# 🛠️ Recommended Tools Guide - MiracleBoot v7.2.0



## Quick Start



### For Regular Windows Users (GUI)

1. Run `MiracleBoot.ps1`

2. Click the **"Recommended Tools"** tab

3. Explore three sections:

   - **Recovery Tools (FREE)** - Free bootable tools

   - **Recovery Tools (PAID)** - Professional solutions

   - **Backup Strategy** - Complete backup guide with wizard



### For Recovery Environment Users (TUI)

1. Run `MiracleBoot.ps1` in WinPE/WinRE

2. Select option **6** from the menu

3. Choose from:

   - **A** - Free Recovery Tools

   - **B** - Paid Recovery Tools

   - **C** - Backup Strategy Guide

   - **D** - Hardware Recommendations



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## 🆓 Free Recovery Tools



### 1. Ventoy - Multi-Boot USB (Highly Recommended!)

**Website**: https://www.ventoy.net



#### What is it?

Ventoy turns your USB drive into a multi-boot device. Simply copy ISO files to the USB, and Ventoy creates a boot menu automatically - no need to reformat!



#### Why use it?

- ✅ Multiple ISOs on one USB

- ✅ No reformatting between ISOs

- ✅ Works with Windows, Linux, and WinPE ISOs

- ✅ Easy to update - just copy new ISOs



#### Requirements

- USB drive: 8GB minimum (16GB+ recommended)

- **⚠️ WARNING**: USB will be formatted - back up data first!

- For WIM files: Install WimBoot plugin from https://www.ventoy.net/en/plugin_wimboot.html



#### How to Use

1. Download Ventoy from the website

2. Extract and run `Ventoy2Disk.exe`

3. Select your USB drive

4. Click "Install" (this formats the USB!)

5. Copy your ISO files directly to the USB

6. Boot from the USB - Ventoy shows a menu of all ISOs



#### Recommended ISOs to Add

- Your Windows 10/11 installation ISO (matching your edition)

- Hiren's BootCD PE

- SystemRescue

- Your backup software's rescue ISO (Macrium, AOMEI, etc.)



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### 2. Hiren's BootCD PE - Complete Recovery Toolkit

**Website**: https://www.hirensbootcd.org



#### What is it?

A comprehensive Windows PE-based bootable environment with hundreds of recovery, repair, and diagnostic tools.



#### Best For

- ✅ Complete system rescue

- ✅ Password reset

- ✅ Data recovery

- ✅ Hardware diagnostics

- ✅ Malware removal

- ✅ Partition management



#### Key Features

- Based on Windows 10/11 PE

- Includes familiar tools like Explorer, Firefox, and more

- Network support for driver downloads

- File recovery tools

- Disk imaging and cloning



#### How to Use

1. Download the ISO from the website

2. Create bootable USB with Ventoy (recommended) or Rufus

3. Boot from the USB

4. Select tools from the desktop menu



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### 3. Medicat USB - Pre-Configured Recovery Suite



#### What is it?

A pre-configured Ventoy USB with curated tools specifically for Windows recovery and repair.



#### Best For

- ✅ Ready-to-use recovery environment

- ✅ Windows installation and repair

- ✅ No need to collect tools manually



#### Notes

- Search for "Medicat USB" on GitHub or recovery forums

- Community-maintained project

- Includes multiple Windows PE environments



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### 4. Other Free Tools



#### SystemRescue (Linux-based)

**Website**: https://www.system-rescue.org

- Cross-platform recovery

- Good for Linux/Windows dual-boot systems

- Command-line focused



#### AOMEI PE Builder

**Website**: https://www.aomeitech.com

- Create custom WinPE with AOMEI tools

- Includes backup and partitioning software



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## 💎 Paid Recovery Tools



### ⭐ Macrium Reflect - **EDITOR'S CHOICE**

**Website**: https://www.macrium.com  

**Free Edition**: https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree



#### Why Macrium is the Best

Based on extensive real-world experience:

