OEM Drive partition question

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My Laptop is an HP ProBook 450 G2 and it started out as W7 pro. On 8/4/15, I upgraded to W10 Pro.
My question is related to the HP Recovery partition on the HDD.
Since Win 10 has taken over the old win 7 key, is there any reason to keep the recovery partition? In other words, if I had to actually use the Recovery system, would it be valid/work since it is now a Win 10 system?
My thought is that if the recovery would no longer work, it is just wasting space on the HDD.
Thanks for any responses.
44308-HP-Drive-Partitions

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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Yes it is just wasting space, but you probably waste more than it.

You should have an external backup and recovery CD / USB.

cheers, Paul

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As Paul says, the recovery partition is no longer functional after the upgrade, so can be removed. You should also run Disk Clean-up to remove the several GB of left over installation files (unless you think you may need to return to W7 within the first thirty days after the update) and any other detritus cluttering up the hard drive.

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@Paul T,
Yes I originally made a recovery DVD and a clone ( which I set aside and bought another HDD to clone and upgrade to W10 on ) as soon as I got the laptop setup. Thanks
@Calimanco,
I’m loooong past the 30 day revert to W7 so now I will have to figure out how to delete the recovery partition and extend the C : partition. Thanks

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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Whether you can extend the C partition depends on where the partitions are located on the hard drive. If they are adjacent, it can be done. If separated by another partition, it cant – not without deleting the intervening partition anyway. You can check in Disk Manager for the partition arrangement. If its possible to merge the partitions, its better to use a third party tool to do the job, rather than the try to use the very basic Windows tool. MiniTool Partition Wizard is a good choice.

https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html

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Whether you can extend the C partition depends on where the partitions are located on the hard drive. If they are adjacent, it can be done. If separated by another partition, it cant – not without deleting the intervening partition anyway. You can check in Disk Manager for the partition arrangement. If its possible to merge the partitions, its better to use a third party tool to do the job, rather than the try to use the very basic Windows tool. MiniTool Partition Wizard is a good choice.

https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html

The free MiniTool Partition Wizard doesn’t extend partitions according to the features list, am I missing something?

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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As you can see from the Disc Manager pic I posted in the OP, HP Recovery D : is located next to Windows C : so I will look at the link you posted.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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The other way to do it would be to make a verified image of the new Win10 installation and then kill the drive partitions (assuming those are the only two partitions), then repartion the drive into one partition and then do a quick format. Then boot up your backup’s rescue disk and reinstall your Win10 partition from the image. Minitool is a lot slicker.

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The other way to do it would be to make a verified image of the new Win10 installation and then kill the drive partitions (assuming those are the only two partitions), then repartion the drive into one partition and then do a quick format. Then boot up your backup’s rescue disk and reinstall your Win10 partition from the image. Minitool is a lot slicker.

Yeah, I guess I could re-clone and then mess with it in Disk Manager. I was thinking about just getting rid of the HP Recovery D : and extending Windows C : and keeping HP Tools E : ( drive letter would need to be changed obviously ).
Does that sound feasible and relatively easy to do?

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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Instead of that link, I suggest you download the ISO file for the bootable CD here:
https://www.partitionwizard.com/partition-wizard-bootable-cd.html
then burn the CD. Next, boot from the CD and do the deed.

You don’t have to “install” the partition wizard mini tool to use a bootable CD.
Remove the undesired partition. Apply. Then drag the right edge of the C: partition to the right until it occupies the previous space. Apply.
Fairly simple.

Image or Clone often! Backup, backup, backup, backup......
- - - - -
Home Built: Windows 10 Home 64-bit, AMD Athlon II X3 435 CPU, 16GB RAM, ASUSTeK M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3 (AM3) motherboard, 512GB SanDisk SSD, 3 TB WD HDD, 1024MB ATI AMD RADEON HD 6450 video, ASUS VE278 (1920x1080) display, ATAPI iHAS224 Optical Drive, integrated Realtek HD Audio

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Hey Y’all,

Since this seems to come up frequently I thought I’d publish a step-by-step how-to on the topic.

The following was done on my main desktop machine (Dell XPS8700) running Windows 10 Pro.

[*]Make SURE you have a FULL DRIVE IMAGE AND WORKING RECOVERY MEDIA (BOOT IT TO MAKE SURE!) FOR YOUR IMAGING PROGRAM!
[*]Make SURE (BOOT IT TO MAKE SURE!) you have a WORKING WINDOWS RECOVERY DRIVE (CD/DVD or USB)!
[*]Make SURE (BOOT IT TO MAKE SURE!) you have a bootable copy of Partition Wizard Mini-Tool just in case!
[*]Re-Read Steps 1-3!
[*]Use Partition Wizard Mini-Tool’s Explore function to decide which partitions you want to delete.

