Solved Do I need two recovery partitions?


What happens if Windows fails to boot will the troubleshooter screen open to try an automatic boot repair if recovery set to C:?
It works exactly like it does if it is in a partition.

What are benefits of doing this, e.g.,
- cleaner setup
- optimizes disk space (no wasted space in the recovery partition)
Finally, with a good image backup why bother with a recovery environment?
Just a cleaner disk with less partitions. When recovery environment is disabled, the files are stored in C:\Windows\System32\Recovery (or maybe C:\Windows\Recovery, I can't remember). So it might as well be enabled, because it isn't going to save any space by disabling it - unless you manually delete the files.

Everything that recovery environment does, booting from a Windows 10/11 USB flash drive will also do anyway.
 

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It works exactly like it does if it is in a partition.


Just a cleaner disk with less partitions. When recovery environment is disabled, the files are stored in C:\Windows\System32\Recovery (or maybe C:\Windows\Recovery, I can't remember). So it might as well be enabled, because it isn't going to save any space by disabling it - unless you manually delete the files.

Everything that recovery environment does, booting from a Windows 10/11 USB flash drive will also do anyway.
When winre is disabled, winre.wim is temporarily parked in C:\Windows\System32\Recovery.

If winre is reenabled and there is a system recovery partition, winre.wim is moved from above to the recovery partition.

If winre is reenabled and there is not a system recovery partition, winre.wim is moved from above to C:\Recovery

The important thing to remember when messing with recovery partitions is to park winre.wim by running "reagentc \disable" first.

Otherwise, you could end up deleting winre.wim if you delete an active recovery partition in error. Then if you try to reenable winre.wim, it can't as none to re-enable.

PS avoid messing with winre.wim when using dual/multi boot windows pcs. It can get very complicated with versions, locations, and changing one can affect another installation. This is teue with native booting vhds as well.
 

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If you will be doing a clean install, ALL partitions should be deleted during the install process making all space on the disk unallocated. Windows should always be installed in unallocated space. Then the install process can properly create the partitions. If you don't believe me see Brink's tutorial. Clean Install Windows 11 Tutorial
 

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I don't know if it was cleaning up some of the recovery partitions and moving to back of disk or removing the 16mb partitions. But since doing so
I have no more check disk and fixing errors at boot.
 

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Just for information, when two recovery partitions have been created I just use MiniTool partition wizard. Right clicking the recovery partitions and selecting 'Explore' gives the date and time the recovery partitions were created. Delete the older recovery partition then move/resize partitions as required and all done through the program.
For clarity I've attached two jogs of the recovery partitions I have. Can I safely delete "B" ? Thanks in advance.
 

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Open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste:

sfc /scannow
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
chkdsk /scan
reagentc /info


Type:
ctrl + a
ctrl + c

Paste into this thread typing:
ctrl + v




Open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste: (all at one time)

diskpart
lis dis
lis vol
sel dis 0
det dis
lis par
sel dis 1
det dis
lis par
sel par 1
det par
sel par 2
det par
sel par 3
det par
sel par 4
det par
sel par 5
det par
sel par 6
det par
sel par 7
det par




Type:
ctrl + a
ctrl + c

Paste into this thread typing:
ctrl + v
 

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Or run:
reagentc /disable

and then delete both recovery partitions. Whole lot easier.
 

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Or run:
reagentc /disable

and then delete both recovery partitions. Whole lot easier.
Thanks. How can I just delete the last one on the left ? (B) ?
 

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Thanks. How can I just delete the last one on the left ? (B) ?
It looks like you have MiniTool Partition Wizard. In MiniTool Partition Wizard, right click on the partition you want to delete and select.....wait for it..... delete. Then don't forget to click the apply button.

capture2.jpg
 

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You will notice above that I don't have a standard Windows Recovery partition on my system drive 1. That's because I ran reagentc /disable, then deleted the recovery partition. Then I ran reagentc /enable and the Windows Recovery Environment gets re-installed in a folder under C: drive.

Code:
C:\Windows\System32>reagentc /info
Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) and system reset configuration
Information:

    Windows RE status:         Enabled
    Windows RE location:       \\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk1\partition4\Recovery\WindowsRE
    Boot Configuration Data (BCD) identifier: 225258a8-6c40-11ed-a2aa-2c8db1e3769f
    Recovery image location:
    Recovery image index:      0
    Custom image location:
    Custom image index:        0

REAGENTC.EXE: Operation Successful.


C:\Windows\System32>

capture2.jpg
 
Last edited:

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Thanks. How can I just delete the last one on the left ? (B) ?
Sorry folks. Mimosas here too. I meant the last partition on the right. (B).
 

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Sorry folks. Mimosas here too. I meant the last partition on the right. (B).
Same answer. Right click on it in MiniTool Partition Wizard and select delete.
 

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    Windows 11 Education
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    Dell Inspiron 7773
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    Intel i7-8550U
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    32GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Geforce MX150
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 512GB NVMe SSD
    SK Hynix 512GB SATA SSD
    Internet Speed
    Fast!
Thanks. Done. Much appreciate the help.
 

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windows 11 64i7-12700T32 GBNvidia GeForce 1650 / Intel 770
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HP
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32 GB
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600 MBS
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MS
Thanks. Done. Much appreciate the help.
Hi,
If you enlarge the one you left alone windows will stop creating another after large updates
Hell just make it 1gb and be done with it for a long while.

Could of also just merged it with the one after you deleted the older.
 

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