Macrium Partition Listing

I just installed Macrium Home Free 7.2.4971, the most recent version on a
Windows 10 laptop, ver. 1909. I have a slightly older version of Macrium
installed on a Windows 7 desktop.

What I'm wondering is if Macrium has changed how their graphic listing of
partitions appear, perhaps just a little bit.

https://postimg.cc/WhntQQ9P

Macrium shows five partitions.
Disk Management shows four partitions. Disk Management doesn't show the
unformatted partition, Macrium does show it. The disk has not been
reformatted\partitioned ever; it's OEM configuration. I've never seen an
unformatted partition from an OEM. Wonder if a feature update was
involved. No question here, just an observation.

Question is why does Macrium how NTFS partition 5 in red?

Boris wrote:
I just installed Macrium Home Free 7.2.4971, the most recent version on a
Windows 10 laptop, ver. 1909. I have a slightly older version of Macrium
installed on a Windows 7 desktop.

What I'm wondering is if Macrium has changed how their graphic listing of
partitions appear, perhaps just a little bit.

https://postimg.cc/WhntQQ9P

Macrium shows five partitions.
Disk Management shows four partitions. Disk Management doesn't show the
unformatted partition, Macrium does show it. The disk has not been
reformatted\partitioned ever; it's OEM configuration. I've never seen an
unformatted partition from an OEM. Wonder if a feature update was
involved. No question here, just an observation.

Question is why does Macrium how NTFS partition 5 in red?

Red partitions are relatively full.

The Disk Management table in 2004, doesn't list the "Free" value properly
in the table section. The table I see in the picture looks wrong. Run
"winver" to see what the current revision level is.

The second partition, at 128MB, could be the GPT partition table.
It consists of 128 one megabyte entries for up to 128 partition
definitions on the drive.

GPT drives have several strange items:

1) ESP (Microsoft and Linux have their own folders in here for early boot)
2) 128MB partition - could be the partition table
3) 16MB unformatted partition - this is a Microsoft "storage hole".
Binary blobs are in there. There is no file system as such.

You might see some of these things in GParted. The 16MB will
show as "unformatted".

When it comes to Windows utilities, they vary as to which
ones they hide, which ones they show.

At some point, they need exposure, because if any software
depends on "partition number" for boot services, you need
to be able to work out "what changed" when examining the disk.
Most of the clever software out there, uses GUID or BLKID to
identify materials, and when Microsoft shifts some of the
partitions to the right, nothing gets broken as a result.

When using "gnome-disks" or "disks" utility, in the example
here you can see the Microsoft 16MB partition is listed as
17MB, and has type "Unknown". The partition table, at 128MB,
is not evident in the picture (mainly because it does not
have a /dev/sda1 type of lettering). This is the disk drive that
spends a lot of time in the Test Machine, as samples of
just about everything needed are on here. The Windows Search
R:\ partition is on here right now, but this picture pre-dates
that.

https://i.postimg.cc/6QP3JGsL/disks.gif

HTH,
Paul

Boris wrote:

https://postimg.cc/WhntQQ9P

Question is why does Macrium how NTFS partition 5 in red?

Microsoft, by default, will create 2 partitions: system partition (used
to load the bootloader that loads the OS from the other partition) and
the boot partition (to load the OS). Yeah, Microsoft calls the boot
partition as the system partition, and the system partition as the boot
partition. Ass backwards naming.

When installing Windows (since Windows 7) on an unpartitioned disk, 2
partitions are created: system and boot. The trick around this if you
want just 1 partition for Windows is to delete any partitions, create 1
partition that spans the entire disk, and tell the installer to use that
partition. With it occupying all of the disk, the installer won't
resize the exiting partition, and both the system and boot partitions
become the same partition.

In your pic, there are 2 recovery partitions. Disk Mgmt shows
partitions 4 and 5 are recovery partitions. Don't know how you got
there because I don't know from where you came. The partition in red is
low on free space. Partition 4 is right-sized for a recovery partition.
Partition 5 is way too huge for just a recovery partition.

You don't mention if this is a pre-built or own-built computer. For
pre-builts, often they create a partition used for recovery not by the
OS but by a BIOS selection to /restore/ the other partitions to their
factory-time state. A reset option in the BIOS lets you wipe everything
on the disk and restore it back to when it was bought new. A restore
partition doesn't need much free space because it is never written.

"Windows 10 laptop" gives no clue to others regarding the brand and
model of what you have. "Laptop" hints that you didn't build the
computer, so it is a pre-built, but you don't say which one. Laptops,
notebooks, many desktops, and most pre-builts come with a restore
partition pre-installed. When you cold boot the computer, one of the
BIOS choices in the POST screen is "Reset to factory" or similar.

If you never plan to restore the laptop to its factory setup, you can
delete the partition to reuse for something else. You could, for
example, use a partition manager to move partition 5 before partition 4
(or move partition 5 after partition 4), delete the partition, and then
merge the unallocated space into partition 3 to enlarge the OS
partition. Personally I would keep the restore partition in case I
really do need to wipe the laptop to start afresh. You have plenty of
free space still left on partition 3 (drive C:, Windows). Then you
don't have to hunt around for restore CD/DVDs (that the manual tells
*you* to create using their software tool) or later realize you never
made them and have no way to restore back to factory if the restore
partition goes bad or the disk goes bad.

