Disk Preparations for Win10 Upgrade

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Two Pictures here; I think MacriumReflect7 is more detailed.

I want to clean up the disks a bit:

I think I need to keep:
GPT Disk 1: partition 1 – Windows RE (Recovery Environment)
GPT Disk 1: partition 2 – System
GPT Disk 1: partition 4 – OS
GPT Disk 1: partition 7 – Recovery Image

GPT Disk 2: partition 2 – DataDrive1

I don’t know what these are:
GPT Disk 1: partition 3 – Unformated Primary
GPT Disk 1: partition 5 – NTFS Primary
GPT Disk 2: partition 1 – Unformated Primary

GPT Disk 1: partition 6 – NTFS Primary
This is an empty drive but uses 34.4 MB; I am going to delete it

My plan is to use MiniTool Partition Wizard 12.7 and assign a drive letter to them, to see what is filling up those partitions
GPT Disk 1: partition 3 – Unformated Primary
GPT Disk 1: partition 5 – NTFS Primary
GPT Disk 2: partition 1 – Unformated Primary

Any other suggestions on how to investigate and clean up these disks.

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I would not touch the partitions. The amount of data you may recover is a drop in the ocean and you don’t want the machine going pear shaped afterwards.

Make an image backup, ensure you can boot from the recovery USB and perform the upgrade.

cheers, Paul

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KP wrote:

I want to clean up the disks a bit: I think I need to keep:

GPT Disk 1: partition 1 – Windows RE (Recovery Environment)
GPT Disk 1: partition 2 – System – This is your EFI partition which Windows uses to boot. Don’t mess with this one.
GPT Disk 1: partition 4 – OS – Windows installation
GPT Disk 1: partition 7 – Recovery Image – OEM factory reset. It will restore the machine to its original factory default, and you lose all your installed apps and personalizations. If you use a regimen of regularly created drive images, this one is unnecessary.

GPT Disk 2: partition 2 – DataDrive1 – self-explanatory.

KP wrote:

I don’t know what these are:

GPT Disk 1: partition 3 – Unformated Primary – This is a Microsoft Reserved Partition. It is unnecessary.
GPT Disk 1: partition 5 – NTFS Primary – This is Microsoft’s idea of where the Windows RE should be, right behind the OS partition. If you know that GPT Disk 1: partition 1 – Windows RE (Recovery Environment) is the true Windows RE, you don’t need GPT Disk 1: partition 5.
GPT Disk 2: partition 1 – Unformated Primary – This is a Microsoft Reserved Partition. It is unnecessary.

KP wrote:

GPT Disk 1: partition 6 – NTFS Primary
This is an empty drive but uses 34.4 MB; I am going to delete it.

Possibly another redundant Windows RE.- I would first find out what it is.

KP wrote:

My plan is to use MiniTool Partition Wizard 12.7 and assign a drive letter to them, to see what is filling up those partitions
GPT Disk 1: partition 3 – Unformated Primary
GPT Disk 1: partition 5 – NTFS Primary
GPT Disk 2: partition 1 – Unformated Primary

Any other suggestions on how to investigate and clean up these disks.

You can find out what is on those partitions by assigning each of them a drive letter in Disk Management, then opening File Explorer to see what’s in them.  Disk Management won’t let you assign a drive letter that is already in use.

Before you make any partition changes, create a full drive image of GPT Disk 1 and GPT Disk 2 .  That way, if something goes awry, you have insurance.

A couple of caveats:  when you upgrade to Windows 10, it will put the Windows RE in a partition behind the OS partition, where GPT Disk 1 partition 5 is now.  You can leave it there, or return it to GPT Disk 1 partition 1 following the steps outlined in Windows Recovery Environment.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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KP, windbg, geekdom

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bbearren wrote:

A couple of caveats: when you upgrade to Windows 10, it will put the Windows RE in a partition behind the OS partition, where GPT Disk 1 partition 5 is now. You can leave it there, or return it to GPT Disk 1 partition 1 following the steps outlined in Windows Recovery Environment.

That’s pretty involved.

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analogkid, KP

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geekdom wrote:

That’s pretty involved.

Reading it may sound pretty involved.  Doing it step-by-step with the instructions readily at hand is really not all that involved.  My Windows RE is in a 1GB partition at the beginning of Disk 0.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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I typically print off the set of instructions, and then put the commands in a text file so it is easy to cut and paste with fewer typos.

My background involves computers and commands (from days of old), so how comfortable you feel will depend. I am good at some things and not at others.

More than a few years ago, I did create some WIM files but am not sure I was able to restore from it. There was mention of an ESD file by Woody and I think I did get that to work.

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Any thoughts on why
GPT Disk 1: partition 5 – NTFS Primary
moved to
GPT Disk 1: partition 1 – Windows RE (Recovery Environment)

Some background
One year, C: drive was getting its disk space chewed up so the SSD was down to about 10 GB. I did a Windows 8.1 Reset (keeping my files) and it went back to Windows 8.0, then re-applied Windows 8.1. So far the C: drive usage has not started creeping up.

Will the Windows 10 install use GPT Disk 1: partition 5 automatically or create a new partition behind  GPT Disk 1: partition 4 – OS?

Consideration has to be given to the fact that, some of the partitions are small and maybe should be left alone until after I put in Windows 10.

H: GPT Disk 1: partition 6 – NTFS Primary seems like a waste of 1 GB since it is has no files or folders in it. I would need to move it behind the C: GPT Disk 1: partition 4 – OS and extend it.

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KP wrote:

Will the Windows 10 install use GPT Disk 1: partition 5 automatically or create a new partition behind GPT Disk 1: partition 4 – OS?

If that is indeed your Windows RE partition, Windows 10 will recognize it as such and upgrade it.

Be sure to create a full drive image set of both disks before upgrading to Windows 10.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

1 user thanked author for this post.

KP

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