Question Delete all partitions?

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RenTheReaper

RenTheReaper

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Mar 29, 2022
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Generally speaking I don't believe I know a lot on partitions aside from that they can potentially help a computer run faster. On the other hand, I just upgraded a computer from windows 8.1 to windows 10. Should I really delete all the partitions including the ones that say recovery?
 
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I have used partitions for decades and swear by them. It will not make your PC run faster. I use it for separating windows from my documents. C: is for Windows, D: is for my documents E: is for my installed software. If Windows goes A over TIT as it can do, I can use an image to get it back.

Without knowing the setup you have, I would just format the partitions that say recovery (Quick format should be fine SEE NOTE), install windows in its own partition.

NOTE: You might have some valuable documents in the un-readable partition which could be recovered by some software but it is a difficult process and may not work.

If you want to delete them though then just go ahead. You will need to do a format afterwards. Go to Control Panel, Administrative tools, Computer Management, Disk management.
 
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Lafong said:
If your intent is to do a clean install of Windows, you would manually delete ALL of those partitions in your picture, using that red X.

Windows will make new partitions as it sees fit.

If you have some other intent, say so.
Click to expand...
Im interested in keeping any diagnostic utilities (from DELL as this is a DELL computer) as well as factory/recovery image in case. I'm however wondering if there are any partitions I could safely delete that anyone can identify.
 
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RenTheReaper said:
Im interested in keeping any diagnostic utilities (from DELL as this is a DELL computer) as well as factory/recovery image in case. I'm however wondering if there are any partitions I could safely delete that anyone can identify.
Click to expand...
The Dell utilities can be downloaded from Dell and reinstalled.

The factory reset partition?
Do you plan to go back to 8.1 at any time?
Assuming the system still runs Win 8.1, you can almost certainly invoke whatever function allows you to write that out to a USB.
Then, you put that USB in a desk drawer and never think about it again.
 
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RenTheReaper said:
Im interested in keeping any diagnostic utilities (from DELL as this is a DELL computer) as well as factory/recovery image in case. I'm however wondering if there are any partitions I could safely delete that anyone can identify.
Click to expand...
Your drive doesn't seem to have recovery image on it. So you will not be able to restore to previous version of windows (unless there are additional partitions, you didn't show in your screenshot).
It has recovery environment partition though.
But you can get all the recovery environment functionality by booting from windows installation media. So recovery environment is not essential.

Delete everything and start fresh.
 
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SkyNetRising said:
Your drive doesn't seem to have recovery image on it. So you will not be able to restore to previous version of windows (unless there are additional partitions, you didn't show in your screenshot).
It has recovery environment partition though.
But you can get all the recovery environment functionality by booting from windows installation media. So recovery environment is not essential.

Delete everything and start fresh.
Click to expand...
https://imgur.com/a/mpWXdYq
 
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USAFRet said:
The Dell utilities can be downloaded from Dell and reinstalled.

The factory reset partition?
Do you plan to go back to 8.1 at any time?
Assuming the system still runs Win 8.1, you can almost certainly invoke whatever function allows you to write that out to a USB.
Then, you put that USB in a desk drawer and never think about it again.
Click to expand...
Assuming I ever plan to sell or give the computer, would it not be better to have the factory reset partition since from what I understand, win10 license is linked to my own microsoft account? Also, I don't have many USB sticks for how "miserably sad" that sounds and well I also probably won't put alot of stuff on this computer.. so maybe it wouldn't hurt leaving the factory reset partition on it?
 
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RenTheReaper said:
Assuming I ever plan to sell or give the computer, would it not be better to have the factory reset partition since from what I understand, win10 license is linked to my own microsoft account? Also, I don't have many USB sticks for how "miserably sad" that sounds and well I also probably won't put alot of stuff on this computer.. so maybe it wouldn't hurt leaving the factory reset partition on it?
Click to expand...
  1. For whatever reason, that partition no longer exists on that drive. If it did, it would be some XXGB in size.
  2. For selling the system, you delink it from your MS account, and install a bare OS.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...nt-selling-gifting-windows-10-device-xbox-one
 
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RenTheReaper said:
Well if thats so, I'll try deleting (or should I format?) Everything then?
Click to expand...
Delete ALL of those partitions, leaving one blank space.
The OS install will create what it needs.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...
forums.tomshardware.com forums.tomshardware.com
 
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