How to move non-functioning WinRE partition from start of disk to end and re-install it there?

Topgundcp · Mar 28, 2024

If you look at my screenshot in post #42, My windows C drive is only 150GB and if I backup my Windows with Macrium, it only take less than 30 seconds to backup+Validation. I suggest you move your Data from C drive to T: drive to free up storage in C drive to fit in one of the other internal drive, so we can clone your current Windows ? That way you don't have to open your laptop and leave your current system untouch. Before cloning, run these commands:
1 - dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
2 - sfc /scannow
3 - %SystemRoot%\System32\Cmd.exe /c Cleanmgr /sageset:35 & Cleanmgr /sagerun:35
once done, it should also free up some more space.

PS. Keep C drive small, never save data or download files in C:. It will make it much easier to backup/Restore, reduce wear and tear of your SSD and never worry loss of data.

dbookbinder · Mar 28, 2024

Topgundcp said:
If you look at my screenshot in post #42, My windows C drive is only 150GB and if I backup my Windows with Macrium, it only take less than 30 seconds to backup+Validation. I suggest you move your Data from C drive to T: drive to free up storage in C drive to fit in one of the other internal drive, so we can clone your current Windows ? That way you don't have to open your laptop and leave your current system untouch. Before cloning, run these commands:
1 - dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
2 - sfc /scannow
3 - %SystemRoot%\System32\Cmd.exe /c Cleanmgr /sageset:35 & Cleanmgr /sagerun:35
once done, it should also free up some space.

PS. Keep C drive small, never save data or download files. It will make it much easier to backup/Restore, reduce wear and tear of your SSD.

Yes, I'm in the process of partitioning the C: drive into system and data partitions so the backups will be smaller. I first wanted to focus on getting a fully functional computer, which now seems to have been accomplished. You must have a very fast backup drive and/or computer to back up 150GB in 30 seconds. Is your backup drive an SSD? And/or do you have a Gen4 or Gen5 NVme drive?

I run the first two commands periodically. What specifically does the Cleanmgr command do -- does it replace the two-step process in the disk clean app of garbage files and restore point deletions?

Topgundcp · Mar 28, 2024

Is your backup drive an SSD? And/or do you have a Gen4 or Gen5 NVme drive?

Both are Crucial T500. I would love to have T700 but they are so expensive.
took 23 seconds, full backup:

Cleanmgr command

Will give more options to clean up, when run, put a tick mark on which one to clean. I normally tick them all

dbookbinder · Mar 28, 2024

Topgundcp said:
Both are Crucial T500. I would love to have T700 but they are so expensive.
Hee the screenshot, it took 23 seconds

Will give more options to clean up, when run, put a tick mark on which one to clean. I normally tick them all

Yeah, I suspected you were running two NVme drives. I would, too, if I had a desktop.

Begin rant RANT
One of the drives I had to swap out was a Crucial T500, which I bought to replace the flakey Timetec they had installed. Alas, after cloning, I found that it couldn't pass its own extended DSR. Sitting next to me, waiting to be returned to Amazon. The Samsung 990 Pro I replaced it with seems fine, except for the issues created by Samsung Magician. But even that wasn't perfect. It was dated 12/31/2023, but shipped with buggy firmware that was supposedly corrected a year ago that causes the drives to wear out prematurely. Apparently, the box was all they updated!
End RANT

Thanks for your help!

john1955 · Mar 28, 2024

dbookbinder said:
If I become OCD about it (which I seem to be about computers

I'm the same way. I had 5 partitions on Disk 0 and it drove me nuts because I did not know what they were for so I deleted all but C: and the EFI one at a time after doing a disk backup. I'm sure one partition was there from Win-10 install and one from a reinstall from scratch and who knows what the other one was.

Since EFI is 100% free I dont know why I cannot delete that one as well but I think there's a reason that I just forgot

dbookbinder · Mar 28, 2024

john1955 said:
I'm the same way. I had 5 partitions on Disk 0 and it drove me nuts because I did not know what they were for so I deleted all but C: and the EFI one at a time after doing a disk backup. I'm sure one partition was there from Win-10 install and one from a reinstall from scratch and who knows what the other one was.

Since EFI is 100% free I dont know why I cannot delete that one as well but I think there's a reason that I just forgot

My understanding is that the EFI partition contains files essential to booting Windows and also, sometimes, manufacturer-specific software that runs outside the Windows environment. If it gets deleted or corrupted, the stock EFI partition can be easily re-created from a rescue disk or the WinRE partition.

It looks like you also deleted the WinRE partition. Not that important if you also have a WinRE USB drive, but if this is a laptop, you might want to re-create it, in case Windows won't boot and you don't have the WinRE drive with you. I spent hours last night trying to figure out how to do that, but really, it takes about 10 minutes when you know how.

Topgundcp · Mar 28, 2024

@john1955

Since EFI is 100% free I dont know why I cannot delete that one as well but I think there's a reason that I just forgot

FYI,
EFI partition is not empty and if you delete this partition, Windows will not boot.
Windows installer created this partition and set its attributes so the content of this partition is hidden so a normal user won't be able to mess with it. That's why when you right click on this partition from disk management, the options are grayed out.
The only way to delete this partition is to use "diskpart" command but you would not want to do it.

Bug locker · Mar 29, 2024

dbookbinder said:
My understanding is that the EFI partition contains files essential to booting Windows and also, sometimes, manufacturer-specific software that runs outside the Windows environment. If it gets deleted or corrupted, the stock EFI partition can be easily re-created from a rescue disk or the WinRE partition.

It looks like you also deleted the WinRE partition. Not that important if you also have a WinRE USB drive, but if this is a laptop, you might want to re-create it, in case Windows won't boot and you don't have the WinRE drive with you. I spent hours last night trying to figure out how to do that, but really, it takes about 10 minutes when you know how.

"It looks like you also deleted the WinRE partition. ".
WinRE may be is hidden at C:.

dbookbinder · Mar 29, 2024

Bug locker said:
"It looks like you also deleted the WinRE partition. ".
WinRE may be is hidden at C:.

True, it may be in the hidden /Recovery folder, but my (limited) understanding is that it doesn't always work when it's installed there. It didn't, on my system.