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When restoring an image, by default, Macrium Reflect attempts to locate the partitions in the image Data storage devices are organised into partitions, similar to a filing cabinet, to optimize the use of space on the device. Each partition contains a small amount of error correction data, in case of a fault. Partitions are aligned to further optimize the amount of error correction data they require, maximizing the available space on the device.

There are two alignment possibilities used by Windows:

1. 1MB alignment. Beginning with Windows Vista/Server 2008 partitions are aligned on 1MB boundaries. For a disk with 512 bytes per sector this equates to 2048 sector alignment. 

2. Cylinder, Head, Sector (CHS) alignment. This is the alignment used by all Windows versions, up to and including Windows XP/Server 2003. Disks are described as having sectors, heads and cylinders, typically 512 bytes per sector, 63 sectors per head  and 255 heads per cylinder. A head is often referred to as a track. Partitions start on a head (or track) boundary and end on a cylinder boundary http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylinder-head-sector.

Solid State Disks (SSD) require partition alignment to 4KB boundaries for optimum performance and life. 1MB aligned partitions are aligned on 4KB boundaries so present no problem, however, CHS aligned partition are often aligned on 63 sectors (31.5KB) degrading SSD performance and life time considerably. This can be improved by modifying restore destination partition properties when you restore an image.

When you ask to restore images Macrium Reflect initially sets out to restore the partitions back to their original position on the disk. You can change this by modifying the restored partition properties, for example, if you want to restore From here you can modify their destinations. The example below restores a small partition to a new, larger disk.

...

To modify the restore destination:

1. Click Restore image.

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2. The following dialog shows. Source shows the location of the partition on the original disk, which in this example is the location of the partition on the original disk.

   Choose where you want the partition to go, either:
   Restore the partition onto the new disk in exactly the same location by clicking Copy selected partitions.
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   Or
    Click and drag

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3. Click Select a different target disk and select the required target disk.
4. If you have partitions on the target disk which you are sure can be deleted, select each one in turn and click Delete Existing partition to create empty space. 

5. Drag the source partition onto the destination

   disk

   partition.

   The partition locates

   at

   to the first available free area of the new disk. In this

   example, this is at the beginning of the disk. 
   Caution: if you have established partitions on the target disk, select each one and click Delete Existing partition before you drag and resize partitions from the source. 
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   Modify

   case, partition 2.

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6. Click Restored Partition Properties.
   The Partition Properties dialog appears for you to modify the size of the target partition

   by clicking Restored Partition Properties

   .

    

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   Make required modifications, several options are available

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7. There are a number of things you can do here:

   • Modify the

   resultant

   • drive letter by

   choosing one

   • selecting another from the

   pull-down

   • list.

   • Modify and select the partition type

   i.e. Primary,

   • , for example Primary, Active, Logical.

   • Click

   -and-drag the size of the partition by clicking the < > arrows above

   • between the arrows < > above the disk view and drag the partition to a new size.
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   • Fine

   tune the exact partition size, its free space and alignment using the controls on the bottom left of the dialog.The Maximum Size button configures the partition to take

   • -tune the Partition Size, Free Space and Alignment.

   • Click Maximum Size to configure the partition to the maximum available unallocated space on the disk, in this

   example,

   • case about 1TB (the size of the disk)

   .
   The

   • Click Minimum Size

   button configures

   •  to configure the partition to

   take

   • the minimum size, in this

   example,

   • case roughly the same as the amount of data on the disk i.e. 460MB.

   The

   • Click Original Size

   button sets

   •  sets the partition

   to be the

   • to the same size as it was prior to backup.

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1. Click OK.

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