Paul wrote in :

Boris wrote:
I just installed Macrium Home Free 7.2.4971, the most recent version
on a Windows 10 laptop, ver. 1909. I have a slightly older version
of Macrium installed on a Windows 7 desktop.

What I'm wondering is if Macrium has changed how their graphic
listing of partitions appear, perhaps just a little bit.

https://postimg.cc/WhntQQ9P

Macrium shows five partitions.
Disk Management shows four partitions. Disk Management doesn't show
the unformatted partition, Macrium does show it. The disk has not
been reformatted\partitioned ever; it's OEM configuration. I've
never seen an unformatted partition from an OEM. Wonder if a feature
update was involved. No question here, just an observation.

Question is why does Macrium how NTFS partition 5 in red?

Red partitions are relatively full.

Ok. Thanks.


The Disk Management table in 2004, doesn't list the "Free" value
properly in the table section. The table I see in the picture looks
wrong. Run "winver" to see what the current revision level is.

As mentioned, version 1909 (build 18363.900). (Version 2004 has been
offerred.)


The second partition, at 128MB, could be the GPT partition table.
It consists of 128 one megabyte entries for up to 128 partition
definitions on the drive.

Ok.


GPT drives have several strange items:

1) ESP (Microsoft and Linux have their own folders in here for early
boot)

Mine has this.

2) 128MB partition - could be the partition table

Mine shows this one as unformatted.

3) 16MB unformatted partition - this is a Microsoft "storage hole".
Binary blobs are in there. There is no file system as such.

No got.


You might see some of these things in GParted. The 16MB will
show as "unformatted".

When it comes to Windows utilities, they vary as to which
ones they hide, which ones they show.

I see that now. The unformatted 128MB doesn't appear in Disk Management,
but does in Macrium and GParted.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/HjMRkQw


At some point, they need exposure, because if any software
depends on "partition number" for boot services, you need
to be able to work out "what changed" when examining the disk.
Most of the clever software out there, uses GUID or BLKID to
identify materials, and when Microsoft shifts some of the
partitions to the right, nothing gets broken as a result.

When using "gnome-disks" or "disks" utility, in the example
here you can see the Microsoft 16MB partition is listed as
17MB, and has type "Unknown". The partition table, at 128MB,
is not evident in the picture (mainly because it does not
have a /dev/sda1 type of lettering). This is the disk drive that
spends a lot of time in the Test Machine, as samples of
just about everything needed are on here. The Windows Search
R:\ partition is on here right now, but this picture pre-dates
that.

https://i.postimg.cc/6QP3JGsL/disks.gif

HTH,
Paul

VanguardLH wrote in :

Boris wrote:

https://postimg.cc/WhntQQ9P

Question is why does Macrium how NTFS partition 5 in red?

Microsoft, by default, will create 2 partitions: system partition
(used to load the bootloader that loads the OS from the other
partition) and the boot partition (to load the OS). Yeah, Microsoft
calls the boot partition as the system partition, and the system
partition as the boot partition. Ass backwards naming.

I do remember (your?) comments about that in a post a while ago.

When installing Windows (since Windows 7) on an unpartitioned disk, 2
partitions are created: system and boot. The trick around this if you
want just 1 partition for Windows is to delete any partitions, create
1 partition that spans the entire disk, and tell the installer to use
that partition. With it occupying all of the disk, the installer
won't resize the exiting partition, and both the system and boot
partitions become the same partition.

I see. (Since it has only one partition to work with?)


In your pic, there are 2 recovery partitions. Disk Mgmt shows
partitions 4 and 5 are recovery partitions. Don't know how you got
there because I don't know from where you came.

This is a Dell 5559 14" laptop, it came with Window 10 Home Premium, and
I think it came with version 1507. It's automatically updated itself to
now Version 1909, build 18363.900; I have not forced any updates.

The partition in red is
low on free space.

I see.

Partition 4 is right-sized for a recovery partition.

Yep.

Partition 5 is way too huge for just a recovery partition.

Yes, and I'm wondering why. Microsoft (in error?) did that during an
update? I remember on a Windows 10 desktop that after a feature update,
a new drive was added and a pop-up notification kept identifying this
new drive as almost full, and I should move some files out. It turned
out this was later identified as a known error, and the next feature
update corrected it.


You don't mention if this is a pre-built or own-built computer. For
pre-builts, often they create a partition used for recovery not by the
OS but by a BIOS selection to /restore/ the other partitions to their
factory-time state. A reset option in the BIOS lets you wipe
everything on the disk and restore it back to when it was bought new.
A restore partition doesn't need much free space because it is never
written

"Windows 10 laptop" gives no clue to others regarding the brand and
model of what you have. "Laptop" hints that you didn't build the
computer, so it is a pre-built, but you don't say which one. Laptops,
notebooks, many desktops, and most pre-builts come with a restore
partition pre-installed. When you cold boot the computer, one of the
BIOS choices in the POST screen is "Reset to factory" or similar.

