[NAME] Wales  , Here are the Macrium Reflect Tips you requested. It's a portion of a text file I keep. I most mostly written for v7.x, but also works for v8.x. Macrium Reflect Notes (by Tesla1856) [URL] My Required Backup Imaging Features (and compatibility)- Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11- Support for Legacy, UEFI, SecureBoot, MBR/GPT, etc.- Clone a large disk (with free space) to a smaller disk (ie large HDD to smaller SSD).- Bare-Metal Backup and/or Restore (in this case, via WinPE USB-Flash Boot)- Verify Image file(s) immediately after creation * All above Requirements are met with Macrium-Reflect Free v7.x (and still with v8.x )- This free-version also does Differential backups (after or based-on a Full-Backup). Usage Notes:=========== Macrium Reflect 7.x will properly Image system , even if SecureBoot is enabled. I suggest you always use "Verify Image After Creation" option. Macrium Reflect will Restore Image to a blank "bare metal" system, even if SecureBoot is On. (with Macrium-Reflect Rescue USB Media via Win-RE).It is advisable to use the machine's same BIOS options as when it was created. In Windows-10/11, running msinfo32 is how you know if SecureBoot is really working in OS. Install:-------Use Download-Agent to Download current installer - Macrium Reflect Free (64bit/UEFI) v7.xNote: PE Components are NOT required any more (you can get them later)Unblock .exe file. Run to install locally on Windows-PC. After Install, I usually disable New Version checks.If wanting to do an Upgrade with an Installer file, see section below. Create Rescue Media (USB flash drive):------------------------------------ Notes:- Any flash-Drive used should be erased/cleaned and partitioned/formatted with DiskPart first (SEE BELOW)- - If you do not, the Rescue Disk will not actually write/create/boot (trust me).- Starting with v7.2.x , you can also create either Win-PE or Win-RE based media. For now, I create both.- - It looks like the difference is that RE also supports WiFi.- - Usually, a (PE-based) Rescue Disk created on old-computer will also work on the new computer- The written files for Rescue Media drive vary. 2gb flash-drive should be sufficient for all PE and RE versions.- - Typically, I use blank small 2gb, 4gb, or 8gb flash-drives to create them.- IMPORTANT - Test any created by booting a machine with it.- - On a Dell, you press F12 on boot to get to the Dell One-Time-Boot menu. Select the USB-Flash-Drive. Win-PE USB Boot- Created to support Windows-10 (64bit) on various machines. - One Win-PE Rescue Media works for both MBR (Legacy BIOS) as well UEFI systems.- Start Macrium Reflect. From the main-menu, start Rescue Media Creator.- Select your USB-Flash drive - Select the check-box at the bottom to "Enable multi-boot on MBR/UEFI"- Click Advanced. Select Windows 10 PE, 64bit, C-Drive (only these usually)- Click Build button (it will download fresh PE files directly from Microsoft if you allow it)- It will build the WIM file, and then write to USB-drive.- At the end, you will get a message-box that says it has been written.- You can add a root folder on the Flash drive, and place the main installer and any notes inside.- Properly Eject newly created drive. TEST IT. Yes, it boots and works on my (Legacy-BIOS MBR-based) Aurora-R1. - This was Macrium Reflect v7.2.4601 and Windows-10 Pro 64bit v.1809Later (on different computer) created another with Macrium Reflect v8.0.6635 and it was PE-11 (64-bit)Win-RE USB Boot (Yes, new Rescue Environment support) - Created to support Windows-10 (64bit) on various machines. - One Win-RE Rescue Media works for both MBR (Legacy BIOS) as well UEFI systems.- Start Macrium Reflect. From the main-menu, start Rescue Media Creator.- Select your empty USB-Flash drive - Select the check-box at the bottom to "Enable multi-boot on MBR/UEFI"- Click Advanced. Select Windows RE, 64bit, Add WiFi support, Copy WiFi-Profiles, C-Drive- Click Build button (no extra downloading on this one)- It will build the WIM file, and then write to USB-drive.- At the end, you will get a message-box that says it has been written.- You can add a root folder on the Flash drive, and place the main installer and any notes inside.