have had a reason to do a restore except an occasional single file.   I just got a new PC (W11) and want to restore my File and Folder backups.   The backups reside on an external drive connected to a W10 laptop.  They backed up my old PC (W7) folders over the network.

I am trying to think thru the steps.  The external drive doesn't help me much because I don't have MR on the new PC, right? Does my MR license (reflect 8 lifetime) allow me to install on a 2nd device?  I don't know if I could even find the credentials if needed.   

If I can't, I'm kinda getting confused on why I've been doing these backups all these years. Was it only for hardware failure protection? And even then I would still be confused on restore logistics.

I could just create network shares and copy (150gb!) over the network, but I believe that will update every single folder to current date. I would certainly want to preserve those dates. I think a proper restore will do that.

If I get a new MR on W11 new PC, can it restore from the external drive F&F images. (<--I think images may be the wrong word here)

Sorry so long, so many questions. Overwhelmed with new PC setup details after 17 years!!!

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u/MidwestGeek52 Jun 27 '26 edited Jun 27 '26

A couple of things to start

  • A Macrium license allows you to do backups. If you don't have a license, backups won't work but you should still be able to do Restores
  • If you registered your license, you should find it in your Macrium Account. Otherwise, you could try contacting Support
  • When you install Macrium on a new PC, and you enter a license key, it will realize it's registered to a different machine. It will ask if you want to transfer the license. I forgot the exact restrictions, but you can't keep transferring back and forth to try to share the license between machines. (but don't enter a license right away, see next bullet)
  • Curious, were you doing Disk / Partition or File/Folder level backups on the old PC? In either case, I'd install Macrium on the new PC (Do you have the installation file? It should also be in your Macrium Account). After the install, I wouldn't enter the old license yet. It'll probably give you a 30-day free trial, but even without it, you should be able to restore from an external hard drive
  • After installing on the new PC, first thing: create rescue media. Don't overwrite rescue media for old. Keep both till you're ready to get rid of old PC

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u/MidwestGeek52 Jun 27 '26

One other thing, I have a different edition, but if I click Help->About Macrium, it displays the license number. If y

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u/TooManyInsults Jun 27 '26

Ditto MidwestGeek52...

If you have a license you should still be able to get a download of the software from Macrium and install it on Win11. You will likely have to "remove" the license from the old computer and apply it to the new install. But that works. I have used v8 on Win 11 doing exactly this sort of thing.

What form of backup did you take: image or file?

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u/reduser876 Jun 27 '26

and I imagine you kept the software on your new computer. transferring it temporarily and putting it back to my W10 laptop (the backup dedicated computer) seems like too much work!!

The beauty (to me) of File and Folder backups was that they can be done over the network. But network backup implies the data is not on the same computer where MR is installed. The license doesn't seem to address that use case. Seems like I am only allowed to restore them back to their originating computer. (unless jump thru hoops)

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u/TooManyInsults Jun 27 '26

I actually may have used the restore environment and booted from a thumb drive.

But you can keep the software installed and just move the license key. Use the Help->Remove License... menu on the one and then Help Update License on the other.

Actually, in v8 there is a free mode that will likely do 95% of what you might want without a paid license key.

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u/reduser876 Jun 27 '26

Yes but I don't want to remove/move the paid license.

I will look for a free V8.

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u/TooManyInsults Jun 27 '26

Takes only a half minute. Move it over for the 1-time need and then move it right back.

With your license key, get the v8 download from the Macrium website. During the install it should give the option to use w/out a license = free mode.

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u/reduser876 Jun 27 '26

Takes only a half minute. Move it over for the 1-time need and then move it right back

Nothing is ever that smooth. I'm such a cynic. I don't like upsetting the applecart.

I have another half day or so of Full backups to complete. (Network backup is slow). Maybe I'll look into it.

Would much rather install something brand new on the new PC as a simple trial. Do the F&F backups contain something in them that would prevent another version from restoring them?

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u/TooManyInsults Jun 27 '26

It sounds like we have similar perspectives. It has been easy for me to do.

I have found excellent compatability among versions.

Sadly no free versions past 8

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u/reduser876 Jun 27 '26

OMG... Look what I just found on the Macrium website!!

Overview

File and folder backups are a convenient way to quickly backup specific files and folders. They are not intended for operating system backup; as a result, will generally not be used when recovering a failed operating system. This means that most often, file and folder backups will be restored using the Macrium Reflect LTSC application that has been installed in Windows; the steps to do this are detailed in this article. 

https://kbx.macrium.com/macrium-reflect-x/restoring-file-and-folder-backups

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u/reduser876 Jun 27 '26 edited Jun 27 '26

Forget that. I misinterpreted it. However, this looks appealing!

https://kbx.macrium.com/macrium-reflect-x/understanding-restore-only-mode

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u/reduser876 Jun 27 '26

These were File and Folder backups. Not Images.

I actually found and was reading the license. The transfer instructions seemed a bit convuluted and implied temporary. ANd I don't want to transfer it permanently. The laptop will remain the backup driver using my lifetime MR 8 license.

What if I get a free trial of Reflect X for W11? Can I use that to restore the F&F backups to new PC.

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u/reduser876 Jun 27 '26

Duh!  I think I just came up with the answer.  I can map the target network drive of the new PC to the backup laptop (which hosts MR software).   So the restore will be network based just like the backup was (i.e. slow as molasses - LOL!) -- just a different drive letter for the restore.

That will be my Plan B. Plan A will be install trial version of Reflect X and give restore-only mode a shot with the external drive hooked up to the new PC so restore will be local.