can image 140GB and restore to 70GB?

my HDD has a 140GB partition.

if i want to reformat that partition and resize it to 3 partitions - 70GB, 50GB and 20GB.. can i use acronis to image the existing 140GB partition and then restore the image to the 70GB partition? (assuming the 140GB partition i created earlier has less than 70GB of data)

 

Yes.

Assuming that you are using Windows as your OS the recommended maximum for a disk/partition is 85% of available space. In the case of your 70GB partition the maximum amount of current and future data should not exceed 59GB.

 

Hello spider-darth,

The answer is Yes but there is a potential gotcha regarding the MBR/Track 0. The answer to the gotcha depends on the version and build of TI that you are using. Please advise.

Regards

 

oh.. i forgot about the 85% rule.

if that's the case, if my current partition has more than 59GB, i cannot image it onto the new 70GB partition, am i right?

also.. is it advisable then to resize my partitions or to maintain status quo?

 

hi,

i'm not very good with computers, especially the technical aspect of it. may I know what u mean?

 

Sorry, my mistake - the potential "gotcha" (i.e. problem) lies with the Windows boot.ini file, not the Master Boot Record and Track zero data of your hard drive.

The Windows boot.ini file contains important information regarding the hard drive(s) and which partition to boot Windows from. When you restore the image of your single partition hard drive to your now multi-partitioned hard drive, the original boot.ini file may prevent Windows booting or functioning correctly. Please read this previous thread titled <Reflections on Build 3567 and MBR>, in particular the reply from Acronis Support in Post #18 therein.

Regards

 

Well you could.... but it would not be advisable. Windows requires a minimum of 15% free space to run the Defrag utility. If you cannot run defrag you cannot perform basic disk maintenance.

T.

 

It is always a good idea to split your OS and Programs from your Data. Ideally one would like to have the OS and Programs on one disk and the data on another. If that is not possible then the next best is to partition the disk into the OS and Programs partition and the Data partition.

In your case you will probably find that a 80GB / 60GB split will be just about right. Keep your backups on an external USB drive.

The one VERY BIG PROBLEM with your plan is that you cannot test the archive before you restore it. If the archive fails to restore you will be left with an unbootable system and you will have lost everything.

Let us know what other options you have and we might be able to make some suggestions.

T.

 

how can i test the archive before restoring it?

i've another comp. does it help?

 

Hard disks probably represent the best-value-for-money product anywhere on Earth. For example a 160GB Samsung SATA hard disk will cost you less than $60 US or £30 UK or E45 Europe.

My suggestion is that you buy a spare hard disk which will give you the ability to test-restore your system partition, programs, data..... anything. A spare hard disk gives you a lot of "peace-of-mind".

T.

 

if i install an internal HDD into my 2nd comp, can i use that HDD to test-restore my system partition?

my comp will now have 2 different operating systems, do i have to perform dual boot or something? if so, how to do so?

 

You can test the restore on a different computer, but you will run into problems since it is different hardware unless you now bring into the mix the Universal Restore part of Acronis - which some users have reported having problems using.
Better to install the drive in the same computer from which the image was made and do the restore there.

 

what's the Universal Restore part of Acronis about? does Acronis 7.0 has it?

and.. are there anyway to restore on a different comp, despite the potential problems?

 

There are no such requirements.
THe main concerns are:

1. If you wish to be able to defrag the drive, it is recommended that tere be at least c7% free to use a defragger such as Perfect Disk. The built-in windows defragger, inferior as it is, may require more free space.

2. If the drive is one on which an OS is installed, you need to leave room for the files installed by each update, often around 100mb each time.

3. If you use apps that are too dumb to allow you to relocate data files to another drive, then you could run out of room. Heck, even windows has lots of stuff that neednot be on tge OS drive.
For example, on my very old system, I have 3 drives, 9GB, 18GB, and 36 GB, with 1 oS on the 9GB drive, 2 on the 18GB drive and 1 on the 36 GB drive.

C and D are on the9GB drive. Recently, I used Partition Magic to shrink D and increase C to allow for further windows updates

 

It's an add-on and I'm not sure if it will even work with version 7.
Yes, there are other ways, one involves using a Microsoft file called Sysprep. I've never tried it myself.
Another way that I have tried is before making the Image, change the video driver of your original to a generic vga driver. It will change your resolution to 640 x 480, 16 bit and look terrible. . Now make your backup image.

Then restore the Image to the other system. You will then have to install the video driver that pertains to that system as well as all the other drivers for that system - modem, sound card, network etc.

 

sounds complicated.

if.. i'm planning to install Vista in future. will installing Vista reformat and create partitions for my comp?