Windows 10: Too many Partitions on hard drive

OK, Here’s what I got.
I cloned the drive to a second internal 500 GB EVO SSD.
I cloned all but the Dell 57 GB recovery and the Swap Temp partitions.
Macrion “Trimmed” etc.
I think Macrium might have put a new “Aqllighment” partition.
I then set the BIOS to what I thought was the correct Boot Order.

I discovered you can’t identify which hard drive is which in the BIOS Boot choices.
Two choices, Windows Boot Manager or Windows Boot Manager.
Anyways, I am able to Boot to both drives using the “Boot Options” (F12).
You also can’t identify which drive is which in the Boot Options Menu.
Both Windows options look the same.
Choosing the second “Windows Boot Manager” in the list boots to the second drive.
I changed the Partition labels on the two drives to System a and System b etc.
That way I could see which one I was in using with File Explorer.
Trouble is that the Swap Temp partition, which is only on the old drive, popped up as partition F with both boot-ups.
Windows would not let me change the partition letter for F Swap Temp until I removed the Custom Page File settings I had on F:.
Of course, when booting into the “NEW” drive, Windows rearranged the partition letters and I now need to reset the drive letter for the file History backup drive back to G:.
This will not be a problem because I will only need to use the second Drive if the first drive fails.
I believe Windows will remember the Partition letters after I reset them in each System. It seems to remember.
So, thanks to all the information I was able to get from you guys, I was able to make a plan and exicute it.
Without your help and advice I would not have been able to gain the insight into the workings of Windows 10 (in this one narrow field) and make this happen without a lot of grief.
Thanks Guys.
By-the-by, reagentc /info.





I would like to know how to setup the Boot process so that I can choose which drive I want to boot into.
Another post.

Thanks,
My problem is solved.
Joe

Solved

 

you now have two SSDs with exactly the same versions of Windows cos you cloned , not imaged them...... I wouldn't say this is solved unless you plan to Format the EVO SSD Copy while booted into the Original Drive.....

Why would you want to boot to either?

KB

 

This is just a backup of the main HD.
I have no intensions of using the backup as a primary OS.
If things fail, I wi;;ues the backup to fix things.

 

Instead I would Image the Primary Drive to the second Drive ( saves space) and make a scheduled Backup twice a week , and use the Macrium Rescue Disk to Re-Image the Primary Drive if there is an issue ....that way Win10 is as "fresh" as 3 Days ago at all times , even immediately follow a Re-Image . A Clone is nice to have as Another emergency backup if you have an old spare drive too, but it gets real confusing with all the partitions and drives looking exactly the same
( talking from experience ).

you could use EasyBCD 2.2 ( free version) to just edit the Boot Menu and remove the Disk 2 Option I guess...

 

Well, yeah, you can do as I suggested using a clone as the source but it takes up that space, and there's the potential for confusion Kbird pointed out.

Considering the stated aim of your thread, how can you be satisfied dealing with twice as many partitions as you started out with?

 

That's what I was thinking......it seems we have doubled the issue not fixed it but perhaps not ?

 

I think I will take your advice and keep an image on the second drive.
I guess Macrium could do the scheduled backup.
Thanks again.
Joe

 

Are you happy with the Partition layout on Disk 0 now ? did you get that sorted out ?

You can delete the Partitions on Disk 1 ( or where you did the clone? ) with MiniTool P.Wizard , then create 1 large Partition and then Run Macrium Images to it on a Schedule , set the schedule so there is always 50-100GB on the Drive ( bottom of the Window) that way it won't fill the Drive and will Auto erase "Sets" that are not needed after 2-3 weeks.

You have 3 disks don't you? or did you have an external hooked up to in the images you posted ? are they all SSDs? so perhaps something like :

Disk0 OS and Programs (SSD if Not already for speed)
Disk1 Data.... (SSD BEST HDD okay, if SSD can use for things like Steam Library too)
Disk2 Backups / Images etc (SSD BEST HDD okay)

KB.

 

I have three drives.
Drive 0 is a standard internal 2.5" HD. My original drive.
Drive 1 is a Msata internal SSD. the clone.
Drive 2 is an external 2.5" standard HD. My File History.





There are still adjustments, moves and perhaps a few deletions to be done on Disk 0 and Disk 1.
I now have a better idea about I can and can't do.
When I have the time!!!
All is working now so I'll get around to those adjustments soon.

Joe

 

If Disk 1 is the SSD you would be better using it for Windows/Programs as it is much faster than the HDD , not sure if it is easy to swap the drives in the Bays so the SSd is Drive 0 or not? ( not really necessary but better long term) ..... and then use Macrium's Fix Windows Boot Option ( only on rescue Disk ) , it will locate all installations of Windows and create a new Boot file (BCD) . In this case you can remove the selection of the OS on the HDD , before continuing, so the Option to boot to the HDD will no longer Present itself and the computer should automatically boot to Windows on the SSD (and boot time should be reduced.)

You can then erase the HDD and do images to it and the external drive on a schedule ( my current backup strategy)

 

Thanks KB,
The primary drive is a HDD 2.5" laptop drive. It's a Dell XPS 18.
The secondary drive is a SSD MSata (Mini Sata) drive and cannot fit in the # 1 position. That's the only option.
I think that I have what I want, for now, and will wait a while before I buy a 2.5" 500 GB SSD.
I have four High Performance HDD drives I can fall back on.
Besides, I have only lost one HDD in ten years.
One of my laptops just died last month (it is 13 years old) and I simply replaced the HDD with a clone and updated from other external drives.
I have about six external backups.
I have been using a system of backups for over ten years and this old horse, (72) has become accustomed to doing it this way.
My first PC was (I still have it) a Tandy 1000. Ever heard of "Desk Mate"?
God help me if the whole house burns down. LOL

Joe

 

It is no issue using Drive 1 as the Primary (mSata) and it will be faster for you..... just set the boot option using Macrium as described above and you should be good to go... should only take 5 mins..... since it may take 4mins to boot the CD *Smile

 

*Smile I still have a Sinclair ZX81 in mint condition with an add-on keyboard and all of the software cassettes I acquired for it. *Nerd

 

I knew I shouldn't of let my Commodore 64 go ! , not sure if I'd be able to do the Meltdown or Spectre Patches though *Wink

 

Thanks.
Worth a thought.
I could also do in in the BIOS boot order.