I've looked, but don't see anything like a factory reset selection in
the BIOS. I do have the standard Windows 10 Recovery console.

If you never plan to restore the laptop to its factory setup, you can
delete the partition to reuse for something else. You could, for
example, use a partition manager to move partition 5 before partition
4 (or move partition 5 after partition 4), delete the partition, and
then merge the unallocated space into partition 3 to enlarge the OS
partition. Personally I would keep the restore partition in case I
really do need to wipe the laptop to start afresh. You have plenty of
free space still left on partition 3 (drive C:, Windows). Then you
don't have to hunt around for restore CD/DVDs (that the manual tells
*you* to create using their software tool) or later realize you never
made them and have no way to restore back to factory if the restore
partition goes bad or the disk goes bad.

Don't think I'd ever want to go back to the factory installed version of
Windows 10, and I never come close to filling a drive, so it'll probably
stay as is, unless I decide to play around with partitioning.

I do wonder what the 11.94GB drive contains, though.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/HjMRkQw

On Mon, 29 Jun 2020 20:51:32 -0000 (UTC), Boris
wrote:

VanguardLH wrote in :

Boris wrote:

https://postimg.cc/WhntQQ9P

Question is why does Macrium how NTFS partition 5 in red?

Microsoft, by default, will create 2 partitions: system partition
(used to load the bootloader that loads the OS from the other
partition) and the boot partition (to load the OS). Yeah, Microsoft
calls the boot partition as the system partition, and the system
partition as the boot partition. Ass backwards naming.

I do remember (your?) comments about that in a post a while ago.

When installing Windows (since Windows 7) on an unpartitioned disk, 2
partitions are created: system and boot. The trick around this if you
want just 1 partition for Windows is to delete any partitions, create
1 partition that spans the entire disk, and tell the installer to use
that partition. With it occupying all of the disk, the installer
won't resize the exiting partition, and both the system and boot
partitions become the same partition.

I see. (Since it has only one partition to work with?)


In your pic, there are 2 recovery partitions. Disk Mgmt shows
partitions 4 and 5 are recovery partitions. Don't know how you got
there because I don't know from where you came.

This is a Dell 5559 14" laptop, it came with Window 10 Home Premium, and
I think it came with version 1507. It's automatically updated itself to
now Version 1909, build 18363.900; I have not forced any updates.

The partition in red is
low on free space.

I see.

Partition 4 is right-sized for a recovery partition.

Yep.

Partition 5 is way too huge for just a recovery partition.

Yes, and I'm wondering why. Microsoft (in error?) did that during an
update? I remember on a Windows 10 desktop that after a feature update,
a new drive was added and a pop-up notification kept identifying this
new drive as almost full, and I should move some files out. It turned
out this was later identified as a known error, and the next feature
update corrected it.


You don't mention if this is a pre-built or own-built computer. For
pre-builts, often they create a partition used for recovery not by the
OS but by a BIOS selection to /restore/ the other partitions to their
factory-time state. A reset option in the BIOS lets you wipe
everything on the disk and restore it back to when it was bought new.
A restore partition doesn't need much free space because it is never
written

"Windows 10 laptop" gives no clue to others regarding the brand and
model of what you have. "Laptop" hints that you didn't build the
computer, so it is a pre-built, but you don't say which one. Laptops,
notebooks, many desktops, and most pre-builts come with a restore
partition pre-installed. When you cold boot the computer, one of the
BIOS choices in the POST screen is "Reset to factory" or similar.

I've looked, but don't see anything like a factory reset selection in
the BIOS. I do have the standard Windows 10 Recovery console.

If you never plan to restore the laptop to its factory setup, you can
delete the partition to reuse for something else. You could, for
example, use a partition manager to move partition 5 before partition
4 (or move partition 5 after partition 4), delete the partition, and
then merge the unallocated space into partition 3 to enlarge the OS
partition. Personally I would keep the restore partition in case I
really do need to wipe the laptop to start afresh. You have plenty of
free space still left on partition 3 (drive C:, Windows). Then you
don't have to hunt around for restore CD/DVDs (that the manual tells
*you* to create using their software tool) or later realize you never
made them and have no way to restore back to factory if the restore
partition goes bad or the disk goes bad.

Don't think I'd ever want to go back to the factory installed version of
Windows 10, and I never come close to filling a drive, so it'll probably
stay as is, unless I decide to play around with partitioning.

I do wonder what the 11.94GB drive contains, though.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/HjMRkQw

If you want to look around in there in Windows, assign a drive letter and
take a look. You'd probably want to remove the drive letter when you're
done.

Boris wrote:
Paul wrote in :

Boris wrote:
I just installed Macrium Home Free 7.2.4971, the most recent version
on a Windows 10 laptop, ver. 1909. I have a slightly older version
of Macrium installed on a Windows 7 desktop.

