Windows 10: Partition help please

I have 2 new Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 tablets which I immediately updated to Windows 10. The problem is that they only have 32GB storage and after the updates there's not much space left. I've been researching online heaps and I understand that I can delete the Windows.old folder which is taking up 9.3GB:





I understand also that it is possible to remove at least one of the recovery partitions but I have also read about people getting it wrong and causing all sorts of dramas for themselves. I don't really need instructions about how to remove the partition and allocate the space to C: but rather just looking for advice about which one is safe to remove. I believe volume 3 in the cmd screenshot below is an OEM system image that can no longer be used anyway since the Windows 10 upgrade, but I'm not 100% sure. If so then removing it would free up another 5.1GB or so. Does anyone know for sure? Also, I have no intention of reverting to Windows 8.1.









:)

 

Windows 10 failed attempts to use "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)" function

Repeated backup failures. Running Windows 10, and when the “Backup and Restore (Windows 7) program is run front the Control Panel, I get the messages:



“Check your backup. The last backup did not complete successfully”.



“Windows Backup failed to get an exclusive lock on the EFI system partition (ESP). This may happen if another application is using files on the ESP.”



“Please retry the operation.”



Each time I retry, I get the same result and messages.

Windows 10 came installed on my Dell Inspiron 15 (500 Series) laptop. I have successfully used the same Backup and Restore (Windows 7) program to “Create a system image”, as well as to “Create a system repair disc”.

Please provide me with some insight and suggested actions.

 

Running windows 10 and lost browser connectivity after installing the 2013 Microsoft Office Suite

running windows 10 preinstalled on a new Dell lap top had no problem with windows browser, no problem installing Chrome, no problem downloading and activating 2013 Microsoft Office programs. BUT lost all browser connectivity after installing the 2013 Microsoft
Office Suite. Internet connectivity confirmed along with DNS, pings, etc.

Should I uninstall the 2013 Microsoft Office Suite?

 

as you dont want to roll windows back yes delete win.old you may have to use windows disk cleanup to do so though as for deleting that partition as ive no idea whats on it i couldnt say , i imagine its just windows and all the bloatware lenovo ram into their laptops?

 

From an elevated ("run as administrator") command prompt type:
reagentc /info

Any partitionX entries will show you which partitions Windows is using for recovery. Remember, though, the first hard drive starts at disk 0 - partitions on the disk start at 1, though. Harddisk0\partition1 would be the first partition on the first hard drive.

OEM recovery partitions not listed by reagentc are pretty much useless unless there is a restore feature built into bios - and even then you can still delete them, you just lose the restore capability from bios.

 

Thanks NavyLCDR. the below screenshot is running the reagents /info command. I'm not quite sure what I'm looking at though?

 

That's showing that the 450 MB partition is your WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment) partition.

Don't confuse 4th partition with 4th volume. If, in diskpart, you had looked at "list par", then you would see you have 5 partitions (the missing one not included in volumes being the MSR) and could have surmised that the partition numbered 4 (in the "reagentc /info" output) is your recovery partition.

 

So it should be safe to remove the 5.1GB recovery partition and allocate that space to C:??

 

Only if you have other means of recovery - e.g. images.

 

Unless bios has the functionality of restoring from the original factory image on the 5.1gb factory recovery partition, can you explain how the image stored there can be restored?

 

Yes. If you really want to, get yourself an 8gb flash drive for $5 and use Macrium Reflect Free or Minitool Partition Wizard Free to copy the partition to it before you delete it. I much prefer Minitool Partition Wizard Free for manipulating partitions over Windows disk management.

In fact, you will have to use Minitool Partition Wizard. You will delete the 5.1GB recovery partition, move the existing 450mb Recovery and boot partitions to the end of the disk, then expand the C: drive partition into the empty space once you get the empty space next to it.

 

I don't mind backing up the 5.1GB partition but is there really any point? Isn't it the factory ISO with Windows 8.1 which cannot be used anymore since the Win 10 upgrade? Or is it something else?

I am obviously no expert on these matters but it kind of seems logical that if I want a recovery image then I should make one after repartitioning and getting all setting just right?

 

You can run your 8.1 as long as you can manage a running system - which should be easy. I myself stay away from W10 - too many problems.

 

I myself have upgraded 10 computers in my house to Windows 10, including a Nextbook 10" tablet with 32gb memory instead of a hard drive, and have no problems at all. Windows 10 has been the best OS ever on the 10 computers in my house.

 

Win 10 certainly has some issues, it's not really polished yet. My main PC is still on Win 7 pro, I never upgraded to Win 8 or 8.1 as it's not a touchscreen and my very limited experience with Win 8 suggested that it is not nearly as good a desktop environment as Win 7. So now I am making the transition to a new Windows OS and relearning where to find everything. It just seamed logical to skip the already superseded version and go straight to Win 10. My main PC will also need to be replaced in the next 12 months and the replacement will undoubtedly be running Win 10. Besides, I am finding tablet mode reasonably useful on these Win 10 tablets. Still some strange behaviour and bugs to iron out but all in all it is workable.