I've created several images using "Create an image of the partitions.....restore Windows"

I've never paid any attention to the default storage location, because I can always find them in "Existing Backups".

For today's image, for the first time, I was asked to specify a file location.

I think the default was:

- C:\Users\<me>\Documents\Reflex\

I then created a subfolder using the default "<me>FileDefns".

After the job was completed, I could see that the image had been added to the Macrium interface in "Existing Backups".

I normally never use Windows "special" folders, such as "Documents", because they are too fragile and temperamental. But out of interest, I navigated to:

- C:\Users\<me>\Documents\Reflex\<me>FileDefns

That folder was empty, despite the fact that my file was in the Macrium Existing Backups list !!

In the "View" options for the folder, "Hide protected operating system files" was checked. As an experiment, I unchecked it. But that still did not show any files in the folder.

By this time, iDrive had already sniffed out the new file, because it was already added to iDrive.

I would be grateful for any advice.

At the moment, I'm planning to re-run the system image, and store it in AppData, because AppData is always backed up by iDrive.

Thanks

The program is called REFLECT not REFLEX, maybe you are looking in the wrong folder???

Additionally, the Documents folder is the default location for backup definition files, which are small XML files that store the settings of a backup job. It is not a default location for actual backups themselves. And in fact if your Documents folder is located on your Windows partition as is the default, then you would not be able to store a backup of your Windows partitions in that location, since you can’t store a backup on a partition that is included in the backup job itself.

In terms of where your backups are located, the left side of the Existing Backups pane is a list of all defined “Folders to search” — which you can customize by clicking the Edit button above the list. That will show all paths that Reflect is currently searching for backups to display in the Existing Backups view. So if you currently see the backups of interest in the Existing Backups pane, they will be in one of the folders listed in that “Folders to search” list. Reflect adds paths to that list whenever you send a backup to a new location, but you can always manually remove or add other paths as needed.

You can also find out where a specific backup was saved by checking the log of the job that created it. Those can be accessed under the Log tab; double-click the log entry of interest to see the log, including the destination file name.

I fhink @OldGrantonian is also mixing terminology when referring to the location of the repository of backup IMAGEs (i.e. large files containing the data that is being saved) and the default location of saved Backup Definitition Files (BDF) which record the information necessary to run a backup job (some users on this forum call them XML files).  That default location is in the Documents folder for the user, in a subdirectory called Reflect.  The files there are of type .xml and are not large.  They are a necessary if the user wants scheduled execution of backups.  If the backup image files are encrypted, Reflect saves the password in system-encrypted form in the BDF, so they should be kept in a relatively secure directory with access to the BDFs limited to administrators.  If you store them in a local directory that is part of a cloud backup scheme (e.g. Microsoft One Drive, or Google Drive, or iDrive) you might find there are conflicts with cloud sync software accessing the BDF files at the same time that Reflect is scheduled to use them.  BDFs are NOT NECESSARY to restore backup image files.  Some users unfortunately have chosen to save the BDFs on the same repository disk as the backups themselves.   This is the worst place to keep them, because a bad actor who gets access to the repository not only can get to the encrypted/password-prortected image files but also gets the BDF that contains the image file encryption password and can simply use Reflect and the BDF to access the image files.


L.W. (Dan) Danz, Overland Park KS
Reflect v8.1.7638+ on Windows 11 Home 22H2 22621.2361+  

+x

 

Drac144 - 24 May 2023 6:39 PM

The program is called REFLECT not REFLEX, maybe you are looking in the wrong folder???

You are correct.

I typed the URL, rather than copy-paste. I was under extreme stress at that time. In fact, when I look at my original post here now,I can hardly understand it. I'm surprised that anyone replied.

Anyway, all is back to normal.

Thanks

.
@jphughan said:
Additionally, the Documents folder is the default location for backup definition files, which are small XML files that store the settings of a backup job. It is not a default location for actual backups themselves.
---------------------------------------

My backups are stored on an external HDD, which is periodically backed up to a second HDD

@jphughan said:
In terms of where your backups are located, the left side of the Existing Backups pane is a list of all defined “Folders to search” — which you can customize by clicking the Edit button above the list.
-------------------------------------

When I opened Macrium, the entire lower right pane was empty - including the Folders to search.

My "problem" with Macrium is that I only use about 10% of the functionality (in terms of buttons or other items to click). So, if anything goes wrong outside that 10% - I'm lost. So, for me, blowing away the entire lower right pane was a big problem.

Thanks
.

+x

 

OldGrantonian - 4 June 2023 7:17 AM

+x

 

Drac144 - 24 May 2023 6:39 PM

The program is called REFLECT not REFLEX, maybe you are looking in the wrong folder???

You are correct.

I typed the URL, rather than copy-paste. I was under extreme stress at that time. In fact, when I look at my original post here now,I can hardly understand it. I'm surprised that anyone replied.

Anyway, all is back to normal.

Thanks

@OldGrantonian I think you are STILL mixing terminology and that makes your posts ambiguous about which files you are talking about.  I explained this in reply to your original part of this post (repeated below) .... Your latest reply (above) gives me the idea that perhaps you are NOT taking advantage of re-using the Backup Definition File to re-run a backup in the future, but instead starting from scratch defining which disks/partitions to back up and then executing the backup, in which case at the end of the wizard it asks where you want to store the BDF (not the backup IMAGE data itself; that specification of the target of the backup is early in the process.  If that is the case, it doesn't make sense for you to worry about where to store the BDF since you'll never re-use it.  But, in that case, you won't be able to schedule future backups which is what many other users depend on. PLEASE TELL US WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IN THIS REGARD. 

Here's what I said earlier which you have never acknowledged.  
Note: You will continue to be confused and will continue posting confusing information until you understand the following repeated explanation. 

I fhink @OldGrantonian is also mixing terminology when referring to the location of the repository of backup IMAGEs (i.e. large files containing the data that is being saved) and the default location of saved Backup Definitition Files (BDF) which record the information necessary to run a backup job (some users on this forum call them XML files). That default location is in the Documents folder for the user, in a subdirectory called Reflect. The files there are of type .xml and are not large. They are a necessary if the user wants scheduled execution of backups.

If the backup image files are encrypted, Reflect saves the password in system-encrypted form in the BDF, so they should be kept in a relatively secure directory with access to the BDFs limited to administrators. If you store them in a local directory that is part of a cloud backup scheme (e.g. Microsoft One Drive, or Google Drive, or iDrive) you might find there are conflicts with cloud sync software accessing the BDF files at the same time that Reflect is scheduled to use them. BDFs are NOT NECESSARY and are not used to restore backup image files. Some users unfortunately have chosen to save the BDFs on the same repository disk as the backups themselves. This is the worst place to keep them, because a bad actor who gets access to the repository not only can get to the encrypted/password-prortected image files but also gets the BDF that contains the image file encryption password and can simply use Reflect and the BDF to access the image files.

Also: you can stop creating new posts in different parts of the forum (Image Backups vs File and Folder Backups).  It's all one problem/topic, not something new each time.  


L.W. (Dan) Danz, Overland Park KS
Reflect v8.1.7638+ on Windows 11 Home 22H2 22621.2361+