Can Macrium restore a backup image to a smaller partition ?

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  1. Posts : 6,330
    Multi-Boot W7_Pro_x64 W8.1_Pro_x64 W10_Pro_x64 +Linux_VMs +Chromium_VM
       #1

    Can Macrium restore a backup image to a smaller partition ?


    Can Macrium restore a backup image to a smaller partition as long as there is enough space allocated for the space used ?

    I transferred my Test Box triple boot OSs from a HD spinner to an SSD.
    I had to make the OS partitions smaller for this transfer.
    Macrium Reflect free recreated the SSD partition to the original HD size during the restore.
    It didn't restore the image to the smaller SSD partition.
    It deleted my 2nd pre-allocated partition so it could have a 120 GB partition to restore to.
    The HD partition is 120 GB with ~20 GB of used space.
    The SSD partition is 65 GB.

    I ended up using Acronis, as it can restore to a smaller partition size.

    Did I miss something when creating or restoring the Macrium image that would allow restoring to a smaller target size partition ?
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  2. Posts : 17,796
    Windows 10, Home Clean Install
       #2

    Macrium must be restored to a larger or partition of equal size.
    At least for the free version which I have.
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  3. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #3

    Sorry Rich, but that is not so. Macrium can restore to a smaller partition as long as the data fits. Have done that many times. Just drag the image to the partition.
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  4. Posts : 17,796
    Windows 10, Home Clean Install
       #4

    You are the Macrium expert here and your information is appreciated.
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  5. Posts : 6,330
    Multi-Boot W7_Pro_x64 W8.1_Pro_x64 W10_Pro_x64 +Linux_VMs +Chromium_VM
    Thread Starter
       #5

    whs said:
    Sorry Rich, but that is not so. Macrium can restore to a smaller partition as long as the data fits. Have done that many times. Just drag the image to the partition.
    Maybe that is the option I missed ...
    I'll have to play with this to see if not doing that caused my issue.
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  6. Posts : 6,330
    Multi-Boot W7_Pro_x64 W8.1_Pro_x64 W10_Pro_x64 +Linux_VMs +Chromium_VM
    Thread Starter
       #6

    DavidE said:
    whs said:
    Sorry Rich, but that is not so. Macrium can restore to a smaller partition as long as the data fits. Have done that many times. Just drag the image to the partition.
    Maybe that is the option I missed ...
    I'll have to play with this to see if not doing that caused my issue.
    I tested this by dragging the image and it does restore to a smaller target partition :)
    Thanks Wolfgang for the tip!
    Can't rep you right now
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  7. Posts : 17,796
    Windows 10, Home Clean Install
       #7

    I gave rep for the both of us, he taught me too.
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  8. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #8

    No problem David. Rich was so kind to take care of the rep business.
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  9. Posts : 6,330
    Multi-Boot W7_Pro_x64 W8.1_Pro_x64 W10_Pro_x64 +Linux_VMs +Chromium_VM
    Thread Starter
       #9

    I found that after restoring the win 8.1 partition the alignment was wrong, the offset was 31 KB.
    I used Macrium and Acronis to restore, same results with both programs.
    Win 8.1 is the first partition and it's the active primary partition.
    After I fixed the alignment Windows would not start up.
    I used AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard and MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro to fix the alignment.
    Same result with both, alignment is set correctly to 1024 KB, but Windows (all 3 OSs) won't boot.
    I tried Repairing Windows 8.1, but it could not do the repair.
    I eventually used the Win 7 x64 bootable disc to do a Repair.
    That fixed it so all 3 OSs can boot.

    I don't understand why Repairing with the Win 7 disc fixed the Win 8.1 Active/Boot partition, but it did.
    Now that I know this, I expect I'll have to re-align and repair with Win 7 any time I restore the Win 8.1 OS.

    Just passing this along in case anyone else runs into this issue and finds this thread.
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  10. Posts : 72
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       #10

    What is "alignment"?
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