SSD vs HDD Reformatting.

[Guysakar]

Hi, I have an XPS 13 Ultrabook on the way with the 128 G SSD. I usually reformat a couple of times a year and did not realize how complicated the SSD reformat was until now.

My ultimate goal: Set the PC up the way I want it, then make an image back up so I can easily reformat in the future.

I'm thinking of using Macrium Reflect Free. The XPS has several partitions, so I guess I just select all of them when making an image with Reflect.

Then us HDDErase to erase drive. Then (I'm still lost on how to use Reflect, as their instructions are not very clear for a layman)...but hook up external HDD and select image restore.

Will that work properly? I keep hearing about alignments and stuff. Do I need to take a crash course on how to align the drive as well? Or will the above work well?

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone knows of any good step by step tutorials, from start to finish, that would be awesome.



PS Not that I want to go this route, but I assume that using the factory image restore thing in Windows 7 is not a good idea on an SSD?

 

[Guysakar]

Edit: Do I need to do all of this to restore from an image?

In other words, say I create an image of my system on my external HDD, can I just do an image restore from that, without all of the secure erasing and formatting?

That would be a game changer.

 

[*= WildCat =*]

Hiya Guysakar

With my backup application I backup my OS (operating system) that is Windows 7 Pro 64bit and I can replace my OS if say it becomes damaged, this is done via the backup archive being written to the Boot Drive C:\ (overwriting) no formatting is needed and can be performed within the OS or outside of it (if the Computer will not boot) via a boot disk that my backup application can burn. I keep the backup archive on a external HDD.

 

[OhSnapWord]

Can I ask why you reformat so often?

 

[cb600fshornet]

Can I ask why you reformat so often?

Indeed, a transfer of data to a data drive and a defragment would fix speed issues.

And an SSD would not have the aforementioned issues of fragmentation and slowdown.

Although a reformat does get rid of those darn viruses pretty well!