- ✅ **Fastest** imaging and restore speeds

- ✅ **Most reliable** recovery success rate

- ✅ **Best** bootable WinPE media creator

- ✅ **Intuitive** interface - easy to use

- ✅ **Free Home Edition** includes core features

- ✅ **Local backups** - no slow cloud uploads



#### Features

- Full system disk imaging

- Incremental and differential backups

- Bootable WinPE rescue media

- Rapid Delta Restore (RDR) - ultra-fast recovery

- File and folder backup

- Disk cloning



#### Pricing

- **Free Edition**: Full system imaging, restore, WinPE media

- **Home Edition**: ~$70 (one-time purchase)

- **Professional**: Advanced features for power users



#### When to Use

- Weekly system images before updates

- Before major system changes

- Creating system snapshots

- Migrating to new drive



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### Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office

**Website**: https://www.acronis.com



#### What is it?

Professional backup with cloud integration and cybersecurity features.



#### Pros

- ✅ Provides time estimates for operations

- ✅ Cloud backup integration

- ✅ Anti-malware and ransomware protection

- ✅ Universal restore to different hardware



#### Cons (Based on Experience)

- ❌ Cloud recovery can be very slow

- ❌ More expensive (subscription model)

- ❌ Time estimates sometimes inaccurate

- ❌ Overkill for simple backup needs



#### Pricing

- ~$50-100/year (subscription)



#### When to Use

- Need cloud backup integration

- Want ransomware protection

- Multiple devices to protect



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### Paragon Backup & Recovery

**Website**: https://www.paragon-software.com



#### What is it?

Comprehensive disk management suite with backup, partitioning, and recovery.



#### Features

- Disk imaging and cloning

- Partition management

- P2V (Physical to Virtual) migration

- File transfer between OS



#### When to Use

- Need partition management + backup in one

- Professional environment

- Complex disk operations



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## 📊 Backup Strategy



### The 3-2-1 Rule (Industry Standard)



#### **3** Copies of Your Data

Keep at least 3 total copies:

1. Original (your working files)

2. Backup 1 (local backup)

3. Backup 2 (offsite/cloud)



#### **2** Different Media Types

Store backups on 2 different types of storage:

- Example 1: Internal NVMe SSD + External HDD

- Example 2: SATA SSD + USB SSD

- Example 3: Local drive + Cloud storage



#### **1** Offsite Copy

Keep at least 1 backup in a different location:

- Cloud storage (OneDrive, Google Drive, Backblaze)

- External drive at friend/family's house

- Safety deposit box



### Recommended Backup Schedule



| Backup Type | Frequency | Method |

|-------------|-----------|--------|

| **System Image** | Weekly or before major changes | Macrium/AOMEI |

| **Important Files** | Daily (automated) | File History / Backup software |

| **Critical Documents** | Real-time | OneDrive / Google Drive sync |

| **Photos/Videos** | Weekly | Cloud sync + external drive |



### What to Back Up



#### Essential (Must Back Up)

- [ ] Full system image (C: drive)

- [ ] Personal documents

- [ ] Photos and videos

- [ ] Email archives

- [ ] Browser bookmarks/passwords

- [ ] Software license keys



#### Important (Should Back Up)

- [ ] Program settings/configurations

- [ ] Game saves

- [ ] Project files

- [ ] Downloaded installers



#### Optional (Can Re-download)

- Installed programs (can reinstall)

- Windows updates (will re-download)

- Temporary files



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## 💻 Hardware Recommendations



