Restoring Disk image to smaller SSD
I am using TI2014 and have created a disk image of my 1TB laptop drive that included all partitions. What is the correct method or restoring this to a new 512GB SSD? Does the SSD need to be formatted prior to restore? Thanks for any advice

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Here is a link with basic instructions:http://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATIH2014/index.html#…
You do not need to format the drive before restore.
If your original disk contains hidden partitions make sure you read the note and check out the link at the bottom of the link provided.
After the restore process is complete make sure that you disconnect the original source disk prior to attempting to boot to the new SSD.
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The disk image I have does contain hidden partitions. So if I follow the instructions in the link at the bottom of the first link you sent, 'Recovering a disk with a hidden partition' rather than those in the main link you sent - all partitions should be restored OK.
It doesn't seem that easy but I need to try and see what happens. I was a little unclear as to how one finds out the exact size of the partitions and their position on the disk
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Are you certain the image you have does not contain hidden partitions? If you are restoring Win 7 or above you would have such partitions contained in the image file.
The links provided are quite good at explaining the procedures required. I do not think I can make it any clearer. If you are not understanding you might want to consider getting some professional help. I am not suggesting that you are not capable but if you do not understand the instructions it would be bad if you proceed and then mess things up.
If as you say your are not using Win 7 or above and no hidden partitions are contained within the image then the instructions on the first link followed correctly should work for you.
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My comment clearly stated that the image DOES contain hidden partitions
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Sorry Martin, I did misread your post. Are you still unclear about how you find the exact size of partitions and there positions on disk?
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I am still waiting to receive the SSD, When I do and I actually start following the instructions will it become evident exactly how clear the instructions are. I will post back should I have any issues. I have been using TI for years now and only had restore problems on one occasion.
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I would say yes, it should be evident what you should be selecting. What brand of SSD will you be using? If it is a Crucial brand some users have had issue with freezing problems with some of those drives. Primarily the MX series drives. If this is what you are getting and you end up with similar issues after migrating to the drive there has been a modified snapman.api module developed to address that problem. I can direct with that if need be.
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Thanks for your reply - It will be a Crucial but not MX series it will be a Crucial M550 - 512GB. Hopefully those freezing issues do not affect these drives
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FWIW I just did this myself the other day and was delighted with the ease of it. In my case I had three partitions, one hidden/recovery, and was moving from a spinner to a Larger SSD. I selected both of ATIH2014's Automatic and Manual options, since it's easy to back-out before clicking Proceed, and in the end was satisfied with Acronis' Automatic choices for partition sizing so went with that. Nuthin' to it! ;)
Hopefully Martin your experience will be like mine: "wow that was easy, why'd I get so worked-up about it" and for sure I wish I'd have put an SSD in that computer long ago...
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Thanks Tom, Did you use this guide:
http://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATIH2014/index.html#…
What size hard drive were you going from and what size SSD were you restoring to?
Thanks
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Martin,
One of the first things you need to do is to establish whether your current system disk is partitioned as MBR or GPT style partitioning. This link can assist.
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/40903#comment-129029
If your current system disk is partitioned as MBR, then one option is to use my signature link #3, item 2 inside that link as a guide.
This uses the TI Recovery CD to perform a disk restore. Following thru each step of the guide gets you to the final summary page where you choose either to Proceed with the restore, or choose Cancel to stop before beginning the restore. This summary page shows how the program will perform automatic downsizing of the backup to fit the new smaller size. The hiddden or recovery partitions must remain the original size. Only your Win C partition or any data partitions can be downsized. Again, if you simulate the restore and get to the final summary page, you can decide whether to not begin the restore by choosing the cancel option, or to continue with restore by choose the Proceed option. The summary page is an accept or reject decision.
In the event that your currect disk is partitioned as GPT, then I would suggest pursuing additional research such as
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Thanks Groover, I will read your guide and check how the system disk is partitioned - MBR or GPT
As I said still waiting for SSD to arrive which could take some time. But will bookmark this thread to later reference
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Martin Greshoff wrote:Thanks Tom, Did you use this guide:
http://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATIH2014/index.html#…
What size hard drive were you going from and what size SSD were you restoring to?
Thanks
I didn't use any guide Martin, iirc I just went to Utilities and Clone Disk, selecting my 82GB HDD as Source and then the 120GB SSD as Target. The HDD had 3 partitions, a Recovery and a System and another Data partition I had created on it, and using ATI's Automatic mode it seemed to evenly divide the free space between the System and Data partitions. Looked good to me so I didn't fiddle with manual settings at all.
Keep in mind that apart from the time it takes to copy bits/bytes from the HDD to the SSD, you can't really go wrong IMO. If you don't like the result just start-over and do something different.
A recent study shows that modern SSDs are very robust so one needn't worry about over-doing writes to them...
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