1. How an image is created matters. Norton Ghost creates image very differently with different parameters/settings. i.e. disk imaging utility normally won't create byte by byte image unless you specify so.
2. One might restore an image to a new HDD with different capacity. (bigger or smaller or even to SSD).
If a disk utility like Ghost restores an image to a HDD and manage to create all partitions with correct alignment, to me, that simply means the utility knows and have done its part in making sure alignment is right. i.e. it has nothing to do with whether the original HDD (where the image is based on) has all its partitions aligned.
-tslim
Bear in mind that I am talking about NG 10 (and TI 11) both programs have changed and expanded considerably since then.
The number of options available at the time was far more limited than it is now.
Alignment was unheard of to most people, as was 'restore to dissimilar hardware'. (So for that matter were SSD's.)
Another consideration not yet mentioned is, if used, the type of partitioning software.
My original program was Acronis Disk Director Suite 10, one thing it was not was precise, it was impossible to use it to align a partition, if it did finish up aligned it was luck not judgement.
Through exchanges I had with people on a number of different forums I discovered other programs with greater accuracy, the one that stood out the most was
Bootit NG, I never got anywhere near all the possibilities of that program even with the help of someone who was very skilled with it.
SKA,
I cannot answer for the software you refer to either but both my XP computers were aligned with established systems, i.e. OS and all programs installed.