What I'm wondering is if Macrium has changed how their graphic
listing of partitions appear, perhaps just a little bit.

https://postimg.cc/WhntQQ9P

Macrium shows five partitions.
Disk Management shows four partitions. Disk Management doesn't show
the unformatted partition, Macrium does show it. The disk has not
been reformatted\partitioned ever; it's OEM configuration. I've
never seen an unformatted partition from an OEM. Wonder if a feature
update was involved. No question here, just an observation.

Question is why does Macrium how NTFS partition 5 in red?
Red partitions are relatively full.

Ok. Thanks.

The Disk Management table in 2004, doesn't list the "Free" value
properly in the table section. The table I see in the picture looks
wrong. Run "winver" to see what the current revision level is.

As mentioned, version 1909 (build 18363.900). (Version 2004 has been
offerred.)

The second partition, at 128MB, could be the GPT partition table.
It consists of 128 one megabyte entries for up to 128 partition
definitions on the drive.

Ok.

GPT drives have several strange items:

1) ESP (Microsoft and Linux have their own folders in here for early
boot)

Mine has this.

2) 128MB partition - could be the partition table

Mine shows this one as unformatted.

3) 16MB unformatted partition - this is a Microsoft "storage hole".
Binary blobs are in there. There is no file system as such.

No got.

You might see some of these things in GParted. The 16MB will
show as "unformatted".

When it comes to Windows utilities, they vary as to which
ones they hide, which ones they show.

I see that now. The unformatted 128MB doesn't appear in Disk Management,
but does in Macrium and GParted.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/HjMRkQw

I'm beginning to wonder if that 128MB one, is the old 16MB
one in disguise ???

sda1 ESP with Microsoft folder and boot materials
sda2 Maybe the binary blob storage with no file system (triangle indicator)
sda3 C: ???
sda4 A System Reserved with 350MB boot.wim in it, for emergency boot/repair
sda5 12GB, looks like OEM reinstall partition...

It's not good when Microsoft keeps changing the size on stuff,
because I "lose sync" easily :-)

Paul

Boris wrote:
VanguardLH wrote in :

Boris wrote:

https://postimg.cc/WhntQQ9P

Question is why does Macrium how NTFS partition 5 in red?
Microsoft, by default, will create 2 partitions: system partition
(used to load the bootloader that loads the OS from the other
partition) and the boot partition (to load the OS). Yeah, Microsoft
calls the boot partition as the system partition, and the system
partition as the boot partition. Ass backwards naming.

I do remember (your?) comments about that in a post a while ago.
When installing Windows (since Windows 7) on an unpartitioned disk, 2
partitions are created: system and boot. The trick around this if you
want just 1 partition for Windows is to delete any partitions, create
1 partition that spans the entire disk, and tell the installer to use
that partition. With it occupying all of the disk, the installer
won't resize the exiting partition, and both the system and boot
partitions become the same partition.

I see. (Since it has only one partition to work with?)

In your pic, there are 2 recovery partitions. Disk Mgmt shows
partitions 4 and 5 are recovery partitions. Don't know how you got
there because I don't know from where you came.

This is a Dell 5559 14" laptop, it came with Window 10 Home Premium, and
I think it came with version 1507. It's automatically updated itself to
now Version 1909, build 18363.900; I have not forced any updates.

The partition in red is
low on free space.

I see.

Partition 4 is right-sized for a recovery partition.

Yep.

Partition 5 is way too huge for just a recovery partition.

Yes, and I'm wondering why. Microsoft (in error?) did that during an
update? I remember on a Windows 10 desktop that after a feature update,
a new drive was added and a pop-up notification kept identifying this
new drive as almost full, and I should move some files out. It turned
out this was later identified as a known error, and the next feature
update corrected it.

You don't mention if this is a pre-built or own-built computer. For
pre-builts, often they create a partition used for recovery not by the
OS but by a BIOS selection to /restore/ the other partitions to their
factory-time state. A reset option in the BIOS lets you wipe
everything on the disk and restore it back to when it was bought new.
A restore partition doesn't need much free space because it is never
written

"Windows 10 laptop" gives no clue to others regarding the brand and
model of what you have. "Laptop" hints that you didn't build the
computer, so it is a pre-built, but you don't say which one. Laptops,
notebooks, many desktops, and most pre-builts come with a restore
partition pre-installed. When you cold boot the computer, one of the
BIOS choices in the POST screen is "Reset to factory" or similar.

I've looked, but don't see anything like a factory reset selection in
the BIOS. I do have the standard Windows 10 Recovery console.
If you never plan to restore the laptop to its factory setup, you can
delete the partition to reuse for something else. You could, for
example, use a partition manager to move partition 5 before partition
4 (or move partition 5 after partition 4), delete the partition, and
then merge the unallocated space into partition 3 to enlarge the OS
partition. Personally I would keep the restore partition in case I
really do need to wipe the laptop to start afresh. You have plenty of
free space still left on partition 3 (drive C:, Windows). Then you
don't have to hunt around for restore CD/DVDs (that the manual tells
*you* to create using their software tool) or later realize you never
made them and have no way to restore back to factory if the restore
partition goes bad or the disk goes bad.

