[SOLVED] Safest way to re-partition

[Mtop]

Just purchase a hard drive for additional back or disk image.
When I got to Disk manager I discovered Win10 has partioned my backup platter into 3 seperate partitions. ( looks just like boot drive except sizes and no boot sector)
This hard drive was not connected during re-install and has 3Tb of data backed up. It was identical to my data drive, both 8Tb drives.

Questions:
Sorry I have more than one.

1. I want it back! Is it safe - "No Data Loss"- To repartition or should I just reformat and copy drive to drive ? I will back up on another disk prior to recommendation.
2. Did my making a restore point with this drive connected cause the partition.

Thanks in advance

 

[hang-the-9]

Your post is a bit confusing about what you have and what happened. You have a new drive, but then you go into something about a re-install, restore point, etc.. Start at the beginning, and post a screenshot of your Disk Manager window. From your signature you have 3 drives, are you talking about the 8TB drive that is this new drive and is that what has the partitions on it? You may want to explain how the system is setup now and how this new drive and partitions fit into the picture. Windows does not just partition drives on it's own unless you clone a drive with partitions or do it yourself manually.

 

[Mtop]

Now that I re read, your right.
If I back up what I have first, then it doesn't matter what happens during reformat since can then copy drive to drive if something should happen. I guess what i wanted was someone to say combine partitions it's 99% sure you wont lose data.

As for configuration I have 1-8 drive as main and two backups. So the main backup was modified by windows sometime after I had reinstalled. Re-install was done with just my m2 drives connected, so I'm confused to why and when windows modified the backup disk.

I am going to a win forum to ask some specific questions there such as how much space does a restore point use etc....

Thanks for responding, I'll mark you as best to close out.

 

[hang-the-9]

If you are going to be messing with partitions, do it with a backup done of whatever is on there. Then just wipe the drive fully and create a new partition. Just make sure there are no boot files on whatever drive you are working on by removing it and trying to boot. Restore point size varies but you have plenty of space for it.