Solved Backing up an SSD

[PSCO2007]

Just got a new SSD.

In the past, I have used Acronis to backup from HDD to HDD.

I know you cannot image from HDD to SSD, so is my only option to backup the SSD in getting a separate SSD?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Brink]

Hello Paul,

Yes, you sure can image from HDD to SSD or SSD to HDD. It's just a matter if the drive you are restoring to is the same size or larger as the drive the image was created from. That's all.

 

[mjf]

I know you cannot image from HDD to SSD, so is my only option to backup the SSD in getting a separate SSD?

I'm not sure what you mean here. Don't confuse imaging with cloning. There is no need to clone.

Imaging an SSD is no different from imaging a spinning HDD. You typically store your images on a USB ext HDD. I use both Windows inbuilt imaging (see the create and restore tutorials) and free Macrium Reflect (see the WHS tutorial) to image my SSD and have restored the image many times.

 

[bigmck]

As mjf said, there is no problem because it is an SSD. I have a SSD and I use Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download I have it backedup to a HDD once a week. It works great with no problems. Give it a try.

 

[PSCO2007]

Hello Paul,

Yes, you sure can image from HDD to SSD or SSD to HDD. It's just a matter if the drive you are restoring to is the same size or larger as the drive the image was created from. That's all.

Thanks for reply Brink,

The problem was when I bought the SSD, I restored from the backup on the HDD and the SSD had terrible read/write times.

I was told repeatedly, and on this forum as well. that you cannot restore an image from the HDD to SSD.

A clean install was required, even though the partition nos. on the SSD were full nos. (based on division of 4096) and the partitions are done by Win 7 disc.

When I did a clean install to the SSD, my read/ write speeds went from 150/62 to 487/340.

Sorry to be confusing.

Paul

 

[PSCO2007]

As mjf said, there is no problem because it is an SSD. I have a SSD and I use Macrium Reflect FREE Edition - Information and download I have it backedup to a HDD once a week. It works great with no problems. Give it a try.

Thanks for reply.

I've been using Acronis (free with my Seagate hdds)

 

[mjf]

The problem was when I bought the SSD, I restored from the backup on the HDD and the SSD had terrible read/write times.

So you are talking about the initial installation on your SSD then.
Take a look at this
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html
I transferred to my SSD from a spinner (Macrium) image. Others prefer a clean install. You can do it either way.
Then you just image as usual.

 

[PSCO2007]

The problem was when I bought the SSD, I restored from the backup on the HDD and the SSD had terrible read/write times.

So you are talking about the initial installation on your SSD then.
Take a look at this
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html
I transferred to my SSD from a spinner (Macrium) image. Others prefer a clean install. You can do it either way.
Then you just image as usual.

To be clear : I did a clean install to the SSD.
If I do a backup to an HDD or external drive, and I need to restore to the SSD, you are saying that since the SSD had a clean install there would be no problem?

 

[mjf]

To be clear : I did a clean install to the SSD.
If I do a backup to an HDD or external drive, and I need to restore to the SSD, you are saying that since the SSD had a clean install there would be no problem?

Correct.

 

[PSCO2007]

To be clear : I did a clean install to the SSD.
If I do a backup to an HDD or external drive, and I need to restore to the SSD, you are saying that since the SSD had a clean install there would be no problem?

Correct.

One final question:

Since my HDD had a clean install and I did a backup of that , why did I have a problem when restoring to the SSD?

 

[bigmck]

One final question:

Since my HDD had a clean install and I did a backup of that , why did I have a problem when restoring to the SSD?

What did you use to backup and restore?

 

[PSCO2007]

One final question:

Since my HDD had a clean install and I did a backup of that , why did I have a problem when restoring to the SSD?

What did you use to backup and restore?

Acronis Discwizard, which I have been using for years from HDD to HDD.

 

[bigmck]

One final question:

Since my HDD had a clean install and I did a backup of that , why did I have a problem when restoring to the SSD?

What did you use to backup and restore?

Acronis Discwizard, which I have been using for years from HDD to HDD.

There should have been no difference in restoring to a HDD or a SSD. It sounds like you did everything correct. The Clean Install of the SSD was an important thing and you did it. I wish I could tell you more. Maybe one of the other guys can. Thanks,

 

[alan10]

Since my HDD had a clean install and I did a backup of that , why did I have a problem when restoring to the SSD?

You have several problems.
1.
Windows 7 installation for an SSD is NOT the same as for an HDD.
For one thing your HDD has prefetch files,
which are omitted by an installation to an SSD,
but you got them on you SSD by restoring an HDD image.
There are many other things different about what files, folders, and Services are needed between an HDD and an SSD,
so what the Installation did for the HDD was WRONG for the SSD.

2.
I learned years ago not to trust Acronis,
and perhaps your difficulties were compounded with an old version that might have lacked full knowledge of SSD peculiarities.

3.
You have said
"even though the partition nos. on the SSD were full nos. (based on division of 4096)"
I am not sure what you meant.
I do know that the special requirement is NOT the size of the partition,
but the offset of the start of the partition, and there is a special DOS command that can help there
(I think it is DiskPart).

I believe running at 30% of the expected speed is a natural result of having the wrong offset.

 

[mjf]

so what the Installation did for the HDD was WRONG for the SSD.

I'm not sure I entirely agree with this. There are some things to look out for and again these are mentioned in the tutorial I referred the OP to earlier.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html
My SSD is based on a HDD image (using free Macrium Reflect) with some tweaks. Windows will recognize the presence of an SSD and set some things automatically. An important thing is to make sure your SSD is aligned and this is covered in the tutorial. Also, defragmentation should be off.
If you find your SSD is not aligned the free Partition Wizard can align it after the fact.

If you want more tweaks look here
Windows 7 SSD Tweaking Guide

 

[PSCO2007]

so what the Installation did for the HDD was WRONG for the SSD.

I'm not sure I entirely agree with this. There are some things to look out for and again these are mentioned in the tutorial I referred the OP to earlier.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html
My SSD is based on a HDD image (using free Macrium Reflect) with some tweaks. Windows will recognize the presence of an SSD and set some things automatically. An important thing is to make sure your SSD is aligned and this is covered in the tutorial. Also, defragmentation should be off.
If you find your SSD is not aligned the free Partition Wizard can align it after the fact.

If you want more tweaks look here
Windows 7 SSD Tweaking Guide

Thanks for reply,

I've gotten so many differing opinions, that it's hard to make sense of them all.

I know the image recovery from SSD was aligned and Trim was enabled.
Still. the Read/Write times were terrible.

I am just going to buy the smallest SSD I can find (64gb) and use that as a target for my current SSD info.

Thanks to all who replied.

Paul

 

[mjf]

I am just going to buy the smallest SSD I can find (64gb) and use that as a target for my current SSD info.

If that's what you want to do then ok of course.

But for the sake of others once Windows and other software has been installed on your SSD to your satisfaction then standard imaging with software like Windows inbuilt imaging or (free) Macrium Reflect is perfectly fine. If this wasn't the case I would never have bought an SSD.

What is open to debate/preference is if your initial SSD install should be a clean install or based on an image from a HDD OS installation.