Don't think I'd ever want to go back to the factory installed version of
Windows 10, and I never come close to filling a drive, so it'll probably
stay as is, unless I decide to play around with partitioning.

I do wonder what the 11.94GB drive contains, though.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/HjMRkQw



If this disk once had an OEM Windows 7 on it, the 11.45GB could
be the OEM restore for C: when the computer was new.

*******

There are some 1TB SSD drives at the moment for $100.

And, there's a brand which would be more expensive for a 1TB.

Paul

Boris wrote:

I've looked, but don't see anything like a factory reset selection in
the BIOS. I do have the standard Windows 10 Recovery console.

Some have it, some not. Most times you see an option to display a menu
or have to hit a hotkey to show it (before the OS loads, so this is a
BIOS/UEFI function) where one of the choices is to restore/reset.
Normally you see the option as a menu or hotkey at the POST screen.

Did an online search on "dell 5559 manual". Found:

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en...59-laptop/docs

Clicked on the "Manuals and Documents" selection. I looked at the Win10
quick start guide (but its name doesn't embue any confidence in finding
how to do a reset). Yeah, after looking at it, just a crap guide card.
I scanned their service manual, but it was about replacing components
rather than mentioning the BIOS reset function.

Went to their support page, searched on "factory restore", got some
selections in a drop-down list, pick one (and tried others), but no
articles appear. Nothing was getting blocked at that page from the
adblocker. So **** 'em. I searched the Web on "Dell 5559 factory
restore", and found:

https://www.dell.com/support/article...mputer?lang=en

and that pointed to:

https://www.dell.com/support/article...mputer?lang=en

Well, after reading that, it appear Dell doesn't provide a boot-time
option to have the BIOS do a fresh install of Windows from an image (in
a hidden partition). Besides the Win10 methods, they're suggesting is
to use recovery media to restore the Dell factory image. The say to
keep tapping the F12 key during the Dell logo screen (presumably there
is a BIOS option to disable that ad crap, and instead see the POST
screen).

https://ccm.net/faq/4189-restore-del...ctory-settings

That mentions hitting F8 during the boot (but before the OS loads) to
get to the advanced recovery menu. Dell's article doesn't mention this
method.

Char Jackson wrote in
:

On Mon, 29 Jun 2020 20:51:32 -0000 (UTC), Boris
wrote:

VanguardLH wrote in :

Boris wrote:

https://postimg.cc/WhntQQ9P

Question is why does Macrium how NTFS partition 5 in red?

Microsoft, by default, will create 2 partitions: system partition
(used to load the bootloader that loads the OS from the other
partition) and the boot partition (to load the OS). Yeah, Microsoft
calls the boot partition as the system partition, and the system
partition as the boot partition. Ass backwards naming.

I do remember (your?) comments about that in a post a while ago.

When installing Windows (since Windows 7) on an unpartitioned disk,
2 partitions are created: system and boot. The trick around this if
you want just 1 partition for Windows is to delete any partitions,
create 1 partition that spans the entire disk, and tell the
installer to use that partition. With it occupying all of the disk,
the installer won't resize the exiting partition, and both the
system and boot partitions become the same partition.

I see. (Since it has only one partition to work with?)


In your pic, there are 2 recovery partitions. Disk Mgmt shows
partitions 4 and 5 are recovery partitions. Don't know how you got
there because I don't know from where you came.

This is a Dell 5559 14" laptop, it came with Window 10 Home Premium,
and I think it came with version 1507. It's automatically updated
itself to now Version 1909, build 18363.900; I have not forced any
updates.

The partition in red is
low on free space.

I see.

Partition 4 is right-sized for a recovery partition.

Yep.

Partition 5 is way too huge for just a recovery partition.

Yes, and I'm wondering why. Microsoft (in error?) did that during an
update? I remember on a Windows 10 desktop that after a feature
update, a new drive was added and a pop-up notification kept
identifying this new drive as almost full, and I should move some
files out. It turned out this was later identified as a known error,
and the next feature update corrected it.


You don't mention if this is a pre-built or own-built computer. For
pre-builts, often they create a partition used for recovery not by
the OS but by a BIOS selection to /restore/ the other partitions to
their factory-time state. A reset option in the BIOS lets you wipe
everything on the disk and restore it back to when it was bought
new. A restore partition doesn't need much free space because it is
never written

"Windows 10 laptop" gives no clue to others regarding the brand and
model of what you have. "Laptop" hints that you didn't build the
computer, so it is a pre-built, but you don't say which one.
Laptops, notebooks, many desktops, and most pre-builts come with a
restore partition pre-installed. When you cold boot the computer,
one of the BIOS choices in the POST screen is "Reset to factory" or
similar.

I've looked, but don't see anything like a factory reset selection in
the BIOS. I do have the standard Windows 10 Recovery console.

