Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote:

> I personally had to opt-in my TPM to update to Windows 11 on my
> home-built machine. After I did and upgraded, secure boot was not
> enabled. However, I just turned it all on to run in enhanced security
> mode. I figured if they wanted a TPM for 11, I had better learn how to
> support it.

A TPM chip is not required for mobos that implement code for Intel PTT
(Platform Trust Technology). In the firmware of the mobo, the TPM chip
is emulated. PTT looks like TPM to the OS (geez, we're getting were
sentences are mostly acronyms). However, PTT does not require a
dedicated processor or memory.

My Asrock Taichi mobo has Intel PTT in its firmware, but it will support
a TPM module. There is a header to plug in a TPM module. If the TPM
chip is used, PTT is disabled/bypassed.

https://www.onlogic.com/company/io-hub/intel-platform-trust-technology-ptt-tpm-for-the-masses/

I'm still on Windows 10, because there's no bang-for-the-buck for me to
move to Windows 11, and there's crap in Win11 that I have no intention
to contend with. I'll wait to decide on Windows 12. In the past,
Microsoft has teetered on which versions of Windows have been accepted
en masse: Win11 - no, Win10 - yes, Win 8 - no, Win 7 - yes, Win Vista -
no, Win XP - yes. So, Win 12 might be a yes.

In BIOS, I disabled PTT, and there is no TPM module in the mobo header.
As a result, I never get offered an upgrade to Win11. It's an easy way
to block those pesky update lures.

On Thu, 7 Sep 2023 10:32:51 -0500, VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

> PTT looks like TPM to the OS (geez, we're getting were
>sentences are mostly acronyms).

AFAIC, TLAs are a PITA.

Yeah. My TPM is emulated on-die by the Intel i9 9900K. All I had to do
was activate it in BIOS. I don't think the discrete TPM market is viable.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> wrote:

> Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote:
> [...]
>
> [About Microsoft making changes to secure boot to combat BlackLotus:]
>
>> Thank you for answering that Macrium uses WinPE. I thought it did, but
>> wasn't sure. If that's the case, then I'm guessing this will come to the
>> PE image, and all that will be required is to create a new thumb drive.
>
> Do you use a supported (still in support) version of Macrium Reflect
> or the no longer in support Free version?
>
> If the latter, how will the WinPE component included in Macrium
> Reflect Free be updated? Microsoft can't do it, because they don't know
> (where) it exists and Macrium no longer provides updates.
>
> FYI, yes, I have an HP laptop and yes, 'Secure Boot State: On' (Don't
> know if it can be turned off.).
>
> [...]

When you generate the boot image for Reflect, the program gets the Win
PE image file for you. You don't have to figure out where to find it
which was the case when I used some other backup software that also used
the Win PE image for the boot OS. I can only speak to the payware
version of Reflect. Been way too many years since I left the free
version, not because the free version was getting phased out, but
because the free version didn't have features that I wanted (e.g.,
incremental backup, Image Guardian).

When I get an updated version of Reflect, I also re-create the boot
media (both bootable devices with Reflect+WinPE, and the .dat image file
you can select in the boot-time select screen). Should I hear that
Microsoft updated WinPE to incorporate their Secure Boot vulnerability
patches, I'll have to check with Macrium support if and when a WinPE
image has been updated to know when to re-create the boot device and
..dat file.

My recollection of the free version what it also had a feature to the
correct WinPE image (although I recall you still had to select the
Windows version for the WinPE image). Macrium made it easy. With
whatever I was using before, it was me that had to hunt around to find
the WinPE download, get it, and then point to it when having the backup
program create its bootable device and .dat image file. You didn't
download just the WinPE image file. You had to get the Windows
Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK), install it, and then point to it
for the old backup program to find the WinPE image. All that was
automated, and no ADK got installed, using Reflect, so I suspect Macrium
retrieves the ADKs from Microsoft, extracts the WinPE image files, and
has them available on their server for Reflect to retrieve.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/get-started/adk-install

On 07/09/2023 16:32, VanguardLH wrote:
>
> In BIOS, I disabled PTT, and there is no TPM module in the mobo header.
> As a result, I never get offered an upgrade to Win11. It's an easy way
> to block those pesky update lures.
It sounds that you are very clever here. Do you get many "pesky update
lures" if you don't do that?