### Performance vs. Cost



| Type | Speed | Cost (1TB) | Best For |

|------|-------|------------|----------|

| **NVMe PCIe 4.0/5.0** | Up to 7,000-14,000 MB/s | $150-$400 | Desktop backups, frequent use |

| **SATA SSD** | Up to 550 MB/s | $50-$150 | Budget internal backups |

| **USB 3.2 External SSD** | Up to 1,000 MB/s | $100-$250 | Laptops, portable backups |

| **7200 RPM HDD** | ~120-200 MB/s | $50-$100 | Large capacity, archival |



### Desktop PC Recommendations



#### High-Speed Setup (Best)

- **Primary**: NVMe SSD for OS

- **Backup**: Secondary NVMe SSD for daily backups

- **Archive**: External HDD for weekly archives

- **Requires**: Motherboard with 2+ M.2 slots



#### Balanced Setup (Good)

- **Primary**: NVMe SSD for OS

- **Backup**: SATA SSD for backups

- **Archive**: External USB SSD for portability

- **Requires**: Motherboard with M.2 + SATA ports



#### Budget Setup (Acceptable)

- **Primary**: SATA SSD for OS

- **Backup**: External HDD 7200 RPM

- **Archive**: Cloud storage (OneDrive)

- **Requires**: USB 3.0 port



### Laptop Recommendations



#### Best Choice

- **USB 3.2 Gen 2 External SSD**

- Products: Samsung T7/T9, SanDisk Extreme Pro, Crucial X8/X10

- Portable + Fast enough for frequent backups



#### Budget Choice

- **USB 3.0 External HDD**

- Products: WD My Passport, Seagate Backup Plus

- Slower but more capacity per dollar



### Investment Path



#### For Desktop Users

1. **Check**: Does your motherboard have an extra M.2 slot?

   - Yes? → Buy a 1-2TB NVMe SSD (~$100-200)

   - No? → Consider motherboard upgrade or external SSD



2. **Upgrade Priority**:

   - Level 1: Add backup drive (any type)

   - Level 2: Upgrade to SSD if using HDD

   - Level 3: Add secondary NVMe for speed



#### For Laptop Users

1. **Start**: USB 3.0 external HDD for budget

2. **Upgrade**: USB 3.2 external SSD for speed

3. **Add**: Cloud backup for offsite protection



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## 🆓 Best Free Backup Software



### 1. Macrium Reflect Free ⭐

**Download**: https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree



#### Features (Free Edition)

- ✅ Full system disk imaging

- ✅ Bootable WinPE rescue media

- ✅ Restore to different hardware

- ✅ Disk cloning

- ✅ File and folder backup



#### Limitations (Free)

- ❌ No scheduling (manual backups only)

- ❌ No incremental backups

- ❌ Basic features only



**Recommendation**: Start here! Upgrade to paid if you need scheduling.



---



### 2. AOMEI Backupper Standard

**Download**: https://www.aomeitech.com/aomei-backupper.html



#### Features (Free Edition)

- ✅ System/disk/partition backup

- ✅ Basic scheduling

- ✅ Disk cloning

- ✅ Bootable media creation



#### Limitations (Free)

- ❌ No differential backups

- ❌ Limited restore options

- ❌ Ads for paid version



**Recommendation**: Good alternative if you need free scheduling.



---



### 3. Windows Built-in Backup

**Access**: Control Panel → Backup and Restore (Windows 7)



#### Windows Backup (Windows 11 Settings)

**Open**: `ms-settings:backup` (Settings  Accounts  Windows backup)



**EXTREMELY IMPORTANT**: Windows Backup is **file/settings sync** (typically via OneDrive) - it is **NOT** a full system image.

It **will not** restore Windows, boot files, installed programs, partitions, or a full disk state.

If you need **full-system recovery**, use a **system image** tool (Macrium/AOMEI) instead.





#### Features

- ✅ Already installed

- ✅ File History for documents

- ✅ System Image backup

- ✅ No extra software needed



#### Limitations

- ❌ Basic features only

- ❌ Less reliable than third-party

- ❌ Limited restore options



**Recommendation**: Better than nothing, but upgrade to Macrium for serious backups.



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## 🧙 Using the Backup Wizard



The interactive Backup Wizard helps you choose the right hardware and software based on your needs.



