A question to those who are familiar with backup/imaging software.

[rocker_geek]

So I got this new laptop and usually I do a format and clean install but I happen to like some of the pre-installed software and there is no way to install it after a clean install. So I decided to keep the OEM windows. So far, so good right?

The problem here is that the factory-configured C Partition has 850 GB allocated to it while the the D partition is about 25 GB, which horribly stupid imo. And the manufacturer provided recovery program doesn't support OS re-imaging if you resize the partitions. My policy has always been to keep my data on a separate partition from the OS, Games and Programs partition so I can re-install or re-image the OS partition in case something goes wrong with the OS without losing any of my data.

So my question is, is there a backup/recovery program that can image my OS from the current 850 gb partition and then restore to it say, a 450 GB partition? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[shemp]

Hi, I've read that Acronis TrueImage has no problem restoring to a smaller partition although I don't have any personal experience with it.

Wouldn't it be just as easy to use disk management or another partitioning program to shrink the OS partition to whatever size and then merge the unallocated space to the D drive partition? Then surely any imaging program would be able to restore the C drive partition.
Hope that helps.

 

[1qay1qay]

EaseUS Backup can restore to smaller partition as long as data will fit. Just be sure that you DONT check "sector by sector" image, this is used for "other" purposes.

 

[shmu26]

I have sucessfully restored to a smaller partition using macrium reflect. I think most of the softwares will do it, if you use default settings. Like qayqay said, don't do sector by sector, or other special settings of that type, each software will call it by a different name.

you could try to shrink the partition, like shemp suggested, but it doesn't always work, because sometimes you have an unmovable file that holds you back. But if it is shrinkable without using violent techniques like Gparted (which can render the disk unbootable), why not do it?