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First I will need to download all of my images, 000's, to another storage before I risk that. Imight buy a new 2 TB external drive as an extra backup and use that first.
First I will need to download all of my images, 000's, to another storage before I risk that. Imight buy a new 2 TB external drive as an extra backup and use that first.
Understood and i agree !
I always make sure i have backups before making any changes like this.
Better safe than sorry, i don't want to hear you lost important data following my suggestions.
You have been given good advice.
The only thing I would add is that your OS partition is too large IMO for efficient/regular system imaging. 200GB should be more than enough and move your significant data to a separate partition. Some data on the OS partition is ok but not large amounts.
Then decide on a strategy for backing up your data partition.
Hi FrankFitz
I should say that you need to follow others on the advice.
My advice is to remove /delete the drive label on D:\ drive which is the "System Reserved" partition to prevent any further issue.
The "Active" and "System" should not be include in other partition, only in the D:\ and C:\ drives.
As for the partition on Disk 0 and Disk 2, if possible, create an additional partition.
This is to have separate partitions for, such as; Video, Data, etc; for easy to manage and backup, if nec.
As for what mjf suggest, the active data may leave it at the OS partition.
And these active data, do make copy of them to another Drive, so as to prevent sudden lost of the files.
That is to make a backup these active files first to another drive, then work on it.
Active files means these files are regular use, such as documents, amendment.
I generally leave my (library) documents on the OS partition because they don't take up that much space. Like I said some data on the OS partition is ok. I actually put videos, photos, downloads on different HDDs because my OS is on an SSD. I don't bother with libraries unless they are document on the OS partition.
Because the OS partition may need an unexpected system reimage due to bad updates, malware etc there is an argument to put your documents elsewhere unless you are very diligent with your file/folder backup.
Single drive boot worked OK and did not require Install CD's.
Single disk boot.jpg
Boot seems faster presumably because I have only one drive connected.
What about the other two drives is it a simple matter of reconnect or is there anything else I should do?
That's great.
Yes, reconnect the other two drives, and set the Active partition on those drives to Inactive.
Partition - Mark as Inactive
That's looking good and you're doing real well :)
If you want to really clean the backup drive, you can run a Diskpart Clean.
That will delete everything on the drive including the MBR (Master Boot Record).
Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command
I run Diskpart Clean on a drive i want to "reuse" that might have hidden obsolete MBR info.
I have often "migrated" to a new HD/SSD and end up reusing the old drive for somethings else such as data only.
It's probably not necessary unless you might reuse the drive as a boot drive someday, but i'm an overkill/clean disk freak
If you do use Diskpart Clean, make sure you select the correct drive !
C: has ~600GB on it. I'd estimate 600GB would take at least 90 minutes to image and about the same time to restore using a USB 3 external HDD.
If you're ok with this you'll only get a few images on a 2TB external.