On 9/7/2023 11:40 AM, Zaghadka wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Sep 2023 10:32:51 -0500, VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:
>
>> PTT looks like TPM to the OS (geez, we're getting were
>> sentences are mostly acronyms).
>
> AFAIC, TLAs are a PITA.
>
> Yeah. My TPM is emulated on-die by the Intel i9 9900K. All I had to do
> was activate it in BIOS. I don't think the discrete TPM market is viable.
>

I have a discrete TPM. It's a hood ornament on my motherboard :-)
I have it. so that if some yoyo decides it's "essential" next week,
I have one. I got caught on my other motherboard, not buying a TPM,
and now, they're no longer made for 20 pin TPM headers. This time, I
decided to "include one as a hood ornament", and see how it plays out.
The computer store, seems to have received approximately as many TPM
modules as they received motherboards from MSI.

*******

What backs up your fTPM, receives a couple sentences here. It
does not appear the SGX is involved (a deprecated and/or pinned off
feature on Intel CPUs). The followup to TPM is called Pluton (only
one delivered so far, in an AMD laptop chip for Zen4). Pluton was
designed by Microsoft. We don't know if Pluton is already a failure
or not.

https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/175749/what-are-the-functional-similarities-and-differences-between-tpm-and-sgx-in-trus

All of these "Toys" require scrutiny from the larger security
community, before they are "made real" in hardware gates and flops.
The history on the real level of security with this kind of
fluff, is just AWFUL. The best feature of them, was making
at least some of them so that they can be turned off. SGX being
the example (malware can get inside it, and you in effect,
can't get it out). Rather than leaving SGX in the Intel Ark page
for processors where it was deprecated, they simply removed the
line entirely, to avoid "embarrassment".

Now, if only we could unplug UEFI.

Paul

On Thu, 7 Sep 2023 17:48:14 -0400, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

>
>All of these "Toys" require scrutiny from the larger security
>community, before they are "made real" in hardware gates and flops.
>The history on the real level of security with this kind of
>fluff, is just AWFUL.

I remember when it was Palladium for NT, and everyone said "hell no" and
MS just kept bringing it back again and again. And now it's required by
Windows, in an attempt to override continued cries of "hell no."

This is being shoved down our throats. They're holding off activating an
update from May 2023 because they aren't sure what's going to happen. So
they're going to do it in stages on consumer systems.

That sounds like a very *bad* update. I feel sorry for the "insiders"
they're going to smack around first.

I think I'm just going to turn off secure boot entirely. I want to be
able to boot my Linux rescue disk again. It lets me do naughty things to
NTFS that Windows won't let me do.

Any caveats, or do I just choose "other OS" in the config screen (CMOS?)
and freedom? ASUS board.

I'm terrified of getting that secure boot violation warning again. I'm
literally afraid to turn it off.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

Simon Asks <invalid@invalid.net> wrote:

> VanguardLH wrote:
>
>> In BIOS, I disabled PTT, and there is no TPM module in the mobo header.
>> As a result, I never get offered an upgrade to Win11. It's an easy way
>> to block those pesky update lures.
>
> Do you get many "pesky update lures" if you don't do that?

Well, I've also disabled Windows Updates. When I'm prepared to do a
Windows update (save a backup image, have the time often needed for
recovery or issues), I re-enable Windows Update. It is when the Win11
update became available, and when MS decided to include me in their
phased out distro of the Win11 upgrade (not an update) that I'd see in
the WU wizard that Win11 was available. I don't want the choice to then
remember to ignore it. Many users see the notice, and figure they just
must have it. With PTT in BIOS disabled (or no TPM chip on the mobo),
what I see in the WU wizard it something akin to "Your computer does not
support Windows 11", and there's no way to accidentally okay the
upgrade. I don't want to fat-finger the wrong choice, and end up having
a Win11 install begin only to do an image restore back to Win10.

Note that when Windows Update is disabled that there are artifacts of
that decision. For example, when I look at the WU wizard to, for
example, look at the history of updates to Windows, I can't get there in
the WU wizard. Instead MS decided to punish me with "Something went
wrong. Try to reopen Settings later." I don't remember all the
artifacts of disabling WU, but it becomes obvious when Windows pukes on
something I want to do that MS deemed must have WU enabled. I do
remember that the MS Play Store app will abort with WU disabled. You
get a long-spinning rotating circle, and eventually a "Error
encountered. One of the update services is not running properly".
Diabling WU has the cost some conveniences are lost.

