Windows 10: We couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one.

Interesting. All that is doing is copying the setup files to your hard drive and installing from there.

I am curious why Windows isn't able to partition when you boot from USB. Did you happen to get the log files anyway? If not then this will just be another Windows mystery.

 

I didn't get the log files but I posted a link in this thread where someone suspected that their laptop didn't support OS installation from USB.

It's probably the same with mine but we'll never know for sure.

 

The 'problem' I have now is that I'd like to get back that 20 GB I used to put the installation on but I can't seem to do it.

 

If you're dead set on doing this, download and use the free Minitool Partition Wizard (MTPW) program. BUT, you will also have to rebuild your boot environment if you do this, because the 20 GB partition is marked as System and Active for your system right now. That means it's the partition that Windows uses when the machine starts up, so if you get rid of it you won't be able to boot your PC until you rebuild your boot environment (which should mark your big partition with those attributes as part of its repairs). You can't do this without a recovery or repair medium (I recommend a USB flash drive of 8 GB or greater) from which to conduct these activities.

You'll want to make a complete image backup of your drive before you try any of this. I hope you're already using Macrium Reflect Free, but if not, install it and use it to backup your system to another drive, and then create Rescue Media on another 8 GB or larger USB flash drive: if all else fails you can boot to that flash drive, and tell it to restore your image backup to the drive you're trying to consolidate. And, FWIW, if you do boot to the Macrium Rescue Media, it will rebuild your boot environment for you, using the "Fix boot problems" option. They even have a nice tutorial on this subject online: Fixing Windows boot problems - Macrium Reflect Knowledgebase.

Personally, I'm not sure that regaining 20 GB is worth all the work involved. You might want to leave things along in the interests of reducing risk and forgoing the time and effort involved. Somehow "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind in this connection. But it's your PC and you can do as you think best.
HTH,
--Ed--

 

Damn! That's really a lot of work for 20 GB. I'll leave it as be.

The Macrium Reflect program looks useful though. Thanks for suggesting it.

 

What I thought, too, and why I answered as I did. I'm glad it didn't offend you. Thought of another great and possibly relevant aphorism: "Just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD!"
Thanks for taking my input in the friendly spirit I was hoping to convey.
Best wishes,
--Ed--

 

At least you should be able to shrink it down with Minitool. The setup files won't be more than 4GB or so.