Windows 10: Multi Recovery Partitions

Folks:
I have a Dell Venue 8 Pro with an upgraded Windows 10 installed. Always perform Windows Update but did not pay attention too closely. When the drive space was low and started looking a little bit closer, I found out that I have several Recovery Partitions. From Disk Management display, from left to right are the partitions:
500MB EFI | 40 MB OEM | 490 MB Recovery | C: OS 22.8 GB | 450 MB Recovery | 4.75 GB Recovery
The problem is I do not know which partition that Windows 10 actually created as its Recovery Partition. I do know that the 4.75 GB partition is my original Dell Venue 8 Pro Recovery Partition. Which one can I remove to allow the expansion of my C drive? What gives?

:)

 

Windows 10 & Too many Recovery partitions

Disk Management displays:

• 300 MB Healthy (EFI System partition)
• 900 MB Healthy (Recovery partition)
• OS (C 184,97 GB Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash, Primary partition)
• 912 MB Healthy (Recovery partition)
• 450 MB Healthy (Recovery partition)
• DATA (D 258,15 GB Healthy (Primary partition)
• 20,01 GB Healthy (Recovery partition)

It concerns an ASUS N750JV laptop that came with Windows 8 Home pre-installed, then upgraded to Windows 8.1. and finally to Windows 10.

One could assume that each Windows version created its own Recovery partition, so that could explain 3 Recovery partitions.

Usually I change the name of partition C: from OS (or often LOCAL) to for example Win 10 pr 64-bit, especially with it concern a dual or multi-boot computer.

Willy

 

Windows 10 upgrade nightmare!

Toshiba do do recovery media I think but it might cost you.

I doubt your Win7 code will work with a generic Win7 dvd.

I can't remember exactly but I think the first or last DVD in the toshiba recovery set is named "recovery enviroment". Try booting from that one and you might be able to get the recovery partition going again instead of the dvds.

I have always gone for the whole disk/partition clone method rather than doing the multi-hour toshiba reinstalls where possible so I haven't used them too much recently.

I don't see anything special on my own recovery partition that sets it apart from others so I think it is that recovery enviroment dvd that is important about getting into it.

I'll add that from my own personal experience of running Win10 on a Toshiba L640 laptop you certainly don't want to do that. It isn't stable.

 

First thing I would do is install Macrium Reflect Free and make a backup of your 32GB memory onto a flash drive or SD card. That way if you need anything in the future you will have it.

Then I would install MiniTool Partition Wizard. From the looks of it you can delete the 40 MB OEM, 490 MB Recovery and 4.75 GB Recovery partitions. Move the 450 MB recovery partition to the end of the "disk". Then expand the C: drive partition both at the front and at the end to fill the remaining space.

Also, it would be a good idea to make the Macrium Reflect Free rescue USB flash drive - which will take about 1 GB more of your space on the "hard drive" - but you can also make the Macrium rescue USB on another computer as well.

Also note: you will probably see a small MSR partition in MiniTool Partition Wizard that you don't see in Windows Disk Management. If that is in the way of expanding your C: drive partition at the front - just delete it. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth and someone will post here shortly that deleting the MSR partition will be the beginning of the apocalypse - but there are plenty of us who have deleted this empty "reserved for future use" space and have had no issues at all.

 

This is my tablet's configuration. I've also shrunk the EFI and Recovery partitions:

 

The 3 recovery partitions seem to be standard. At least 2 of them are really tiny. So no need to play around with them.

 

You could squeeze a little more space by using Kyhi's win pe image to make an image backup of tablet to a flash drive, or sd card, then you could delete the recovery partition as not really needed then.

 

I have an image on the SD card, but I want to keep the troubleshooting menu.

 

The only part that disappears is the ability to reset pc. I can still access firmware etc via the troubleshoot menus and I have no recovery partition.

In my personal experience, both my tablets screwed up using reset option anyway, so I always use MRF instead.


Still not worth it removing it really for 350 MB though I guess.

 

Well, I can certainly try it, it's easy enough to put back in place if I don't like the results

 

Well, I too have a Venue Pro...
So I will share my experience with windows 8.1 (PBR- Push Button Reset) and (Bare Metal Reset Recovery Media)
vs
the same recovery features with Windows 10....

The Recovery features between 8.1 and 10 are very different.... And the venue being a touch tablet makes matters worst..

Here is the break down for this upgraded Venue..

500MB EFI (System) Partition > only needs to be 100MB

40MB OEM Partition > Dell's PC Diagnostic Utility Partition > maybe nice to have, but will probably never use or need it...

490MB Recovery (WinRE for windows 8.1) > Here is where there is a difference - that WinRE.wim also has the 8.1 touch and system drivers added into it.... So your tablet will function without the need for a USB input device while in Recovery..

C is the OS

450MB Recovery is WinRE for Windows 10 > this is the standard 10 winre.wim and does not contain any system or touch drivers for the venue.. so a USB input device will be needed within recovery...

4.75GB is the windows 8.1 recovery image partition... Windows 8.1 uses this Factory image to Reset windows... The image is a capture of the OS, Factory Programs, System Drivers, etc.. (the Sysprep OS)

Here is the second major difference - windows 10 uses a different method to Reset itself - it uses the file backups from within itself to Reset the OS.. (winSxS)

Windows 10 Reset is also an OS only reset feature - not special drivers or programs...
To included or apply those drivers and programs - A provisioning package (custom.wim) must be included into the recovery process... This is a process you would have to do manually as it is not part of the OS installation...

So in closing, due to the difference in the creation and recovery processes of 8.1 and 10 recovery on the venue..
I have had No luck creating and resetting my venue with the Standard Windows 10 Recovery Method....

I have the Windows 8.1 Factory Bare Metal Reset Recovery Media, saved to an external drive and USB stick... Because it works every time...

There are several other more reliable methods to create windows 10 recovery and BMR recovery media, but it is all done manually...

I manually build off the windows 8.1 recovery (use as a template) to create the Windows 10 Recovery Media.. By swapping in a few prepared windows 10 images..

 

Yeah - windows 10 recovery on tablets is a PITA.

The easiest method (imo) is to simply use Macrium Reflect Free and create a system image backup of a working version, and put Macrium as a dual boot entry. You will need to connect a usb mouse (via an otg cable if a mico usb slot).

Unfortunately, my Linc does not recognise the sd card when using Macrium, so image need to be on a flash drive (so a usb hub is needed as well). Not sure if this a generic or specific to Linx. I know you can create a custom wim but tbh more trouble than it is worth as I have a suitable hub anyway.

 

And to make matters worse - there is no screen rotation on my Nextbook tablet when in recovery mode. So, not only do I have to have the detachable keyboard attached, I also have to have the thing sitting up sideways and the touchpad mouse is 90 degrees off

One of these days I am going to add the touchscreen and rotation drivers to the Macrium Reflect rescue USB, but not a high priority.

 

Do you know how to do that - I would not mind giving it a bash.

 

I'm going to look into Kyhi's instructions for adding things to Windows PE.