I don't remember getting any popup prompts telling me to move to Windows
11 although some users claimed that happened, and why they got suckered
into upgrading to Win11 when they has no such intent. I only remember
seeing the Win11 prompt in the WU wizard, but many users would interpret
the message as a requirement rather than optional. I suspect the popup
other users saw is the one shown at:

https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/167998-screenshot-2022-01-25-093513.png?platform=QnA

This wasn't when visiting the WU wizard to see Win11 was available to
you. It was a popup that appeared on the screen, and interrupted
whatever you were doing.

https://www.windowslatest.com/2023/05/15/microsoft-bombards-windows-10-users-with-full-screen-windows-11-upgrade-offer-pop-ups/

Note on that popup there is no Exit or Cancel object, just Get It, and
Schedule It, both of which means you are electing to upgrade to Win11.

Because updates can be downloaded in the background without ever
accepting them, they sit pending on your computer, and it only takes
tapping an install button to begin the upgrade. At one time, there was
no exit on this popup to opt-out of the Win11 upgrade. Ms added that
later. And then MS changed it to a tiny "Keep Windows 10" link that
they hope you don't notice.

On 9/7/2023 7:03 PM, Zaghadka wrote:
> On Thu, 7 Sep 2023 17:48:14 -0400, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:
>
>>
>> All of these "Toys" require scrutiny from the larger security
>> community, before they are "made real" in hardware gates and flops.
>> The history on the real level of security with this kind of
>> fluff, is just AWFUL.
>
> I remember when it was Palladium for NT, and everyone said "hell no" and
> MS just kept bringing it back again and again. And now it's required by
> Windows, in an attempt to override continued cries of "hell no."
>
> This is being shoved down our throats. They're holding off activating an
> update from May 2023 because they aren't sure what's going to happen. So
> they're going to do it in stages on consumer systems.
>
> That sounds like a very *bad* update. I feel sorry for the "insiders"
> they're going to smack around first.
>
> I think I'm just going to turn off secure boot entirely. I want to be
> able to boot my Linux rescue disk again. It lets me do naughty things to
> NTFS that Windows won't let me do.
>
> Any caveats, or do I just choose "other OS" in the config screen (CMOS?)
> and freedom? ASUS board.
>
> I'm terrified of getting that secure boot violation warning again. I'm
> literally afraid to turn it off.
>

To be honest, I don't know what the recipe is for a change like that.

I would think turning it off (by using "Other OS") would be simple, but
the order files get loaded in Windows might not be prepared for
something like that.

I'd keep a backup perhaps.

To really trash things, would take a TPM reset (while Secure Boot
is still selected), or, attempt to change the MOK. There may be a
BIOS screen for that. Linux used to prompt at one time, to
do something like that :-)

Paul

On Thu, 7 Sep 2023 20:58:47 -0400, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:

>On 9/7/2023 7:03 PM, Zaghadka wrote:
>> On Thu, 7 Sep 2023 17:48:14 -0400, Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> All of these "Toys" require scrutiny from the larger security
>>> community, before they are "made real" in hardware gates and flops.
>>> The history on the real level of security with this kind of
>>> fluff, is just AWFUL.
>>
>> I remember when it was Palladium for NT, and everyone said "hell no" and
>> MS just kept bringing it back again and again. And now it's required by
>> Windows, in an attempt to override continued cries of "hell no."
>>
>> This is being shoved down our throats. They're holding off activating an
>> update from May 2023 because they aren't sure what's going to happen. So
>> they're going to do it in stages on consumer systems.
>>
>> That sounds like a very *bad* update. I feel sorry for the "insiders"
>> they're going to smack around first.
>>
>> I think I'm just going to turn off secure boot entirely. I want to be
>> able to boot my Linux rescue disk again. It lets me do naughty things to
>> NTFS that Windows won't let me do.
>>
>> Any caveats, or do I just choose "other OS" in the config screen (CMOS?)
>> and freedom? ASUS board.
>>
>> I'm terrified of getting that secure boot violation warning again. I'm
>> literally afraid to turn it off.
>>
>
>To be honest, I don't know what the recipe is for a change like that.
>
>I would think turning it off (by using "Other OS") would be simple, but
>the order files get loaded in Windows might not be prepared for
>something like that.
>
>I'd keep a backup perhaps.
>
>To really trash things, would take a TPM reset (while Secure Boot
>is still selected), or, attempt to change the MOK. There may be a
>BIOS screen for that. Linux used to prompt at one time, to
>do something like that :-)
>
Turns out "other OS" ftw. Secure boot is off. I can boot other media now
and Windows had no problem booting.

