Partiton creating

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DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Partiton creating

Post by DrTeeth »

My Win 10 install was recently upgraded from 1803 to 1809. I was
surprised to see that the main windows partition had been shrunk and
another partition created. I deleted this extra partition without ill
effect and expanded the main partition to its original size.

I use unlimited primaries so only use TBU software to modify my disk
layout.

Is there any danger in Windows doing this or was I lucky?
--
Cheers,

DrT

*** The problem with marriage is ***
*** that there's no casting vote!! ***
Brian K
Posts: 2214
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Partiton creating

Post by Brian K »

DrT, you have deleted the 1809 Recovery Environment. When Windows updates to a new version (eg 1803 to 1809) it creates a new RE partition if it determines there is not enough space in the old RE partition for the new RE files. Or it does it anyway even if you don't have a RE partition.

Try this from an admin command prompt...

reagentc /info
CyberSimian
Posts: 137
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2016 12:13 pm

Re: Partiton creating

Post by CyberSimian »

DrTeeth wrote:
> My Win 10 install was recently upgraded from 1803 to 1809. I was
> surprised to see that the main windows partition had been shrunk and
> another partition created.

You can avoid this by ensuring that there are never any free entries in the MBR. I always create four 1 MiB primary partitions at the end of every internal disk, and format them as FAT16. I use these to fill the unused entries in the MBR for each internal disk in "Boot Edit".

The one case that this cannot prevent is Windows seeing unused space following the partition that is too small, and deciding to expand the partition. Of course, the space is not actually unused -- it contains one of your other operating systems, not included in the current boot.

I have seen Windows shrink a partition to create a new one in the space freed, and I have seen Windows create the new partition on another disk in the system. But I have not (yet) seen Windows enlarge a partition into apparently unused space. Perhaps that is something that I have to look forward to.

Aside: by using the 1 MiB filler partitions, you can force Windows to install entirely into one partition. This makes the installation self-contained, and you need to image only one partition (instead of several). Of course, we are talking EMBRs here, not UEFI.

-- from CyberSimian in the UK
DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Partiton creating

Post by DrTeeth »

On Sun, 27 Jan 2019 15:45:33 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
CyberSimian disturbed my reverie and wrote:

>Aside: by using the 1 MiB filler partitions, you can force Windows to install entirely into one partition.

Thanks for you response. I have *never* failed to achieve this by the
simple expedient of creating the install partition from within BIBM
and then directing Windows to that partition.

I am an absolute slob regarding tidiness except on my computer disks
where it approaches OCD levels.
--
Cheers,

DrT

** Amateurs built the Ark, but professionals built the Titanic.**
DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Partiton creating

Post by DrTeeth »

On Sun, 27 Jan 2019 11:09:52 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
Brian K disturbed my reverie and wrote:

>DrT, you have deleted the 1809 Recovery Environment. When Windows updates to a new version (eg 1803 to 1809) it creates a new RE partition if it determines there is not enough space in the old RE partition for the new RE files. Or it does it anyway even if you don't have a RE partition.

Thanks. I have never used a recovery partition to my knowledge and as
I backup daily and make use of System restore, doubt I ever will.
Famous last words no doubt!
--
Cheers,

DrT

** Amateurs built the Ark, but professionals built the Titanic.**
Brian K
Posts: 2214
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Partiton creating

Post by Brian K »

DrTeeth wrote:

> I have never used a recovery partition to my knowledge

Without those files you might not be able to make a TBWinRE.
DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Partiton creating

Post by DrTeeth »

On Tue, 5 Feb 2019 11:25:30 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
Brian K disturbed my reverie and wrote:

>Without those files you might not be able to make a TBWinRE

I have not needed one so far. What advantage do they have over
restoring a full backup?
--
Cheers,

DrT

** Amateurs built the Ark, but professionals built the Titanic.**
Brian K
Posts: 2214
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Partiton creating

Post by Brian K »

DrTeeth wrote:

> I have not needed one so far. What advantage do they have over
> restoring a full backup?
> --

It contains IFW, TeraByte apps and Scripts, Command Prompt and lots of other Windows tools. Very handy.

You could use TBWinPE instead, if you can't create TBWinRE.
DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Partiton creating

Post by DrTeeth »

On Thu, 7 Feb 2019 13:07:25 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
Brian K disturbed my reverie and wrote:

>It contains IFW, TeraByte apps and Scripts, Command Prompt and lots of other Windows tools. Very handy.
>
>You could use TBWinPE instead, if you can't create TBWinRE.

I'll look into that further. Thanks.
--
Cheers,

DrT

** Amateurs built the Ark, but professionals built the Titanic.**
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