If you never plan to restore the laptop to its factory setup, you
can delete the partition to reuse for something else. You could,
for example, use a partition manager to move partition 5 before
partition 4 (or move partition 5 after partition 4), delete the
partition, and then merge the unallocated space into partition 3 to
enlarge the OS partition. Personally I would keep the restore
partition in case I really do need to wipe the laptop to start
afresh. You have plenty of free space still left on partition 3
(drive C:, Windows). Then you don't have to hunt around for restore
CD/DVDs (that the manual tells *you* to create using their software
tool) or later realize you never made them and have no way to
restore back to factory if the restore partition goes bad or the
disk goes bad.

Don't think I'd ever want to go back to the factory installed version
of Windows 10, and I never come close to filling a drive, so it'll
probably stay as is, unless I decide to play around with partitioning.

I do wonder what the 11.94GB drive contains, though.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/HjMRkQw

If you want to look around in there in Windows, assign a drive letter
and take a look. You'd probably want to remove the drive letter when
you're done.


I'm not sure I understand. Windows Disk Management doesn't have a
"Change drive letters and path..." available for partitions 4 or 5.

Do you mean to assign a drive letter using GParted? But that wouldn't
carry over when in Windows.

Boris wrote:

I'm not sure I understand. Windows Disk Management doesn't have a
"Change drive letters and path..." available for partitions 4 or 5.

Do you mean to assign a drive letter using GParted? But that wouldn't
carry over when in Windows.

sudo gdisk /dev/sda

p

That will print the partition types, which are
two byte fields. For example, the ESP should be EF01 hex.

There is a partition change option. Examine the hidden NTFS
partitions, or the hidden 12GB whatever partition, then
look for a "visible equivalent". The partition change dialog
has a letter you can press, which lists available partition
types.

In legacy MSDOS land, 0x07 is NTFS, 0x27 is Hidden NTFS.
You would use:

sudo fdisk /dev/sda

if the disk was legacy MSDOS, and change the NTFS partition
type from 0x27 to 0x07. Then, the partition is visible.

On some partitions, there are consequences if Windows 10 "sees"
what is inside while the partition is mounted that way. When
you go back and "re-hide" the partition, by changing it to
0x27 or similar, Windows remembers the GUID of the partition,
and will start labeling Disk Management with that (superfluous)
detail. Which is annoying but not fatal.

Not all partitiona are "Hidden NTFS". There are ones such as
the "PowerQuest Partition", and a partition branded as a Dell
partition as "DE" or similar.

This is one of the oldest web pages I use as a tech reference.
It lists the history of partition types. However, for GPT disks,
it doesn't delve into the two digit codes for those. It covers
the "protective declaration" in the MBR for a GPT disk, but no
others are discussed. The gdisk tool is as close as we get to
exposing some values.

https://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/partitio...n_types-1.html

*******

The contents of partitions can also be examined using TestDisk.

But it has a "relatively scary" interface, and it takes a lot of
practice before you feel comfortable playing with production disks :-)
I've had a few moments of hairloss fooling around in there.
So yes, TestDisk works, to examina the file list in a partition,
but practice practice practice on something else first.

Paul

VanguardLH wrote in :

Boris wrote:

I've looked, but don't see anything like a factory reset selection in
the BIOS. I do have the standard Windows 10 Recovery console.

Some have it, some not. Most times you see an option to display a
menu or have to hit a hotkey to show it (before the OS loads, so this
is a BIOS/UEFI function) where one of the choices is to restore/reset.
Normally you see the option as a menu or hotkey at the POST screen.

Did an online search on "dell 5559 manual". Found:

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en...roduct/inspiro
n-15-5559-laptop/docs

Clicked on the "Manuals and Documents" selection. I looked at the
Win10 quick start guide (but its name doesn't embue any confidence in
finding how to do a reset). Yeah, after looking at it, just a crap
guide card. I scanned their service manual, but it was about replacing
components rather than mentioning the BIOS reset function.

I always download all the manuals, Start Up, Specs, Service, etc., for
evey device I purchase. I have all those you mention. The Service
manuals and Specs are the only documents of use.


Went to their support page, searched on "factory restore", got some
selections in a drop-down list, pick one (and tried others), but no
articles appear. Nothing was getting blocked at that page from the
adblocker. So **** 'em. I searched the Web on "Dell 5559 factory
restore", and found:

https://www.dell.com/support/article...ory-reset-rest
ore-or-reinstall-microsoft-windows-on-a-dell-computer?lang=en

and that pointed to:

https://www.dell.com/support/article...t-or-reinstall
-windows-10-on-your-dell-computer?lang=en

Well, after reading that, it appear Dell doesn't provide a boot-time
option to have the BIOS do a fresh install of Windows from an image
(in a hidden partition). Besides the Win10 methods, they're
suggesting is to use recovery media to restore the Dell factory image.
The say to keep tapping the F12 key during the Dell logo screen
(presumably there is a BIOS option to disable that ad crap, and
instead see the POST screen).

https://ccm.net/faq/4189-restore-del...ctory-settings

That mentions hitting F8 during the boot (but before the OS loads) to
get to the advanced recovery menu. Dell's article doesn't mention
this method.