I don't know if any of my backups will work, since they were made with
secure boot on, but it's now off and Windows still runs. Win.

If the backups are broken, I assume putting the boot setting back to
"Windows UEFI" would make them work. I didn't blow away the boot keys.

Since it booted right after I selected "other OS," it probably won't be
an issue.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

On Tue, 5 Sep 2023 16:34:09 -0500, VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote:

>Do you have Secure Boot enabled in your UEFI on your computer?

Not any more, thanks to talking to you guys.

>I don't
>on mine. You may not have a choice on a work-owned computer, and your
>company's IT folks will be responsible for the transition. However,
>I've been many workplaces where Secure Boot was never enabled in the
>firmware. I think it is the folks buying pre-built computers with
>Windows 10/11 pre-installed who get stuck with Secure Boot enabled by
>default. Well, that's probably a hefty share of Win10/11 users. I hear
>for some computers, like HP, there is no option to disable Secure Boot.
>You don't get a choice. They decided it's for your own good. Well,
>those distributors are assholes, because they've locked you into one OS
>instead of letting you multi-boot. To check if Secure Boot is enabled
>in the firmware, open the Start Menu and enter "system information".
>For me under the Summary node, "Secure Boot State" is off.

Remember when I said I had better figure out how to support Win11's
security model, so I installed all of it? I had a support situation on my
own box with secure boot. I have concluded that the best way to support
secure boot is to turn it off if at all possible. It was a mess.

And now the flaws and exploits start rolling in? The patch is such a
problem that MS is afraid to implement it and could invalidate 3rd party
backup rescue disks? Yeah, no thanks.

My security panel now says "standard hardware security not supported." It
is, I just turned it off. I am still able to turn on Core Isolation, and
have it running, so I'm basically running "enhanced" hardware security
but without secure boot. The status message is misleading.

And near as I can tell, Core Isolation is just a way to shim MS's Hyper-v
in there so you can't run other VMs like VirtualBox, which I use to
evaluate Linux distros. I'm dubious of the security it adds. Hardware DEP
and signed system files seems good enough for personal and small business
use cases.

Am I missing something with Core Isolation? Winston?

I'm inclined to turn that off too.

--
Zag

No one ever said on their deathbed, 'Gee, I wish I had
spent more time alone with my computer.' ~Dan(i) Bunten

VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote in news:d1hccqibb9qx$.dlg@v.nguard.lh:

> KenW <ken1943@invalid.net> wrote:
>
>> Stan Brown <the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:
>>
>>> KenW wrote:
>>>
>>>> Trying to decide what to use for disk imaging after Reflect Free.
>>>> Testing Hasleo Backup at this point.
>>>> I have used Acronis and Paragon in the past.
>>>> I guess Free, as programs for four machines gets expensive.
>>>
>>>It might help if you told us why you're abandoning Macrium Reflect
>>>Free and what features you are looking for in a replacement.
>>
>> Because Macrium killed it.
>>
>> KenW
>
> Wrong. They discontinued SUPPORT of it. The free version is not going
> to self-destruct. It will still run.

I have the free version for myself. I downloaded it years ago, and am
now on version 8.

I wanted to download it for my wife's machine just today, but all I can
find is either a free version that limits capabilities after the 30-day
trial, or a paid One-Time Purchase $79.99 version.

Do you know if I can install my free version 8, that I got as version 7
but updated since to version 8, on my wife's machine? Guess I can just
try.

If not, I guess I can install Acronis for her.

