Question Partition confusion while using BU Imager - Unknown Partition

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Muckster

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I've been playing around with new Imagers for Windows 11. In the past I used Acronis True Image (from 2016). When I would use Acronis it would automatically detect and back up the Recovery Partition and the EFI Systems partition whenever I would execute the option to back up my main partition where the OS lives.

In other Imagers I've been testing out lately, in addition to the OS partition, Recovery partition, and EFI Systems partition, I'm seeing an unknown third partition that even Window's Disk Management doesn't see. Here's what I'm seeing with the Hasleo or EaseUS imager when I go to make a backup:

Other.... 0 free of 128mb
NTFS... 51.71 mb free of 485 mb
FAT32... 73.39 free of 100mb

The names are the actual names listed by Hasleo or other imagers. Using Window's Disk Managment, the "FAT32" is labled as the "Healthy" EFI partition. Disk Managment leaves the NTFS-485mb drive unlabled, but shows it being ther and I'm pretty sure it's the Recovery partition. The "Other" partition doesnt' show up at all on Drive Mangement. When I used Acronis, it automatically detected and backed up the EFI and Recovery partitions along with the one with my OS on it, but it never even seemed to see this "other" partition. I'm wondering if this "Other" partition is important or was created Windows during install or if it's just something I botched up and created accidently somewhere along the line?

I'm doing a fresh install of Windows 11 soon. I'll see if it creates an "other" drive. If not and if you guys aren't seeing it, I'll assume it's just some mistake I made partitioning in the past. Strange though that Disk Managment doesn't see it. Strange it's 100% full. To be clear, of course it also doesn't list on Windows where I see all my other normal partitions.

Thanks if you can offer me any insight into this issue.

Hasleo Imager

Hasleo provides Windows Backup & Clone, Data Recovery, Windows To Go Creator, and more.

Hasleo Software provides Windows Backup & Clone, Data Recovery, Windows To Go Creator, BitLocker solution and other software to help you enrich your digital life.
www.hasleo.com www.hasleo.com
 
M

Muckster

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I read elsewhere that a third "data" partition is normal, but I've never heard of such a thing. Anyone else heard of a third "data" partition? And why would it be 100% full and now shown on Disk Management?
 
M

Muckster

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USAFRet said:
Please show us your current Disk Management window.
Click to expand...
Doesn't appear Tom offers an image upload so...

https://imgpost.co/image/1.nvja
imgpost.co

2

Image 2 hosted in ImgPost
imgpost.co imgpost.co

You've been around a while USA. Have you ever heard of a "data" partition that's 100% full and can't be seen by Disk Management?

The second image is a partial screen grab from Hasleo but I the same thing shows up when I use EaseUS todo.

The only other thing I can think is a while back I had a hard drive failure and replaced what now shows up as Disk 1. Everything worked fine, but I think maybe disk 1 became disk 0 and then the replacement drive was assigned disk 1. I can't remember exactly, but thought I'm mention it just in case it was relevant.

BTW, what a cool website. Uploads images quick and easy with no login or anything. Auto deletes in six months.
imgpost.co

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Free image hosting and sharing service, Upload pictures, support all file types .webp, .jpg, .png, .bmp, .gif up to 32 MB per image. No Expiry
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M

Muckster

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Not sure this adds any information, but I just ran diskpart...


DISKPART> select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list partition

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 150 GB 1024 KB
Partition 2 Primary 100 GB 150 GB
Partition 3 Primary 150 GB 250 GB
Partition 0 Extended 531 GB 400 GB
Partition 4 Logical 531 GB 400 GB

DISKPART> select disk 1

Disk 1 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list partition

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Reserved 128 MB 17 KB
Partition 2 Recovery 485 MB 129 MB
Partition 3 System 100 MB 614 MB
Partition 4 Primary 113 GB 714 MB
Partition 5 Primary 166 GB 113 GB
Partition 6 Primary 404 GB 279 GB
Partition 7 Primary 190 GB 684 GB

Well, that 128mb drive at least shows up on Diskpart.
 
M

Muckster

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SkyNetRising said:
MS reserved partition probably.
Click to expand...
So it's a Windows thing? Can you tell me more about it? Why was it created, what's it for, why is it 100%, and isn't it reported in Disk Management. It may not be malware or anything like that but it's weird, right?

So I'm guessing most people don't have this and when making a backup of the OS partition you would not include as you would the EFI and Recovery partitions?
 
M

Muckster

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SkyNetRising said:
MS reserved partition.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Reserved_Partition
Click to expand...

Okay, that's informative. When you run Disk Management does it show anything like the 128mb partition? Strange they would hide it by default when it doesn't sound like altering it can cause any problem, and yet they do show the EFI which tampering with could cause problems.

Do you think this is a case of having a legitimate partition, but just something I did over time caused it not to show on Disk Management?

Either way, having looked at the wiki, it doesn't sound like it's something I need to backup.
 
M

Muckster

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Alright, it's gotta be the MSR. SkyNetRising's link states:

Size​

Beginning in Windows 10, the minimum size of the MSR is 16 MB which the installer allocates by default.
Click to expand...

That makes sense because I have 8 partitions (not including Recovery and EFI) and it you multiple that by 16MB, you get, presto.... 128mb. Same as the "Other/Data/MSR" drive.

edit: I'm pretty sure this was wrong and just a coincidence of having 8 drives when I did the math.

Still not 100% sure if I should back it up along with the EFI and Recovery, but it's small and I guess it can't hurt to do so.
 
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M

Muckster

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USAFRet said:
As with every backup routine, test before the disaster happens and you need it.

