SSD Alignment on my Windows 8 Based Gateway Computer

4REEE,

GroverH said that it is the user's responsibility to change the "Free Space Before" to 1.0MB. Every time I tried, TIH 2013 would automatically change the value back to 0.983MB.

Unfortunately, my instructions were prior to GPT and UEFI boot methods.

The restore procedure used by Acronis is to put the Microsoft partiton first even though it may not have been first on the old source disk. Note the link below. Can you use DISKPART and look at both the old and new disk and see how the partition sequence appears.

If the SSD partitin sequence does not match the spin disk, contact Acronis as they advertise to help with Recovery issues.

If the SSD partition sequence does not match the spin disk, I am not aware (and I could ge wrong) that Acronis can duplicate your orignal disk sequence.

http://forum.acronis.com/forum/40903

Edit:
Perhaps other users can assist with this GPT and UEFI type restores.

Thanks, GroverH, for your quick response. I noticed in the link that you included there was also a 17kb offset. What an unusual number!

Looks like I'll have to purchase a Windows 8 disk, use gparted, and then use the Windows 8 installation disk to do a repair. It's only $$$$$

The thing is, I thought Acronis was supposed to detect an SSD and automatically do the alignment.

4REEE,
Understand that I am a user--not a technician. My advice is incomplete and not necessarily the fix for yours.
Do some consulting with others and on the web.

It will detect the SD and align but Your problem is not the SD alignment. My guess wihtout seeing is Your problem appears to be as shown in my orignal link.
It appears that the SD partition sequence is not the same as the spin partition sequence. Can you post a screen capture of both disks as viewed in diskpart. The spin disk could be mounted in an external case for access via usb for comparison purposes.

There is a good chance what you have will boot and mostly work alright for Windows.
The Windows recovery and/or the vendor recovery may not work due to the revised partition location.
Whether you proceed will depend upon what you want from your system.

If you are wanting your SD to be the same as the spin, then I believe you will need to manually create the correct partition sequence and then restore into those partitions on a single partition basis. Whether Windows install CD can do this, I do not know.
Do some consulting with others and on the web before you spend a dime additionally.

Investigate whether you can use the vendor recovery and restore the recovery partiton back onto the SD.
Then you could restore your current backup onto the prepared locations and all should work if the vendor restore produces the correct sequence and alignment--same as the spin.
Again, I am not a technician so have some coversation wth those that know.

GroverH, you may not be a technician, but you are definitely one of the most helpful people on this forum. I've read your past posts and helps for other users. Many thanks!

I connected the original 1TB drive and accessed via USB. The 128MB partition is created 3rd. The partition of 400MB was created 1st and it is aligned to 1024KB. Interesting... (Please see attached.)

I also tried using gparted on the SSD and it reported that the 128MB partition was created 1st BUT it can't find any alignment information (Please see 2nd attached file).

Now I don't know what Acronis TI 2013 is doing!

Is your SD bootable into Windows? I am not sure from your comments. If yes, see note 1 below

Your diskpart info about the spin disk shows the 400mb Recovery partition to be the first partition plus it shows that the 1st partition is correctly aligned at 1024kb.

You expect the SD to be replicated exactly and it is not. The partitition sequence on the SD has been re-arranged with the 128mb first.
I do not know that 2013 or 2014 is capable of an exact replication of your partition sequence. Review my prior post for some (but n ot all) alternatives .

As I suspected in the preceding post, Your Gparted picture shows the partition sequence on the SD is not the same as the partition sequence on the spiin disk.
I am not aware that TrueImage can reproduce the SD to have the same partition sequence as the spin disk.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Note 1: Starting partition offset can be gotten as below.

Start/All programs/Accessories/system tools/sys info/components/storage/disks/

Then about 17-19 lines down, view
Partition disk #0, Partition 0
Partition Size correct would be 500mb
Partition starting offset= (1 mb offset would read 1,048,576 bytes
This type info is shown for all partitions displayed but may not display all--some may be hidden.
end note 1
-------------------------------------
If your SD will boot into the Windows Recovery CD and into a command prompt,
the Diskpart commands is available to see the same info on the SD as you obtainded on the spin disk.

-------------------------------------------------------------
You may want to consider adding a new tool to your tool box of programs.
it is the "MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable CD"
Download MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable CD iso file absolutely FREE from http://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html. Burn ISO file onto a CD using any CD/DVD Burner software.

direct CD download link
http://www.partitionwizard.com/download/pwhe7.iso

This tool could help in providing more info about your system and it could also check whether the disk alignment is correct and correct if wrong.

Interesting that Acronis TI 2013 can't reproduce the partition sequence from HDD to SSD. I was always under the impression that once an SSD is detected by TI 2013, it would take care of the alignment issues. Rats! Maybe that's reserved for TI 2014. Hmmmm...

Just as a sanity check, I went ahead and made another .tib file of the original 1TB HDD. Then I used the Acronis Recovery Disk and placed that image onto the SSD. Diskpart still shows the offset as 17KB.

The SSD boots up just fine, but the alignment is off. Even though the computer is now wicked fast, I've been told that I am running at reduced efficiency or might be shortening the SSD's life span because of incorrect alignment. That's how I ended up on this forum.

I just downloaded MiniTool and will burn the .iso to CD. The version that I downloaded is pwhe811.iso

Thanks again for the tips.

Will let you know what happens!

GroverH, that MiniTool is an awesome utility to have in the ol' toolbox.

I selected the SSD and clicked on the "Align All" button and MiniTool reported that everything was aligned! (see attached)

At least you know your partitions are aligned.
Now, you can continue to work on other issues.

Your partition alignmennt is below for factory installed 1 TB disk;
and the 250GB SD disk restored via TrueImage.

Original 1 TB spin disk alignment--- -------- TI Restored 250 SD disk
Factory installation------------------------------TI Restored

400 MB Recovery-NTFS--------------------------128 MB Microsoft reserved
300 MB System-Fat32----------------------------400 MB Recovery NTFS
128 NB Microsoft Reserved----------------------300 MB system Fat32
459 GB WindowsUser Primary--NTFS------------15 GB Recovery
456 GB User Primary--NTFS----------------------217 GB Windows
15 GB Recovery NTFS

You have indicated the SD boots without issue so you can pursue other fixes.
Because the partition markers for Windows Recovery partition plus the partition markers for the manufacturer recovery now no longer match the BCD, you will need to get some guidance from those in the know. Most likely, neither the Windows Recovery or the Manufacturer Recovery partition will boot--as the partition markers are no longer in sync.

There is the possibility that MVP Mark Wharton can assist in getting the BCD backup in sync. In the forum below, post the precediing partition informatiion and include the BCD information. Review some of the recent past threads in that link for examples of how to post the BCD. I don't know whether Mark has the time or the situation but you might give it a try.

I cannot be of any further help on this specific problem.

http://forum.acronis.com/forum/6758?page=10#comment-142542

This is the BCD info needed for MVP Mark Wharton
From an elevated admin command prompt, type
C:\Users\>
bcdedit /enum all

(copy and paste the output into the other forum)

GroverH wrote:

At least you know your partitions are aligned.

Yes... Sort of. Diskpart says, "no," MiniTool says, "yes." Not sure which one to believe.

GroverH, you've been a great help! Many thanks again!