- If named "MACRIUM_PE" you can rename it to MACRIUM_RE"- Properly Eject newly created drive. TEST IT. The one I created was made with Macrium Reflect v7.2.4601 and the system was running Windows-10 Pro 64bit v.21H1- Yes, it boots and works on my (Legacy-BIOS MBR-based) Aurora-R1 (you can see the saved backup-images)- Yes, it also boots (UEFI-BIOS GPT-based) Aurora-R6 (you can see the saved backup-images) Upgrading to a new version:-------------------------- If already installed, you can do a quick-upgrade to latest version of this point-release (to latest version of v7.x for example)USB Flash-drive Rescue Media: Erase, re-create, and test it. You can also download the Downloader, and then save the Installer (and the latest PE files). YOU CAN also use an old installer-file to upgrade an existing-installed version, to this installer's version.You install it right over the old version. All settings stayed on v6-to-v7 upgrades.Remember to turn-off Update Check again. This is why it is important to keep the old-versions (that ended-up being good/stable).Also, it's matching pe*.zip files (or at least a created flash-drive with this PE/RE). -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Preparing a USB stick for Windows PE Created by Sarah Pineger, last modified by Macrium Software on May 21, 2015 To use a USB stick as a boot device, Windows requires a Master Boot Record (MBR) however some USB sticks are shipped without one and with just a single partition. The USB stick, therefore, needs formatting but the standard Windows format option does not prepare the disk correctly as it does not create a master boot record. You therefore need to prepare the USB stick using other tools, for example, Windows diskpart. 1.Start an elevated command prompt. See Running an elevated command prompt for more information. 2.Type: diskpart 3.Type: list disk4.Identify the disk number of your USB stick. Note: Please ensure that you correctly identify your USB stick. 5.Type: select disk  Where is the number of the disk previously identified as being the USB stick. Confirm that the current disk selection is correct by typing in "detail disk". This will show information relating to the currently selected disk.  5a. Type: list disk There should be an * on far left side of currently selected disk Note: Please be certain you have the disk selection correct before proceeding to the next step. 6.Type: cleanThis erases all data on the USB stick. 7.Type: create par primaryThis creates a primary partition on the USB stick using the maximum size available. 8.Type: activeTo make the primary partition active. 9. Since your system likely has GPT disks and uses the newer UEFI booting standard, type the line below: format FS=FAT32 LABEL="Macrium_PE" QUICKNote: UEFI booting requires a FAT32 formatted partition and will not recognize NTFS. 10.Type: exit (twice)Once the format command has completed, to exit diskpart and command-prompt ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Creating Image:- Normally do "self contained" Full Backups of whole C: drive or whole machine- Advanced Options - BE SURE TO Turn on "Verify After Creation" (check setting each time)- Leave recommended long name.- Save to external drive, in Folder like "Dell Inspiron/ Win8.1 Full Working/" ----------------------------------- Accessing the PE- Boot the Macrium Reflect flash-drive- After Macrium Loads, click the C:\ Command-Prompt button at the bottom.- Continue as above (like to run DiskPart) -------------------------------------  
[IMAGE]   Hello, I have a new XPS 8950 Desktop, and upon seeing the PC desktop lag and hesitate in certain instances (file explorer mainly), I looked at the Reliability Monitor in Control Panel of Windows 11.   Control Panel\System and Security\Security and Maintenance\Reliability Monitor I see many critical events listed.  Over 100 in 1 day, and occurring every day since machine was first booted out of the box.  Mostly tied to Dell Instrumentation or McAfee or Dell something or other.  Is this normal, and can anybody shed light on these?  I called Dell Support Plus tech support, and I got an agent that did remote pc, and insisted my machine is working normally.  However, he was unable to explain these events.  I am within my return period, and I will be returning this pc if I am not comfortable with it.  And, as of now, with over 100 critical events in reliability monitor occurring daily, I am not happy.     Hardware scan finishes with no errors.  Support Assis runs through and makes its automatic changes (like remove last access timer, remove temp files, empty recycle bin).     Please help, and thank you   DB    
XPS 8950, Windows 11 Reliability Monitor