Whether you do or do not include that partition, verify that it actually works to recover to a whole new drive.
Click to expand...
For about 10 years now I've been using Acronis to make and restore backups of Win8-10 and Acronis never saw the "data" partition let alone backed it up. Just EFI, Recovery and the OS partition is all it ever did. Being I don't really understand what the "data" partition was even storing it would be hard to know if it was needed or not anyway. I don't think Acrons supports Win11 and if it did, it's rather slow which is why I was looking for an Imager upgrade.
 
USAFRet

USAFRet

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Muckster said:
I don't think Acrons supports Win11 and if it did, it's rather slow which is why I was looking for an Imager upgrade.
Click to expand...
https://kb.acronis.com/content/69259?ckattempt=1

The previous versions of Acronis are "at your own risk" with Win 11.

------------------------
Acronis True Image 2021 and the earlier versions are not going to have official support of Windows 11, even though we have not heard of any significant compatibility issue. You may use Acronis True Image of any version on Windows 11 at your own risk.
------------------------

The new version ($$) does indeed fully support WIn 11.
Just as with all the other alternatives, they've gone from a comprehensive free version, to paid.
 
M

Muckster

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USAFRet said:
https://kb.acronis.com/content/69259?ckattempt=1

The previous versions of Acronis are "at your own risk" with Win 11.

------------------------
Acronis True Image 2021 and the earlier versions are not going to have official support of Windows 11, even though we have not heard of any significant compatibility issue. You may use Acronis True Image of any version on Windows 11 at your own risk.
------------------------

The new version ($$) does indeed fully support WIn 11.
Just as with all the other alternatives, they've gone from a comprehensive free version, to paid.
Click to expand...
Yep, that's why I started the other thread looking for a new Imager. ;)
 
USAFRet

USAFRet

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Muckster said:
Yep, that's why I started the other thread looking for a new Imager. ;)
Click to expand...
I wouldn't be so quick to jump ship to something different, unless this is for a NEW system.

Your current version is likely to work just fine.

Similar to my existing Macrium installs...."officially" unsupported, but still working just fine.
 
M

Muckster

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USAFRet said:
I wouldn't be so quick to jump ship to something different, unless this is for a NEW system.
Click to expand...

Well, actually, it is for a new system. Guys here at Toms have been extremely helpful helping me get it together.

Still, it was time to change new system or not. The Acronis is slow, not so much in the backing up, but in the selection of the options. It takes like 3 minutes just to click on the right prompts. Something about it exploring or reading the drive. I used to know but have now forgotten the issue.

Also, I'd just much rather use something that at least claims to support Win11, and being that Hasleo is free, I think it's gonna be my choice.

USAFRet said:
Your current version is likely to work just fine.

Similar to my existing Macrium installs...."officially" unsupported, but still working just fine.
Click to expand...

I thought you had the paid version of Macrium which does support Windows 11. So far as I know only the free version does not (officially). As I mentioned, it also isn't supported or updates, not even for security issues. If you're using that then check out Hasleo.

Here, look:

https://www.macrium.com/products/home

Scroll down to end on the right under "Details..."
"Supports Windows 11 back to XP"
 
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Muckster

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USAFRet said:
I have the paid version on my main system, currently v8.1.7638, with an update waiting to install.
NOTE: "Support - Expired"

Free lifetime on all the others.
Click to expand...
Maybe that just means you can't contact them for technical support anymore rather than it doesn't support Windows 11? Or maybe it means you can't get updates? Or maybe it's a different product. The link I sent you to was for version called "Macrium Reflect Home" which I think is the standard version now. *shrug

Like you told me in the other thread, it depends on your needs, but isn't is a fundamental need for it to say it works for your OS? If your needs are basic like mine, maybe try a free Imager. Or not. You be you.
 
USAFRet

USAFRet

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Muckster said:
Maybe that just means you can't contact them for technical support anymore rather than it doesn't support Windows 11? Or maybe it means you can't get updates? Or maybe it's a different product. The link I sent you to was for version called "Macrium Reflect Home" which I think is the standard version now. *shrug

Like you told me in the other thread, it depends on your needs, but isn't is a fundamental need for it to say it works for your OS? If your needs are basic like mine, maybe try a free Imager. Or not. You be you.
Click to expand...
Right now, I'm doing a full drive Image of one of my laptops. Surface Go 3, Win 11 Home.
Free version, originally v7 upgraded to v8, first installed over a year ago.

No support means "No assistance from Macrim, and no new features."
Still works just fine, even in Win 11.
 
D

dwd999

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Muckster said:
I've been playing around with new Imagers for Windows 11. In the past I used Acronis True Image (from 2016). When I would use Acronis it would automatically detect and back up the Recovery Partition and the EFI Systems partition whenever I would execute the option to back up my main partition where the OS lives.

In other Imagers I've been testing out lately, in addition to the OS partition, Recovery partition, and EFI Systems partition, I'm seeing an unknown third partition that even Window's Disk Management doesn't see. Here's what I'm seeing with the Hasleo or EaseUS imager when I go to make a backup:

Other.... 0 free of 128mb
NTFS... 51.71 mb free of 485 mb
FAT32... 73.39 free of 100mb
Click to expand...
Just to be clear, a normal Windows installation consists of a minimum of 4 partitions which must be in a specific order. If you want to divide your data partition into multiple partitions you may create those but the basic 4 must always be there in the specific order. I suspect that any partition you don't see in Windows disk management is omitted for your protection since they don't want you messing with it and making your disk unbootable. The first partition would be the 100MB EFI System Partition. The second would be the 16MB partition which is not normally shown in Disk Management. The third is the data partition, which you may divide into multiple partitions. And the last partition is the Recovery Partition which must always be at the end of the disk.

Given the amount of time we've wasted on this I personally prefer to just pay Macrium's fee and get a program I know will definitely work.
 
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