Bootable USB Drive 'wasted storage space'

clayto · 24 May 2022

My backup provision now consists of an Aomei Disk Image on an external USB Drive (250 GB) which also holds many other files, and an Aomei Bootable USB Flash Drive which does not have other files but has over 13 GB free. Can I now save other files to the latter (ie.bootable Drive) or alternatively transfer the bootable folders / files to another, smaller capacity, Flash Drive so that the unused storage .....'wasted' space ..... can be utilised?

MaloK · 24 May 2022

Hi,

You can get a 2TB disk for 62$. Don't bother playing with 13Gb of slack space.

Try3 · 25 May 2022

Yes, you can store other files on your bootable USB.
Yes, you can transfer the bootable USB to a smaller USB or just re-make the Aomei boot disk directly on the smaller one.

Denis

clayto · 25 May 2022

Thanks Denis, I did not expect to have these options, I got the wrong impression from the fact that when creating a bootable drive it would be formatted automatically first and any files on it lost. So does it mean it would boot from there OK or would I have to have transferred it to a Thumb / Flash drive first, which could not be done after the PC was was failing to boot?

For anyone not familiar with a Bipra external USB Drive, which are not very common, it is not a Thumb / Flash drive which is plugged in directly but is about the size of a smart phone and has a USB cable connection. Mine has 250 GB and larger capacity ones are available, though not as large (or fast?) as an SSD. I guess they have largely fallen out of use now that Thumb drives can be obtained with large capacities, likewise SD memory cards, even tiny micro ones.

Paul Black · 25 May 2022

Hello @clayto,

clayto said:

. . . I got the wrong impression from the fact that when creating a bootable drive it would be formatted automatically first and any files on it lost.

You would ADD the files/folders AFTER the Bootable USB has been created because during the creation process, the USB is formatted, therefore ANY files/folders etc on there will be automatically Deleted.

I hope this helps.

Try3 · 26 May 2022

clayto said:

... when creating a bootable drive it would be formatted automatically first and any files on it lost. .

They would be lost so add them afterwards.

clayto said:

So does it mean it would boot from there OK or would I have to have transferred it to a Thumb / Flash drive first, which could not be done after the PC was was failing to boot? .

It's normal to use USB memory sticks for a bootable disks.
The utility that makes the bootable disk might insist on a USB memory stick [they can tell the difference].

clayto said:

For anyone not familiar with a Bipra external USB Drive, which are not very common, it is not a Thumb / Flash drive which is plugged in directly but is about the size of a smart phone and has a USB cable connection. Mine has 250 GB and larger capacity ones are available, though not as large (or fast?) as an SSD. I guess they have largely fallen out of use now that Thumb drives can be obtained with large capacities, likewise SD memory cards, even tiny micro ones.

External USB-connected disks remain commonplace as backup drives.

Denis