Windows 7 inbuilt disk imaging and SSD

[Bubo]

Does anyone use the inbuilt disk imaging in Windows 7 with their ssd? I have read that a useful strategy with ssd's to keep them fresh is to periodically secure erase them then put an image back on. The inbuilt imaging in wWindows sounds ideal, but I have also read that you can only restore an image to a formatted drive. I.e. once you secure erase the ssd you have to put a partition on it and format it before you can restore the image. How do you go about doing this and ensure the partition alignment correct for ssd's?

Everything I've read suggests that when you install windows to a fresh ssd you don't manually create a partition, you let the windows install do it by itself as it knows what it is doing when it recognises an ssd, but does the same apply when you have to manually create a partition?

I guess the answer is to use a 3rd party imaging program, but which will allow you to keep the correct alignment? I have the partedmagic iso and there are a few imaging programs on there but they look a bit complex at this moment in time and I'm still not sure about the alignment thing with them, so was drawn to the inbuilt windows system.

Are there any Noddy guides on the subject?

 

[Bubo]

By periodically I was talking like every 6 months, this is what I've seen talked about on other sites anyway as a means to bring your ssd right back to factory speed with all your stuff on it, regardless of how Trim has managed to keep on top of things in the meantime.

Its just that all the advice I've seen says that you shouldn't manually create a partition when installing windows, not even the tool in the instal process itself. I.e. let windows install to a RAW drive, which kind of suggets if you do manually use the part tool on a windows install disk it won't necessarily align the partitions, and probably won't create the hidden one either. So wanted to get clued up for when the times comes.

I've done a bit more research now though and the gparted live cd seems fairly straight forward to correct misaligned partitions anyway, so may rely on that.