### Questions Asked

1. **Computer Type**: Desktop / Laptop / Workstation

2. **Windows Edition**: Windows 10 / 11 / Other

3. **Data Size**: <500GB / 500GB-2TB / >2TB

4. **Budget**: <$100 / $100-$300 / $300+

5. **Speed Priority**: Low / Medium / High



### What You Get

- Specific hardware recommendations

- Storage type suggestions

- Software recommendations (free or paid)

- Backup schedule tailored to your needs

- Cost estimates

- Product examples



### Example Output



**Profile**: Desktop, Windows 11, 1TB data, $200 budget, high speed



**Recommendations**:

- Hardware: USB 3.2 Gen 2 External SSD (Samsung T7)

- Software: Macrium Reflect Free

- Schedule: Weekly full image, daily file backup

- Cost: ~$180 for 1TB T7



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## 🔧 Environment-Specific Tips



### In Full Windows (FullOS)

✅ **CAN DO**:

- Install backup software

- Create bootable rescue media

- Schedule automatic backups

- Test restores

- Browse all features in GUI



❌ **CANNOT DO**:

- Restore while Windows is running (need rescue media)



**Recommendation**: Set up backups here, create rescue media.



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### In WinPE/WinRE (Recovery Environment)

✅ **CAN DO**:

- Use rescue media to restore backups

- Access drives for manual file recovery

- Use command-line tools

- Run portable backup software



❌ **CANNOT DO**:

- Install software permanently

- Create new backups (usually)



**Recommendation**: Use pre-created rescue media from Macrium/Hiren's.



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### In Windows Installer (Shift+F10)

✅ **CAN DO**:

- Basic command-line operations

- DiskPart for disk management

- Registry edits

- File copying



❌ **CANNOT DO**:

- Run GUI programs

- Install software

- Use most recovery tools



**Recommendation**: Use WinPE instead for better tool access.



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## ⚠️ Important Warnings



### Before Creating Backups

- ⚠️ **Test your backups!** A backup you haven't tested is useless

- ⚠️ Create rescue media and test booting from it

- ⚠️ Document your backup locations and passwords

- ⚠️ Keep BitLocker recovery keys safe



### About USB Drives

- 🔴 **Ventoy will FORMAT your USB drive** - backup first!

- 🔴 USB drives can fail - don't rely on ONE backup

- 🟡 Test USB boot before you need it



### About Cloud Backups

- 🟡 Cloud restore can be SLOW (hours to days for large files)

- 🟡 Requires internet connection

- 🟡 Check storage limits on free plans



### About Old Backups

- 🔴 Backups older than 3 months might have outdated drivers

- 🟡 Keep at least 2-3 versions of system images

- 🟡 Delete old backups to free up space



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## 📞 Quick Reference



### I Need To...



**...create a multi-boot USB**

→ Use Ventoy



**...rescue a non-booting PC**

→ Boot Hiren's BootCD PE or Macrium Rescue Media



**...back up my system for free**

→ Use Macrium Reflect Free



**...back up with scheduling (free)**

→ Use AOMEI Backupper Standard



**...fastest possible backups**

→ Use NVMe SSD + Macrium Reflect (paid)



**...portable laptop backups**

→ Use USB 3.2 External SSD + Macrium Free



**...large capacity on budget**

→ Use 7200 RPM External HDD + AOMEI Free



**...cloud + local backups**

→ Use Acronis Cyber Protect



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## 📚 Additional Resources



### Websites

- Ventoy: https://www.ventoy.net

- Hiren's: https://www.hirensbootcd.org

- Macrium: https://www.macrium.com

- AOMEI: https://www.aomeitech.com

- Acronis: https://www.acronis.com



### Backup Best Practices

- 3-2-1 Rule: https://www.backblaze.com/blog/the-3-2-1-backup-strategy/

- Windows Backup Guide: Microsoft Docs



### Hardware Reviews

- Tom's Hardware: Storage reviews

- AnandTech: SSD benchmarks

- TechPowerUp: Product comparisons



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**Last Updated**: January 2026  

**MiracleBoot Version**: 7.2.0  

**Feature Status**: Production Ready ✅



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*Need help? The Recommended Tools tab/menu in MiracleBoot provides interactive access to all this information!*

