Windows 10: Macrium Free disk imaging

Ok, using a Macrium made boot USB I can create an image of my boot SSD (all partitions needed to boot Windows), to any other attached disk, this works perfectly.
My question is about using Macrium while in Windows, is the disk image made this way identical to the image made from using the USB boot disk?
I was under the impression that using boot disks was required because while Windows is running certain files are locked and open so an image made under these conditions would fail on restore.
Is this no longer the case?
Is a disk image made from within Windows now valid.
This question is not about file backups, it is about a full disk image made while Windows is running.

:)

 

Restoring Windows 10 Image using Macrium Reflect


In addition to the above. Here's my suggestion in step by step.
I assume you have Macrium Installed in your current HD and already made a backup copy.

1. Connect your new HD via USB port and boot up.
2. Run Macrium, click on Restore tab then select the Backup Image that you made to restore
3. click on "select a different target disk" then select your new HD as destination
   
   
   
4. Proceed to restore then Shutdown and disconnect the old HD and replace with the new HD
5. Boot up with your new HD.

 

Macrium Reflect and SSD drive


Here's an easy way to do it, With your SSD connected.

1. If not already done. Create a backup image of your current Windows HD. From Macrium, click on "Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows"
   NOTE: you could actually clone the disk, but create a backup then restore will allow Macrium to correctly align the cluster size and perform trimming on the new SSD.
2. After step 1 is done, click on Restore tab, select the image from step 1 then click on Select different target disk, select the SSD as destination disk then click on Next->Finish. No need to use/boot from Rescue disk. It will be faster and Macrium will also perform trimming on the new SSD.
3. Disconnect the HD and reboot. Windows should boot up with the new SSD.

 

Transfer System disk image to SSD


Here's my suggestion: Connect the SSD to the PC.

1. Download: Macrium Reflect Free and install then run.
   IMPORTANT: click on the 1st icon on the top left to create a Macrium Rescue disk (using USB or DVD)
2. Open Disk Management and make sure the SSD is disk 1.
   From Admin Command, type:
   diskpart
   select disk 1
   clean
   exit
   exit
3. From Macrium, The disk with Windows currently running will have the partitions as shown in your screen shot above. Click on Clone this disk...
   A Windows popup, click on select a disk to clone to...
   Click on the SSD
4. Select the 100MB "System Reserved", drag and drop to the destination (SSD)
5. Select the 60GB "C Drive", drag and drop to the destination(SSD) next to the System Reserved
6. Click Next->Finish
7. Once done, shutdown, disconnect the HD and connect the SSD Only
8. Boot up with the Macrium Rescue disk created in step 1.
9. Once booted, click on "Fix Windows boot problems" and follow the instruction to complete.
10. Remove the Rescue disk and reboot.