You can keep using it, or keep
> using it until you decide to use something else.
>
> I paid for Reflect payware, because I wanted incremental image backups
> to reduce consumption of my drive space. I schedule backups to run
> every day: monthly full, weekly differential, and daily incremental.
> Not scheduling backup means they won't get done, or be way too old, so
a > restore loses a lot of settings, programs, and/or data. Relying on
> users to run backups before some major operation, like installing
> software or OS updates, pretty much means they don't get done.
>
> As for alternatives, I have used Easeus ToDo (and later paid for the
> Workstation version). When I last used their free edition,
incrementals
> were not included, but apparently they now are. Their comparison grid
> says the free editions does full, differential, and incremental
backups.
>
> https://www.easeus.com/backup-software/tb-free.html#comparison
>
> Paragon Backup&Restore (where several ex-Macrium employees went, and
why
> some similar features then showed up in B&R). At some point, Paragon
> quit calling it their free version, and went to calling it a community
> edition. I didn't dig into their online docs to see which backup types
> their community edition supports (full, differentials, incrementals),
> and I didn't see obvious mention of backup types at their web site.
>
> https://www.paragon-software.com/us/free/br-free/#
>
> There's also AOMEI BackUpper. I only remember trialing it, but don't
> remember why I didn't settle on using it.
>
> https://www.aomeitech.com/ab/standard.html
>
> From what I see there, the free version looks to only do full backups.
> Differentials, but the comparison grid say it will do incrementals.
> Differentials are based off the prior full backup. Incrementals can be
> based off full or differential backups.
>
> Of course, you could do your own online research on alternatives to
> Macrium Reflect Free, like:
>
> https://www.google.com/search?q=macrium+reflect+free+alternative
>
> You also have to decide if you want backups in a proprietary file
format
> (that only the backup software can read), or if you want the files
> dumped into a universal file format, like .zip archives. I know
someone
> here has mentioned Cobian many times, because he wants backup in .zip
> file. However, that would only be logical backups instead of image
> backups. With image backups, you restore the state of your drive(s)
> back to exactly how they were before.
>
> https://www.cobiansoft.com/
>
> I like to restore to an image. For example, I save an incremental
> before installing new software. If I decide I don't want it, forget
> running its uninstaller. Just restore an image backup to get my drive
> back to the same state before the install. No having to cleanup
remnant
> registry entries and files. Logical restores can easily result in a
> mismatched fileset: files that are restored only overwrite the same
> files in the same paths, and don't get rid of other files created
during
> the install or use of the software.
>
> I remember reading about Veeam. They actually produce enterprise-grade
> backup solution, so what you get as an end user is the client-only
> program. Although they like to mention cloud-based backups, that's for
> enterprises that don't want to expend the manpower and money on local
> hardware, and contract out that part to someone else. I believe their
> client will also save local backups.
>
> https://www.veeam.com/vm-backup-recovery-replication-software.html
>
> Personally I think an enterprise-grade even dumbed down to end users
> would likely be beyond anyone not accustomed to being a sysadmin at a
> corporation.
>
> Despite all the alternatives, there is no reason or cause for Macrium
> Reflect Free to stop working on your current setup. It'll stop working
> there because you decided to stop using it and uninstalled it.
>
> I'm still using a long abandoned and long dead NNTP client (40tude
> Dialog) to participate in Usenet. That support died 20 years ago
didn't
> make the program die.

Boris <nospam@invalid.com> wrote:

> I have the free version for myself. I downloaded it years ago, and am
> now on version 8.
>
> I wanted to download it for my wife's machine just today, but all I can
> find is either a free version that limits capabilities after the 30-day
> trial, or a paid One-Time Purchase $79.99 version.
>
> Do you know if I can install my free version 8, that I got as version 7
> but updated since to version 8, on my wife's machine? Guess I can just
> try.

You have the free version of Reflect. That means you have the crippled
version, and it's all you needed, so far. What you got isn't enough for
your wife? She gets the full version for a month, and then it cripples
down to what you have in the free version.

On 09/09/2023 03:40, Boris wrote:
>
> snip <
>
> I have the free version for myself. I downloaded it years ago, and am
> now on version 8.
>
> I wanted to download it for my wife's machine just today, but all I can
> find is either a free version that limits capabilities after the 30-day
> trial, or a paid One-Time Purchase $79.99 version.
>
> Do you know if I can install my free version 8, that I got as version 7
> but updated since to version 8, on my wife's machine? Guess I can just
> try.
>
> If not, I guess I can install Acronis for her.
>
>
Free version reportedly available from MajorGeeks
(looks like the link will wrap)
-
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/macrium_reflect_free_edition.html

Editor's Note:
Steps for Free Version:
When running the downloaded file, in the options on the top, change from
the HOME Edition to FREE
Click Options, then choose Download Installer and PE Components
Uncheck Run Installer when downloaded (optional)
After the download is complete, run the setup to install.