I've also been to all those links, long ago. I've executed the steps in
the first two links, to see if they were accurat, but never went as far
as 'pulling the trigger' on a factory reset. They were accurate. The
last link, written for Dell machines (2/6/2020), that mentions F8 will
get you to an Advanced Boot Options Menu, well, it doesn't. Tapping F8
gets you a "F12 Boot Menu" appearing in the upper right. Then pressing
F12 gets "Preparing a one-boot menu". Even then, it's not really one-
time, because you get thrown into the UEFI Boot settings, and when you
disable Secure Boot, enable Legacy Mode, and then change boot order go
look at the GParted CD first, it doesn't change to Windows Boot Manager
when you quit and try to relaunch Windows. PITA to go back and forth.

Perhaps I should have mentioned all those links to which (for you grammar
fanatics) I've already been. Bottom line, I see no "Hot button" in the
BIOS to do a factory reset. Not that I need one. I just make images of
all partitions every so often, because I don't like the thought of
reinstalling programs/settings. I also do data backups/images once in a
while.

Don't know if this will work (haven't tried this). Open a command shell
with elevated privileges. Enter the following command:

mountvol

Do all of the mountpoints have a drive letter assigned, or are some just
volume IDs (without a drive letter)? For those without a drive letter,
and even those with, you can load them into Windows/File Explorer by
using the volume ID. For example, hit Win+R to open the Run dialog, and
enter the volume ID, like:

Run
Open: \\?\Volume{e9724b21-b916-4664-8a42-99da6b504a5c}\

Copy the complete volume ID from the mountvol list, and paste into the
Run dialog. If the partition has a known partition type and is
supported by the OS, the volume should get listed in File Explorer.

Are you using any 3rd party file versioning software? Some will create
a partition that has no drive letter assigned, but they can also change
the partition type number to something not recognized. See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partit..._partition_IDs

Not assigning a drive letter hides a partition from normal access.
Giving it a non-standard partition type prevents many tools from not
accessing the partition. They don't know what it is, so they don't
touch it. For example, Acronis TrueImage has its Secure Zone and
Paragon Backup & Restore has its similar feature (because devs left
Acronis to go to Paragon and brought the technique with them). That is
a partition with no drive letter and some oddball partition type
assigned to in in the partition record in the partition table.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronis_Secure_Zone
Technical Details
Although the Acronis Secure Zone has its own partition type, it is
actually just a rebadged FAT32 partition labeled ACRONIS SZ, with
"partition type" code set to 0xBC.

Backup programs other than Acronis have used this scheme. To get at the
partition, you use a partition manager/editor and alter the partition
type value in the partition record in the partition table to the value
for a FAT32 partition.

Paul wrote in :

Boris wrote:

I'm not sure I understand. Windows Disk Management doesn't have a
"Change drive letters and path..." available for partitions 4 or 5.

Do you mean to assign a drive letter using GParted? But that wouldn't
carry over when in Windows.

sudo gdisk /dev/sda

p

Did some Linux-ing back on June 29, but the next day went off the grid
until today. Now that I'm back, I hope I can remember what I found and
recorded nearly two weeks ago.

sudo gdisk /dev/sda gave me this:
https://postimg.cc/gallery/TTVcjT8

All five partitions appear as they do in Macrium.

I did notice that entering gdisk returned
"GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.3"
Why?

The disk identifiers (GUID) are not the same as shown in Windows, and
using them in Windows gets me nowhere. Are the disk identifiers assigned
by the OS in use?


That will print the partition types, which are
two byte fields. For example, the ESP should be EF01 hex.

There is a partition change option. Examine the hidden NTFS
partitions, or the hidden 12GB whatever partition, then
look for a "visible equivalent". The partition change dialog
has a letter you can press, which lists available partition
types.

In legacy MSDOS land, 0x07 is NTFS, 0x27 is Hidden NTFS.
You would use:

sudo fdisk /dev/sda

The gdisk I used to get the above was a standalone gdisk CD. I couldn't
find fdisk on it, and terminal mode didn't recognize fdisk. I loaded up
live Bionic Beaver to use fdisk, and got this:

"Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.31.1"

https://postimg.cc/gallery/pnwDnJt

fdisk seems to be more informative.

fdisk and gdisk return the same disk identifier for sda.

SDA3 is my C drive (Windows OS) at 918 GB, SDA4 is Microsoft's Recovery
Partition, at 856 MB, and SDA5, which started this curiosity of mine, is
another Recover Partition. Fdisk and gdisk return the same sector
information for these three devices, and for SDA, but only fdisk gives
this information for sda1. Neither command returns sector information
for sda2, the 128 MB partition that doesn't appear on Windows Disk
Management, and appears as 'unformatted' on Macrium.

Gparted gave some more interesting information:

https://postimg.cc/gallery/NgN09C4


if the disk was legacy MSDOS, and change the NTFS partition
type from 0x27 to 0x07. Then, the partition is visible.