Starting Partition Setup:
44317-BegPartitions

Example of Explore feature (get there by right-clicking on the partition you want to explore)
44318-PWMT-Explore

NOTE: I’ll be deleting the three (3) partitions following C: on Disk 1.

[*]With the Mini-Tool delete the selected partitions. Don’t forget to Click the APPLY button!
[*]Reboot to make sure you haven’t bolixed the boot process. Use the Windows Recovery Drive to recover from an error here (Fix Boot). If that fails dig out that Full Drive Image and Restore it.

Mid-point Partition Setup:
44319-MidPartitioins

[*]With the Mini-Tool extend your C: drive to use the free space. Again don’t forget the Apply button.
[*]You’ll get a message box like the following:
44321-PWMT-Message
[*]Click the Restart option. You computer will reboot and make the changes at the “DOS” screen then reboot again back into Windows.
[*]Enjoy your new larger C: drive!

Final Partition Setup:
44320-AfterPartitions

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Nice. I would recommend the mod separate this from this thread (or copy) and post it as a separate sticky in whatever you deem the appropriate forum. Then we can keep posting the link because retiredgeek is correct it keeps coming up over and over and over ….

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Nice. I would recommend the mod separate this from this thread (or copy) and post it as a separate sticky in whatever you deem the appropriate forum. Then we can keep posting the link because retiredgeek is correct it keeps coming up over and over and over ….

Done, it has been placed in Maintenance as a Sticky. :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Done, it has been placed in Maintenance as a Sticky. :cheers:

Good job RG :clapping:

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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RG is a Mod 😉

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Thanks RG 😀
Your tutorial does lead me to ask a few questions ( Possibly dumb ones, LOL ) though:

Make SURE you have a FULL DRIVE IMAGE AND WORKING RECOVERY MEDIA (BOOT IT TO MAKE SURE!) FOR YOUR IMAGING PROGRAM!
Make SURE (BOOT IT TO MAKE SURE!) you have a WORKING WINDOWS RECOVERY DRIVE (CD/DVD or USB)!
Make SURE (BOOT IT TO MAKE SURE!) you have a bootable copy of Partition Wizard Mini-Tool just in case!

1- I clone instead of image so if there is a mess-up, I would swap drives.

8- With the Mini-Tool extend your C: drive to use the free space. Again don’t forget the Apply button.

2- According to the mini-tool Features website there is no “Extend” on the free version, only the Pro and on up. Are you using Pro? OR is there a “Resize Partition” on the right click menu and you have to do the math to figure out how much space to allocate?
3- In my case I was thinking about keeping HP TOOLS E : ( not sure if it is worth it or not but a thought anyway, opinions? ). So I would be taking HP RECOVERY D : out from between 2 partitions and extending WINDOWS C : ( all shown in #1 Post ).

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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…3- In my case I was thinking about keeping HP TOOLS E : ( not sure if it is worth it or not but a thought anyway, opinions? )…

AFAIK your “HP TOOLS” partition would normally only contain what is required to use the image in the “HP RECOVERY” partition to restore the C:OS partition to factory defaults (Win7 w/ HP-installed software as it was when you first got the laptop).

So what use would it be to leave it there?

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Lumpy,

If you have a clone obviously that is just as good as an Image.

Yes I am using the Pro version but I used the Move/Resize option, “Extend” was just what I did not the option sorry for the confusion.

I’ll see about making it a sticky after I consult with the other moderators on the appropriate location.

HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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@RG,
Thanks for the clarification.

So what use would it be to leave it there?

@Coochin,
I’m not sure what the HP Tools Partition is really for exactly, but it may be exactly what you describe. If that’s the case then ( that it’s related to running the HP RECOVERY for factory W7 “As purchased” ) there would be no point in retaining it.
Guess I better do some more research on the partition.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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I guess I better leave the HP TOOLS partition alone after googling it. Evidently BIOS updates access it and I also found this: “HP_TOOLS – partition which allow to use diagnostic tools after pressing F2 on startup.”

Actually I am going to have to bite the bullet and call HP since I need to know what all this will do to my warranty. I hadn’t thought about warranty restrictions when I asked the question.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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Update:
I called HP support and was told that as long as I had the original W7 Disc and the COA sticker on the laptop, I could use the HP RESTORE and/or use the original W7 Disc to go back to W7 on this laptop.
So I guess I will just keep the partitions on here for now ( at least until W7’s end of life ).
Thanks for all the advice :cheers:

Note: The support guy said that they are selling a number of W10 machines and people are requesting W7 “Downgrade” Discs with them. He said that MS will honor the keys for the W7 downgrades.

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does 🙂
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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