--
Regards
wasbit

Boris wrote:
> VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote in news:d1hccqibb9qx$.dlg@v.nguard.lh:
>
>> KenW <ken1943@invalid.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Stan Brown <the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:
>>>
>>>> KenW wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Trying to decide what to use for disk imaging after Reflect Free.
>>>>> Testing Hasleo Backup at this point.
>>>>> I have used Acronis and Paragon in the past.
>>>>> I guess Free, as programs for four machines gets expensive.
>>>>
>>>> It might help if you told us why you're abandoning Macrium Reflect
>>>> Free and what features you are looking for in a replacement.
>>>
>>> Because Macrium killed it.
>>>
>>> KenW
>>
>> Wrong. They discontinued SUPPORT of it. The free version is not going
>> to self-destruct. It will still run.
>
> I have the free version for myself. I downloaded it years ago, and am
> now on version 8.
>
> I wanted to download it for my wife's machine just today, but all I can
> find is either a free version that limits capabilities after the 30-day
> trial, or a paid One-Time Purchase $79.99 version.
>
> Do you know if I can install my free version 8, that I got as version 7
> but updated since to version 8, on my wife's machine? Guess I can just
> try.
>
> If not, I guess I can install Acronis for her.
>
>
> You can keep using it, or keep
>> using it until you decide to use something else.
>>
>> I paid for Reflect payware, because I wanted incremental image backups
>> to reduce consumption of my drive space. I schedule backups to run
>> every day: monthly full, weekly differential, and daily incremental.
>> Not scheduling backup means they won't get done, or be way too old, so
> a
>> restore loses a lot of settings, programs, and/or data. Relying on
>> users to run backups before some major operation, like installing
>> software or OS updates, pretty much means they don't get done.
>>
>> As for alternatives, I have used Easeus ToDo (and later paid for the
>> Workstation version). When I last used their free edition,
> incrementals
>> were not included, but apparently they now are. Their comparison grid
>> says the free editions does full, differential, and incremental
> backups.
>>
>> https://www.easeus.com/backup-software/tb-free.html#comparison
>>
>> Paragon Backup&Restore (where several ex-Macrium employees went, and
> why
>> some similar features then showed up in B&R). At some point, Paragon
>> quit calling it their free version, and went to calling it a community
>> edition. I didn't dig into their online docs to see which backup types
>> their community edition supports (full, differentials, incrementals),
>> and I didn't see obvious mention of backup types at their web site.
>>
>> https://www.paragon-software.com/us/free/br-free/#
>>
>> There's also AOMEI BackUpper. I only remember trialing it, but don't
>> remember why I didn't settle on using it.
>>
>> https://www.aomeitech.com/ab/standard.html
>>
>> From what I see there, the free version looks to only do full backups.
>> Differentials, but the comparison grid say it will do incrementals.
>> Differentials are based off the prior full backup. Incrementals can be
>> based off full or differential backups.
>>
>> Of course, you could do your own online research on alternatives to
>> Macrium Reflect Free, like:
>>
>> https://www.google.com/search?q=macrium+reflect+free+alternative
>>
>> You also have to decide if you want backups in a proprietary file
> format
>> (that only the backup software can read), or if you want the files
>> dumped into a universal file format, like .zip archives. I know
> someone
>> here has mentioned Cobian many times, because he wants backup in .zip
>> file. However, that would only be logical backups instead of image
>> backups. With image backups, you restore the state of your drive(s)
>> back to exactly how they were before.
>>
>> https://www.cobiansoft.com/
>>
>> I like to restore to an image. For example, I save an incremental
>> before installing new software. If I decide I don't want it, forget
>> running its uninstaller. Just restore an image backup to get my drive
>> back to the same state before the install. No having to cleanup
> remnant
>> registry entries and files. Logical restores can easily result in a
>> mismatched fileset: files that are restored only overwrite the same
>> files in the same paths, and don't get rid of other files created
> during
>> the install or use of the software.
>>
>> I remember reading about Veeam. They actually produce enterprise-grade
>> backup solution, so what you get as an end user is the client-only
>> program. Although they like to mention cloud-based backups, that's for
>> enterprises that don't want to expend the manpower and money on local
>> hardware, and contract out that part to someone else. I believe their
>> client will also save local backups.
>>
>> https://www.veeam.com/vm-backup-recovery-replication-software.html
>>
>> Personally I think an enterprise-grade even dumbed down to end users
>> would likely be beyond anyone not accustomed to being a sysadmin at a
>> corporation.
>>
>> Despite all the alternatives, there is no reason or cause for Macrium
>> Reflect Free to stop working on your current setup. It'll stop working
>> there because you decided to stop using it and uninstalled it.
>>
>> I'm still using a long abandoned and long dead NNTP client (40tude
>> Dialog) to participate in Usenet. That support died 20 years ago
> didn't
>> make the program die.
>

