Do I need 3 recovery partitions.

Hi,

I have 3 recovery partitions (see screen below).
Recently, I created a recovery drive, installation media and Image Backup + rescue media using Macrium Reflect onto a external hard drive and FD's.

I cannot identify the creation date of these partitions.
I would like to delete unnecessary recovery partitions on my C: drive.

Can someone tell me if I can safely delete the partition having 7.20GB?
Or is this MS factory backup Partition?

Thanks.
TC.

 

The 7.2gb recovery partition contains the factory image of the software that came with the computer off the shelf. You can delete it if you are happy with the Windows 10 upgrade. There are three partitions that you need to keep (and some of those functions may be combined into the same partition so you may need even less than 3).

You need the partition marked as "active" because that contains the boot files. You need the partition the Windows operating system is on. And you should (but don't have to) keep the recovery partition that contains the Windows RE (recovery environment) currently in use by Windows 10. You can find out which partition contains the Windows RE by opening an elevated ("run as administrator") command prompt and entering:
reagentc /info

You are probably going to see partition 5 as the WindowsRE location - which is the 450 MB recovery partition.

To reclaim the 7.2 gb space you are going to want to install Minitool Partition Wizard. Delete the 7.2gb recovery partition, move the 450mb recovery partition to the end of the disk, then expand the C: partition to fill the empty space.

Just a thought. Wouldn't the Factory recovery partition be the most favourite to keep.?

Make image backup of pc now, and then you can revert if you everr need it.

Right on. That, combined with keeping the factory reset. Max security.

Just a thought. Wouldn't the Factory recovery partition be the most favourite to keep.?

Personal preference. I see no need in keeping the factory recovery images.

I agree. Bit I have found it the ultimate life save from time to time

Thanks for your help.

The factory recovery partition would be the last partition that I delete - even if I had an image. Theory of 2 backups.

@tomx2 :

I'm going to guess you have a Dell, based on seeing what I guess is the 40 MB Dell diagnostics partition. If Dell Backup and Recovery is still intact (since you upgraded to Win10) and it can see that Dell factory restore partition, you can make separate factory restore media (DVD, USB flash drive, or USB external HDD) using DBAR and THEN no reason to fret over whether to keep the 7.2 GB partition, just be gone with it.

Saving a full disk image to have for fallback, is also a good alternative, but having that separate factory restore media tucked away separately, independently bootable and fully functional on its own is a bit better, IMO, for giving a more direct path to Out-of-the-Box state.

Getting the separate factory restore media made (and freeing up 7.2 GB of your disk space) PLUS having a full disk image and generic Windows install media (as you've already made) is the best of both worlds, IMO.