Creating and Restoring an ATIH Image Containing Unmarked or "Recovery" Partitions

If you restore to the same disk, you can restore the whole disk (ie you check the box at the disk level when you choose what to restore), everything will be put back in place as it was. You don't need to pre-partition, pre-format or anything. Always to restores from the recovery CD, so make sure your recovery CD works: produce it, boot on it, restore a couple of files, get familiar with the whole disk or partition restore wizard.

If you restore to another disk, you will have to restore each partition, one partition at a time. Check this thread about restoring to an SSD or a disk of a different size: http://forum.acronis.com/forum/26162

Obsidian

You can use either the 2010 or the 2011 TI bootable Recovery CD and both will produce the same result.

Your backup of all 3 partitions is the preferred method and it includes everything. This is also known as a complete disk image or a full disk option backup. Should you have a need to restore to a new disk, you will need all 3 partitions either together in one backup or in single backups. Having a single full backup is the best option with the fewest problems.

You should take and retain a picture of the Windows Disk Management graphical view. Even print it out and retain so you have that information when you need to create a new disk.

If you were to do a disk restore (disk option checked to a new disk or larger or SSD disk, then yes, the partitions would be restored in the correct order. The problem, however, with doing a disk restore is that the user has no control over the partition sizes and TrueImage would make the partitions 1 & 3 larger which is not needed nor recommended.

A better solution is to restore each partition individually somewhat similar to what is discussed in this link.
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/25935#comment-80674

Using this method of restoring each partition individually, the user must absolutely know the proper sequence, type, etc which makes the printout very helpful. TrueImage may try to make other choices so the user may have to correct certain default values which is why you must have that information for easy reference.

Preliminary:
Install the new disk (larger or smaller SSD,etc) inside the computer in its normal boot partition.
Attach the USB disk containing your backups or other alternate storage location.
Boot from the TI bootable media Rescue CD.
If at any point you need to start over from the very beginning, you can use the CD TI Add disk option and delete any partitions on the new disk.
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When doing the restore to a new disk and restore each partition in its own individual pass, your procedures would be to

1. Start the Recovery option and checkmark and restore only partition 1 which is the 100mb partition. This partition should not be resized but should be retained in the same size. TrueImage may attempt to make size changes and if it does, you will have to reset the size back to original. It is this partition which needs to have the 1 mb "free space before" option. Most likely, TI will show it but it is up to you to make sure and supply the correction by the typing 1 into the "free space before" open window and confirm that the window read "MB" and not "GB".

Continue by selecting the target disk and before you click the proceed option, note that the summary screen displays the options you have selected and adjusted sizes. You can cancel if correction are needed. If correct, Click the Proceed option and do the restore of partition 1. Do not reboot

2 Restart the recovery procedure and checkmark only partition 2 which is the Recovery partition for restore. Double check that TI marks this partition as the Active partition and as a Primary partition. TI should retain the original partition size as it is the active partition. However, if TI changes the size, you should reset the size back to the original 9.77GB. Before you leave these settings be sure that the partition is marked and Active and Primary. Select the target disk and click proceed and do the restore of partition 2. Do not reboot

3.Restart the recovery procedure and checkmark partition 3 plus checkmark the Track9/mbr option. You can adjust the partition size to either a smaller or larger disk by using all available remaining unallocated space on either a smaller or larger disk or SSD.

Select the target disk and also select the "Recover Disk signature". Click proceed and do the restore of partition 3 which will also include the restore of Track9/mbr as well as the disk signature.

Upon Completion. Shut down and disconnect other drives. The first reboot following the restore should be with only the new disk. You do NOT want Windows to see two identical configured drives. After several successful boots, then the original disk can be attached as a data disk or reformatted, etc.

Upon your successful transfer to the new disk, I would suggest that you assign unique names to your your main Windows partition. This can be done from within Windows Disk Management console. Volume names such as "Win7_C" or your own choice. I prefer to include drive letters as part of the volume names. Without identifying names, it is too easy to make a mistake.

To get the feel of the correction you will need to make, I would suggest you look at some of my guides. Click on first line of my signature and located index item #3-CC or 3-DD. These will show you how to do the resizing of partitions and the 1mb of free space, etc. The guides are not identical but will provide the feel as to how to make the corrections I have suggested above.