Best Way to Restore Acronis Images to SSD's?

[Whisper2]

I use Acronis True Image Home 2010 to create and restore images of my program disk. I never install Acronis but always run it from a DVD. When I had my programs on a HHD, I usually wrote the image over whatever was there. Sometimes, I formatted with a Windows 7 DVD before I wrote the image. I never did notice any difference as to whether formatting accomplished anything.

I now use an Intel X25M 120GB as my program drive. My programs account for about 35GB of the 111 GB available on the drive. I am running Win 7 x64 and Trim is operational.

I understand that SSD's have a lower number of write cycles than HHD's do, so I have used some restraint in replacing images.

Now the SSD questions:

Is quick formatting necessary? Or will Acronis' restored boot sector accomplish the same thing?

Does the "Secure Erase" included in Intel's Toolbox provide sufficient value, versus Quick Format, to justify the extra effort required to run it?

Acronis does recognize that the SSD is different. When I start a restore, a box pops up that states that there is data on the disk and some could be useful. It does not offer any choices as what do do with this "useful data". Acronis did not do this with a HHD.

 

[Elixer]

I believe most people do a secure erase, then you can clone to the SSD.

 

[stevech]

I believe most people do a secure erase, then you can clone to the SSD.

Yes, that's what I did to erase a HDD that was whole-disk-encrypted. That's the only way to get such a disk erased so it can be partitioned.
I didn't opt for the repetitious overwrites - just one iteration will do for the purpose.

 

[groberts101]

Acronis 2010(and probably 2011) will destroy any pre-existing patitions before writing the image to the drive. It will even give you a prompt asking if you want to continue. This is done on all media regardless if it's HDD or SSD.

 

[smakme7757]

I usually use Acronis 2011 own secure erase utility (on boot CD) when doing a new fresh image install. That way you have a clean slate to work with. But it's not advisable and not needed if you are swapping images every week or so.

If you are coming from a HDD to an SSD this is what i have done and it worked flawlessly.

1. Secure Erase the SSD with Acronis 'Fast' erase (Sets all 1 to 0's from memory)
2. If you're HDD had one or more partitions use Acronis drive tool to set them up on your SSD
3. Install the image.

Easy as that. It's worked flawlessly for me in the past.

 

[Whisper2]

Thanks for the info. I should clarify that I have been using this SSD for about four months and the six images I have were created on this same drive. I have replaced the image three or four times and have used Win 7 Quick Format, Regular Format (mistake, I hit enter about the same time a remembered to add the /q), and Intel's Secure Erase.

All three methods worked fine and I did not notice any difference in performance.

I am still not sure if it is really necessary to run Secure Erase (the "Gold Standard"). Supposedly, Quick Format (Win 7 version) also runs Trim. If so, wouldn't this accomplish
the same thing as Secure Erase?

smakme,

My Acronis Utilities does not show a Secure Erase, but lists an "Acronis Drive Cleaner" with the description: "Secure Data Destruction of Hard Disk". Is this the same tool you referred to? Do you know if the tool writes "0"s only to cells with data or to all cells even if they already contain "0"s?

 

[Old Hippie]

My Acronis Utilities does not show a Secure Erase, but lists an "Acronis Drive Cleaner" with the description: "Secure Data Destruction of Hard Disk".

All secure erase programs aren't the same and many seem to be confused between them.

The one recommended for SSDs is actually a Secure Erase command built into all ATA interface drives manufactured after 2001 and includes erasing the drive's LBA.

For SSD's, this LBA reset effectively sets all the blocks to "erased" status, returning the drive to a factory-like condition.

AFAIK, Acronis doesn't do this.

I use a bootable version of SE included with Parted Magic.

 

[sygyzy]

Why do you need to "Secure Erase" a SSD at all? Why not just use Acronis to write the image to disk? Am I missing something?

 

[razel]

All three methods worked fine and I did not notice any difference in performance.

I am still not sure if it is really necessary to run Secure Erase (the "Gold Standard"). Supposedly, Quick Format (Win 7 version) also runs Trim. If so, wouldn't this accomplish
the same thing as Secure Erase?

Yes, please do not join the cult of 'secure erase.' Since you make backups and have tried to answer a curiosity by yourself instead of just questioning others to coerce them to answer it for you, you certainly have a solid bearing in life and have your head screwed on straight.

A quick format in Win7 will refresh performance for well programmed SSDs as proven by Anand's SSD reviews. Do not worry about the wear level on the SSDs you own. It doesn't sound like you abuse it so I'm sure you'll get a decade or two of life out of it.

 

[Old Hippie]

Why do you need to "Secure Erase" a SSD at all? Why not just use Acronis to write the image to disk? Am I missing something?

You don't need to use any erase programs to use Acronis.

My answer was intended to clarify a question about secure erase but I guess I'm now a member of a secure erase cult. :biggrin: LOL!

 

[Whisper2]

You don't need to use any erase programs to use Acronis.

I assume that I still have to Quick Format though. If I do not, how would the SSD know that it is supposed to delete the data that was on the disk prior to writing an Acronis Image?

 

[Old Hippie]

You don't need to use any erase programs to use Acronis.

I assume that I still have to Quick Format though. If I do not, how would the SSD know that it is supposed to delete the data that was on the disk prior to writing an Acronis Image?

If ya need to make space for the Acronis image, make it anyway ya want.

It just depends upon the image size and the HD size as to how many images you can put on one disk.

Acronis also has options that change the amount of compression used on the image that will make them different sizes.

 

[stevech]

You don't need to use any erase programs to use Acronis.

I assume that I still have to Quick Format though. If I do not, how would the SSD know that it is supposed to delete the data that was on the disk prior to writing an Acronis Image?

That's a security issue, not a usability issue. If you are worried that some software will be used that scans the free sector list or SSD unused block list, and try to steal old data, then run the secure erase software provided by vendors of disks. Writes 101010101... in all places on the media. I guess, for an SSD, if it does the entire disk, then by definition it will get every semiconductor bit cell. Not a good idea though, I suppose.