Solved EFI formatted drive to NTFS

jro11 · Feb 13, 2024

I want to install Win11 with a local account instead of a Microsoft account. I've moved everything off my main drive and onto an external drive. Before I install the local account I want to index my C drive. I have a 1Tb EFI partitioned drive available.

How do I reformat that drive ("Disk 5") to...NTFS. So it can hold the Macrium Reflect index of Disk 0?

antspants · Feb 13, 2024

I’m not sure what you mean by “index” I think indexing is different to what you’re relating to. Do you mean “Image”

jro11 · Feb 13, 2024

There's Indexing, Cloning, and Backing up. Multiple people have told me, in no uncertain terms, the first thing to do is to INDEX my drive (possibly using Macrium Reflect). Why? In case I f*** u*. This is that "Index".

I hope indexing a largely BitLocker Encrypted drive doesn't complicate matters.

Porthos · Feb 13, 2024

jro11 said:
There's Indexing, Cloning, and Backing up.

It is IMAGE.

antspants · Feb 14, 2024

jro11 said:
There's Indexing, Cloning, and Backing up. Multiple people have told me, in no uncertain terms, the first thing to do is to INDEX my drive (possibly using Macrium Reflect). Why? In case I f*** u*. This is that "Index".

I hope indexing a largely BitLocker Encrypted drive doesn't complicate matters.

If you say so mate.

antspants · Feb 14, 2024

What is indexing? Indexing is the process of looking at files, email messages, and other content on your PC and cataloging their information, such as the words and metadata in them. When you search your PC after indexing, it looks at an index of terms to find results faster.

jro11 · Feb 14, 2024

Oh, the ol' noun/verb thing...
I want to create an 'index' of my C-drive prior to wiping it clean and creating a Win11 Local Disk of it.

antspants · Feb 14, 2024

Was Disk 5 an old operating system drive? I hope it’s old. And there is nothing on it you want to keep?
You can download Minitools partition wizard free version, delete the partitions, format an create a new partion using the whole drive, unless you want to partition it again and make two partions (drives) out of it, which is also easy in Minitools, after you turn it into one partition. it would already be an NTFS drive.

There are probably ways to do it through disk management but I proffer Minitools.

antspants · Feb 14, 2024

jro11 said:
Oh, the ol' noun/verb thing...
I want to create an 'index' of my C-drive prior to wiping it clean and creating a Win11 Local Disk of it.

Pointless. I posted what indexing was above. You’re tallking about making an image. Indexing is indexing, after you reinstall it wont be indexed anymore. You are talking about image, if you are not going to use the correct terminology, people wanting to help you will be lost with what you're referring to. But Jro, you know best. We’re just here to learn from you.

jro11 · Feb 14, 2024

I'll try Minitools. I used to have it. I doubt I want to partition it because the Index is going to have to store the same amount of data as the drive it is an Index of. (It probably compresses the info, but I don't know to what degree.)

I assumed it would be as easy as formatting any normal drive.

p.s. Oh right. Index...Image...right...Image...

antspants · Feb 14, 2024

jro11 said:
but I don't know to what degree

Probably quite a lot. You could partition it after the fact, as long as you make the new partion after the first, so the first partition drive letter remains the same (D:?) so the new partition could be E: if you want to do it later. Id guess you could probably split it in half, not sure.

if I am wrong, someone will correct me.

antspants · Feb 14, 2024

Just be 100% sure there is nothing you need on that drive. 100%

You can image with Macrium and then see what space is used, split the drive if you want, leaving a good deal of free space on the Macrium side.

zbook · Feb 14, 2024

jro11 said:
How do I reformat that drive ("Disk 5") to...NTFS. So it can hold the Macrium Reflect index of Disk 0?

Open administrative command prompt and copy and paste:

diskpart
list dis
sel dis 5
clean
cre par pri
format fs=ntfs quick
assign
exit
exit

jro11 · Feb 14, 2024

Deciding to take it easy and not immediately turn Disk 5

into one partition I instructed MiniTool Partition Wizard to change its Primary partition to NTFS.
This was the result:

now what?

The program took a while to do this, ergo, I didn't get zbook's reply.

Is it too late to Command Line
diskpart
list dis
sel dis 5
clean
cre par pri
format fs=ntfs quick
assign
exit
exit
?

Wynona · Feb 14, 2024

jro11 said:
Oh, the ol' noun/verb thing...
I want to create an 'index' of my C-drive prior to wiping it clean and creating a Win11 Local Disk of it.

No, you want to create an Image of your C drive. which can be done with Macrium Reflect, Aomei Backupper, or Hasleo Backup Suite.

By creating an Image of the drive, if things go wrong, and you need to get back to where you were, you can Restore that Image.

Please listen to the gurus here; they know what they're talking about!

jro11 · Feb 14, 2024

Wynona said:
No, you want to create an Image of your C drive.

I'm going to get into the Image thing in my next Thread.

Wynona said:
By creating an Image of the drive, if things go wrong, and you need to get back to where you were, you can Restore that Image.

In other words, Image my drive (possibly using Macrium Reflect). Why? In case I f*** u*.

jro11 · Feb 14, 2024

I guess I should have imaged Disk 5, the disk I was going to use to image my computer.

cereberus · Feb 14, 2024

jro11 said:
I guess I should have imaged Disk 5, the disk I was going to use to image my computer.

Regrettably, you have no idea what you are talking about, as you only have 1 disk with 4 partitions.

Frankly, I do not think anybody here can help you until you understand the basics of disk management. A good place to start is the tutorials section.

antspants · Feb 14, 2024

jro11 said:
I guess I should have imaged Disk 5, the disk I was going to use to image my computer.

Why? It looks (looked, because it seems to have vanished) like an old OS drive that didn’t have the partitions deleted and wasn’t formatted when you replaced it. Do you still have files on it?
I also don’t know what you’re doing… basically what @cereberus said.

markw51 · Feb 14, 2024

Unfortunately, the OP has a habit of posting threads, trying to tell others what to do and having no clue themselves on what to do. Just look at his other threads about local accounts and others to see what I mean. And he's supposed to have 35+ years experience with using PCs? Clearly not.