Critical
Software
✓ Solution Verified by Community (30+ upvotes)
How to fix error critical-process-died in Macrium Reflect
A critical system process unexpectedly terminated. Can be caused by corrupted system files.
Fix based on community reports and expert analysis. Last verified: 2026-08-12
· How we verify fixes
| Error Code | critical-process-died |
|---|---|
| Affected System | Macrium Reflect (Paramount Software) |
| Difficulty | Critical |
| Estimated Time | 20 min |
| Requires Admin Rights | ⚠️ Yes |
| Requires Reboot | 🔄 Yes |
Solution Steps
- 1 Restart Macrium Reflect completely. Close it, open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find any remaining Macrium Reflect processes, right-click → End Task. Background processes from previous sessions are the most common cause of startup crashes.
- 2 Update Macrium Reflect to the latest version. Open the app, go to Help → Check for Updates (or download the latest installer from the official website). Updates fix known bugs and compatibility issues.
- 3 Reset Macrium Reflect settings. Navigate to %APPDATA%\MacriumReflect and rename the settings folder to add '.old'. This forces Macrium Reflect to create fresh settings — corrupted config files cause crashes.
- 4 Run Macrium Reflect as Administrator. Right-click the shortcut → Properties → Compatibility → check 'Run as Administrator'. Some features of Macrium Reflect require elevated permissions.
- 5 Check if Macrium Reflect conflicts with your antivirus. Temporarily disable real-time protection and test. Add Macrium Reflect installation folder to antivirus exclusions.
- 6 Clear Macrium Reflect cache. Navigate to %LOCALAPPDATA%\MacriumReflect\Cache and delete all files. Corrupted cache data causes rendering and processing errors.
- 7 Repair Macrium Reflect installation. Windows Settings → Apps → Macrium Reflect → Modify → Repair. This replaces damaged program files while preserving your data.
- 8 If Macrium Reflect still won't work: uninstall from Settings → Apps, restart, reinstall from official website. A clean install is the nuclear option but fixes almost everything.
🔍 Didn't work? Enter your GPU and CPU for hardware-specific advice:
🔧 Still having issues?
Describe your exact problem to Error Buddy and get a personalized fix in seconds.
🛠️ Try Error Buddy — It's Free