Question Regarding Windows 10 and Acronis True Image WD Edition Software (Free Edition)

[Seventy-Three David]

I stupidly cloned by 250 GB SSD to my 2 TB backup, internal drive and now the drive has been restricted to a 250 GB partition. My question is can I use the software's function of deleting partitions to remove that drive clone and "restart" in a sense to a point where I can just backup/image the drive instead?

TL DR I want to use the drive cleanser to wipe the backup drive so I can restart and do it the right way.

Attached is a picture with the Acronis driver cleanser software running and I highlighted which drive I want to clean the partitions off of.

I also attached a photo of the disk manager so you can see how it's listing each drive and the respective partitions. Windows 10 is running off of my SSD so there is no danger of wiping my OS, but I want to wipe the copy I made on the backup drive.

I admittedly didn't read the fine, VERY OBVIOUS, print on the "clone drive" tooltip, but is this fixable via the method I am thinking? I basically just want to make sure that it'd be okay to wipe the backup drive using the drive cleanser.

From the looks of it, it would work, but I like to have second opinions before I potentially do something harmful to my hardware.

EDIT: You can see in the disk manager that the huge amount of unused space appears as an un-named drive. That is what I am trying to correct as the clone of the C drive basically locked it off.

http://imgur.com/a/YBMSX

NOTE: THE DRIVE I WANT TO ERASE IS NOT WESTERN DIGITAL.

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Hey there, @David!

Have you tried reformatting the HDD through Disk Management by unallocating all the volumes on the drive and then re-partition it however you like.
If you want to completely wipe it out by performing a low-level format, then you could use WD's Data LifeGuard Diagnostics for Windows and its feature to Write Zeros (Fully erase) your hard drive. Another available tool that allows you to do a Drive Erase is WD Drive Utilities.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[Seventy-Three David]

Hey there, @David!

Have you tried reformatting the HDD through Disk Management by unallocating all the volumes on the drive and then re-partition it however you like.
If you want to completely wipe it out by performing a low-level format, then you could use WD's Data LifeGuard Diagnostics for Windows and its feature to Write Zeros (Fully erase) your hard drive. Another available tool that allows you to do a Drive Erase is WD Drive Utilities.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions!
SuperSoph_WD

Thanks @SuperSoph_WD, but with disk management, I cannot delete the recovery partition that you can see in the image I attached (the 1.6 GB part of the hard drive). Right clicking on that the 1.6 GB volume only pops up the option "Help," but nothing else. It seems I may have to use another method to wipe it.

 

[junkeymonkey]

I hear and see in these forums and product reviews you need to find a better cloning software for 10 use look around and see

kinda like what I started to see helping this guy out ?? from a quite a few like few reviews '' Long story short, the Acronis 2016 True Image for Windows product that I was told I didn't qualify for; '''

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3126768/ready-give-ssd-boot-disk.html

 

[Seventy-Three David]

I hear and see in these forums and product reviews you need to find a better cloning software for 10 use look around and see

kinda like what I started to see helping this guy out ??

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3126768/ready-give-ssd-boot-disk.html

Well the thing is I just messed up. I never really wanted to clone the drive, but rather image it. Like I said, I didn't read the obvious tooltip fully and I just want to erase the drive and start over. Problem is, I'm trying to figure out the proper way to to do it step by step and doing it through disk management like the gentleman above suggest does not work for me. It seems I may have to utilize a utility program to do it.

 

[Seventy-Three David]

I'm thinking of utilizing the drive cleanser software as it seems to provide me the option to erase the partitions on that particular drive. WD utilities also doesn't work as I think it only lets you erase a WD drive, but I'm not sure.

 

[junkeymonkey]

I wonder if write 0 would do the job or will it skip thayt over as well a 2tb drive will take a long time to write 0 to it ??

''You aren't able to delete the recovery partition because it EFI protected. You should be able to force by using the override command. ''

http://superuser.com/questions/1023765/how-to-delete-the-recovery-partition-in-windows-10

ya that 10 is a whole new animal I just hope I never have need for it seem with it once Microsoft get its 10 foot in your door there just in

 

[Seventy-Three David]

I wonder if write 0 would do the job or will it skip thayt over as well a 2tb drive will take a long time to write 0 to it ??

''You aren't able to delete the recovery partition because it EFI protected. You should be able to force by using the override command. ''

http://superuser.com/questions/1023765/how-to-delete-the-recovery-partition-in-windows-10

ya that 10 is a whole new animal I just hope I never have need for it seem with it once Microsoft get its 10 foot in your door there just in

Is it at all possible to use the WD drive cleanser software to wipe the drive though?

 

[junkeymonkey]

???? cant say never had to use any of it . all you can do is try and see [sorry]

 

[Seventy-Three David]

Currently in the process of trying to use the drive cleanser software to erase the drive. Thanks for all of the help everyone. I'll update with the final result.