I use the paid version, earlier the free until it proved repeatedly
successful at image and restore.

Iirc, for the free version, the registration code they provide is tied
to an email address, providing a download link and entered when
installing but not tied to the version being installed.
- i.e. you may be able to use her email address(or a throw away like
gmail or outlook.com) to facilitate obtaining the registration code and
download, then use that to install the latest(last) free version.
The last free version, full file can be downloaded from a variety of 3rd
part hosting sites.

--
....w¡ñ§±¤ñ

On 9/8/2023 10:40 PM, Boris wrote:

>
> I have the free version for myself. I downloaded it years ago, and am
> now on version 8.
>
> I wanted to download it for my wife's machine just today, but all I can
> find is either a free version that limits capabilities after the 30-day
> trial, or a paid One-Time Purchase $79.99 version.
>
> Do you know if I can install my free version 8, that I got as version 7
> but updated since to version 8, on my wife's machine? Guess I can just
> try.
>
> If not, I guess I can install Acronis for her.

They used to be hosted like this.

They do not keep all the versions on there.

https://download.macrium.com/reflect/v7/v7.3.6391/reflect_setup_free_x64.exe

https://download.macrium.com/reflect/v7/v7.3.6391/reflect_setup_free_x86.exe

Presumably the keyword "free" is missing from the current downloads on offer now.

*******

Be aware that Majorgeeks can be wired to the company server,
and then the file may not be available when you go to fetch it.

Not all the offerings on Majorgeeks, are wired the same way. Some
are truly hosted on Majorgeeks, others, it is more or less a "Storefront"
kind of wiring.

Paul

On Thu, 7 Sep 2023 19:40:37 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
> It is when the Win11
> update became available, and when MS decided to include me in their
> phased out distro of the Win11 upgrade (not an update) that I'd see in
> the WU wizard that Win11 was available. I don't want the choice to then
> remember to ignore it.

Incontrol.exe from grc.com will remember for you. It's from Steve
Gibson, the same guy who wrote the program to prevent "upgrades" to
Win 10 from Win 7 or 8.

--
Stan Brown, Tehachapi, California, USA https://BrownMath.com/
Shikata ga nai...

Stan Brown <the_stan_brown@fastmail.fm> wrote:

> VanguardLH wrote:
>
>> It is when the Win11 update became available, and when MS decided to
>> include me in their phased out distro of the Win11 upgrade (not an
>> update) that I'd see in the WU wizard that Win11 was available. I
>> don't want the choice to then remember to ignore it.
>
> Incontrol.exe from grc.com will remember for you. It's from Steve
> Gibson, the same guy who wrote the program to prevent "upgrades" to
> Win 10 from Win 7 or 8.

InControl just disables WU. I used that long ago. Later I went to
WinAero Tweaker which affords a LOT more configuration of Windows, and
use it to disable/enable WU. Neither one interferes with the WU client
checking if PTT/TPM is available.

With PTT/TPM enabled in BIOS:
WU disabled: No updates, so no Win11 upgrade offer, either.
WU enabled : Updates, Win11 upgrade is offered.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^________________
|
With PTT/TPM disabled in BIOS: |
WU disabled: No updates, so no Win11 upgrade offered, either. |
WU enabled : Updates, Win11 upgrade NOT offered. |
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^_______________|

I wasn't going into how to disable WU. Delete files (which an update
might replace), set a policy in the registry to disable updates, kill
services (including those that enable WU as a side effect), use software
that employs the other schemes, use SRPs (Software Restriction Policies)
to preven WU from loading (requires non-Home edition of Windows), etc.
Lots of ways to kill WU. None of which will block the Win11 offer when
updates are allowed.