On some partitions, there are consequences if Windows 10 "sees"
what is inside while the partition is mounted that way. When
you go back and "re-hide" the partition, by changing it to
0x27 or similar, Windows remembers the GUID of the partition,
and will start labeling Disk Management with that (superfluous)
detail. Which is annoying but not fatal.

Not all partitiona are "Hidden NTFS". There are ones such as
the "PowerQuest Partition", and a partition branded as a Dell
partition as "DE" or similar.

This is one of the oldest web pages I use as a tech reference.
It lists the history of partition types. However, for GPT disks,
it doesn't delve into the two digit codes for those. It covers
the "protective declaration" in the MBR for a GPT disk, but no
others are discussed. The gdisk tool is as close as we get to
exposing some values.

https://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/partitio...n_types-1.html

*******

The contents of partitions can also be examined using TestDisk.

But it has a "relatively scary" interface, and it takes a lot of
practice before you feel comfortable playing with production disks :-)
I've had a few moments of hairloss fooling around in there.
So yes, TestDisk works, to examina the file list in a partition,
but practice practice practice on something else first.

Definitely not for me.

Thanks much.

Paul

Boris wrote:
Paul wrote in :

Boris wrote:

I'm not sure I understand. Windows Disk Management doesn't have a
"Change drive letters and path..." available for partitions 4 or 5.

Do you mean to assign a drive letter using GParted? But that wouldn't
carry over when in Windows.
sudo gdisk /dev/sda

p

Did some Linux-ing back on June 29, but the next day went off the grid
until today. Now that I'm back, I hope I can remember what I found and
recorded nearly two weeks ago.

sudo gdisk /dev/sda gave me this:
https://postimg.cc/gallery/TTVcjT8

Only the initial command makes sense.

You are asking for information on the whole disk,
which is /dev/sda .

The MBR is protective, the first and only partition is 0xEE,
and that would be visible in fdisk. In other words,
fdisk shows a single partition of type 0xEE, with a size
of 2TB or more. This "covers" the disk, and prevents a person
using fdisk, from adding partitions. Apple did something similar
on their disks years ago, put a protective cover, so the legacy
tools could not ruin a disk they did not understand. In the modern
age, GPT disks have a protective cover over the partitions declared
via the MBR.

sudo gdisk /dev/sda

To add partitions, you would use gdisk, because the disk is GPT
and is designed for GPT partitions to be added or edited. The partitions
are stored in a 128MB partition table, which many tools will not list.


All five partitions appear as they do in Macrium.

I did notice that entering gdisk returned
"GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.3"
Why?

Do you notice the utility interface similarities between
the older fdisk and the newer gdisk ? The choices are different,
but the intent is quite similar. And GPT has a disambiguation table
at the top, which shows what kind of drive it is trying to access.
When it says "MBR is protective", that's your hint it is a GPT disk.


The disk identifiers (GUID) are not the same as shown in Windows, and
using them in Windows gets me nowhere. Are the disk identifiers assigned
by the OS in use?

I don't know the answer to that. All I can tell you, is the GUID
value that Windows uses, are not written on the drive itself. Unlike
the BLKID that Linux uses. The identifiers that Windows does write
on the disk, are "short". Windows identifiers are half the length or
less, of a GUID. To me, it seems some GUID-like values are written
in the registry. Then, only if a particular C: boots, does it get
a chance to define GUID values.


That will print the partition types, which are
two byte fields. For example, the ESP should be EF01 hex.

There is a partition change option. Examine the hidden NTFS
partitions, or the hidden 12GB whatever partition, then
look for a "visible equivalent". The partition change dialog
has a letter you can press, which lists available partition
types.

In legacy MSDOS land, 0x07 is NTFS, 0x27 is Hidden NTFS.
You would use:

sudo fdisk /dev/sda

The gdisk I used to get the above was a standalone gdisk CD. I couldn't
find fdisk on it, and terminal mode didn't recognize fdisk. I loaded up
live Bionic Beaver to use fdisk, and got this:

"Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.31.1"

https://postimg.cc/gallery/pnwDnJt

# This is the one and only value command... for the whole fda disk.

sudo fdisk /dev/sda

p
q

# If you print the tabular informatiion in fdisk, it will
# say that the first partition is 0xEE, it's 2TB or more in
# size, and it "covers" the entire disk. When in fact, it
# does nothing of the sort. The partition is there, so nobody
# can (illegally) allocate any further legacy partitions. If
# they were allocated, they would destroy the GPT layout.


fdisk seems to be more informative.

fdisk and gdisk return the same disk identifier for sda.

SDA3 is my C drive (Windows OS) at 918 GB, SDA4 is Microsoft's Recovery
Partition, at 856 MB, and SDA5, which started this curiosity of mine, is
another Recover Partition. Fdisk and gdisk return the same sector
information for these three devices, and for SDA, but only fdisk gives
this information for sda1. Neither command returns sector information
for sda2, the 128 MB partition that doesn't appear on Windows Disk
Management, and appears as 'unformatted' on Macrium.

Normally, the Microsoft "binary blob" partition is 16MB. Maybe
it's 128MB on your setup. There is *no* file system on the
binary blob partition.

Paul