Windows 10 comes with a new 'Notifications and Actions' settings area. This can be used to control 'systray' notifications and sounds that are created when applications provide a system notification.. Each application that generates a systray notification creates an entry in the 'Notifications and Actions' database when the notification is generated. This includes Macrium Reflect when a backup, restore or clone is started.
An example of a 'Backup Started' notification
To start the Notifications and Actions setting window type "Notifications' in the Windows search bar and select 'Notifications and actions settings' in the results list.
In the list of applications you may notice that there are two or more entries for Macrium Reflect
By default two entries are created for Macrium Reflect, one for Scheduled tasks or when running Macrium Reflect from a script, and the other is created when backups or restores are run interactively with Macrium Reflect open. Unfortunately, there is no indication in the Notification Settings which entry refers to which operation type. If you do not want to receive any notifications then turn both to the 'Off' state.
Also, the Notification and Actions settings database has no method to clean itself up, and will even persist entries for applications that are removed from your system. Additionally, if you change the location of Macrium Reflect at any time by uninstalling and installing again to a different folder, or if you install a different Macrium Reflect Edition (Free, Home, Workstation or Server), then you may end up with 4 or more entries, some of which will be stale and perform no function. This is a problem with the notification centre database.
To remove stale notification entries it's necessary to delete the push notifications database and restart your PC.
- Ensure that no applications, including the Notifications and Actions window are open. Preferably, restart your PC.
- Start 'regedit.exe'
- Navigate to 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PushNotifications' and delete the entry 'AppDB'
Restart your PC. The 'Notifications and Actions' application list should now show 'No apps have provided notifications yet.
This list will be repopulated as your applications provide notifications.
Note: If the list has not been cleared then repeat the registry entry deletion and reboot again.