Windows 10: Many random volumes shown in defrag

Today I noticed that defrag shows 7 random volumes that I have never seen before, 5 of which are on an SSD. I've only ever seen 1 random volume which I assumed is a recovery partition. I have 3 internal drives (2 SSD, 1 HDD) and 1 external HDD. File history is disabled and only the OS SSD has system protection restore points turned on. System restore shows 3 restore points. So what exactly are all these volumes for?




:)

 

Volume defrag

You can actually remove it from the list of the drives you want to optimize on a regular schedule. To do so, kindly follow these steps:

• Search for Defragment and Optimize drive.
• Under Optimize Drives, click the Change settings button.
• Under Optimization schedule, click the Choose beside Drives.
• Uncheck the \\?\Volume drive to remove it from the list.

We would appreciate an update about how it went.

 

Strange looking volume in the Optimize Drives (Defrag) screen

Interestingly enough, after some testing I can confirm what is really causing this weirdness indeed is the new Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Fact is, at a specific moment as will be shown below, it will not add only one weird looking volume to the Optimize Drives list but even two.

Check this out!

Before launching MSFS (all good)





With MSFS running (2 weird looking volumes added to the list)





After MSFS has been closed (one of the weird looking volumes still left in the list)





After rebooting the PC (all back to normal with only proper drives seen in the list)

 

Can't defrag this volume for some reason

Welcome to TenForums @Fuzion64

That will most likely be your Recovery Partition, permissions prevent you defragging it. As you will only ever boot this if you need to repair the PC defragging it serves no useful purpose. The other one may be another recovery partition or maybe the uefi partition - again, no point in defragging it.