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In Macrium Reflect X, open Existing Backups, choose the Image or File and Folder view, select the backup, and click Verify. This checks the stored backup data against its recorded hashes; it does not prove that Windows will boot from the image or that a full recovery will succeed.
Verify a backup in Reflect X
- Open Existing Backups in Macrium Reflect X.
- Select the Image or File and Folder view, as appropriate.
- Select the backup you want to check and choose Verify.
- If the backup is not listed, look in another location or browse directly to the backup file.
Reflect recalculates an MD5 hash for each block and compares it with the hash recorded in the backup index. A mismatch means that the stored data differs from the data recorded when the backup was created, which Reflect treats as corruption. See Macrium’s verification instructions.
Include the full restore chain when needed
Incremental and differential backups may depend on earlier backup files. By default, Reflect checks the relevant prior data needed to cover the selected backup’s restore chain. Use Verify just this Incremental/Differential only when you intentionally want to check that single file; it is a narrower test and does not check the full chain required for restoration.
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Reflect installs MRVerify.exe at C:Program FilesMacriumReflectMRVerify.exe. Run it from an Administrator Command Prompt. This option is useful for scripted or batch checks.
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Macrium documents this sample syntax:
mrverify.exe "full path to image file or folder" -p[--password] "password" -r[--recurse] -x[--fix] -l[--logfile] "logfile name"The utility can verify a file or folder, recurse through subfolders, write a log, accept a backup password, and verify a complete set. The --fix option attempts to repair failed blocks when the current live file system still contains the original data. Use --set when you need to check whether the selected file’s full set can be restored. Consult Macrium’s MRVerify guide for the documented options and details. The documented exit code is 0 if verification succeeds and 1 if any file fails verification.
Verification is not a recovery test
A successful hash check confirms that the backup data matches the hashes created during backup. It does not show that the image is bootable or that every recovery step will work. Macrium distinguishes hash verification from testing bootability in its backup validation guidance.
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If you need confidence in recovery readiness, perform a separate, non-destructive restore test. Where practical, restore to a blank secondary disk and try to boot it, restore to a replacement system, or test the recovery workflow in a virtual machine. Macrium’s rescue media provides a bootable Reflect environment for recovery. Choose a test method that does not overwrite the working system or the only copy of important data.
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Verify future backups automatically
To check each backup immediately after it is created, consider enabling Auto Verify Image. Macrium says this adds verification after backup creation and can considerably increase the time required to create a backup. See its advanced options documentation.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
What to do if verification fails
A failed check means the data read back does not match its recorded hashes. It is evidence of a mismatch, not a diagnosis of which component caused it. Macrium’s legacy Reflect v5 troubleshooting guidance identifies backup media as a likely cause and also notes that memory or motherboard faults are possible. Because that advice is for an older version, use it only as general diagnostic context and consult current Reflect X support for version-specific steps.
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- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
- Do not rely on the failed backup as your only recovery copy.
- Check other available backups and verify them before relying on them.
- Preserve the failed file and any verification log while investigating; do not assume the failure identifies a particular drive or component.
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