Too many Partitions on hard drive

This is just a backup of the main HD.
I have no intensions of using the backup as a primary OS.
If things fail, I wi;;ues the backup to fix things.

Word Man said:

Well, yeah, you can do as I suggested using a clone as the source but it takes up that space, and there's the potential for confusion Kbird pointed out.

Considering the stated aim of your thread, how can you be satisfied dealing with twice as many partitions as you started out with?

That's what I was thinking......it seems we have doubled the issue not fixed it but perhaps not ?

I think I will take your advice and keep an image on the second drive.
I guess Macrium could do the scheduled backup.
Thanks again.
Joe

Are you happy with the Partition layout on Disk 0 now ? did you get that sorted out ?

You can delete the Partitions on Disk 1 ( or where you did the clone? ) with MiniTool P.Wizard , then create 1 large Partition and then Run Macrium Images to it on a Schedule , set the schedule so there is always 50-100GB on the Drive ( bottom of the Window) that way it won't fill the Drive and will Auto erase "Sets" that are not needed after 2-3 weeks.

You have 3 disks don't you? or did you have an external hooked up to in the images you posted ? are they all SSDs? so perhaps something like :

Disk0 OS and Programs (SSD if Not already for speed)
Disk1 Data.... (SSD BEST HDD okay, if SSD can use for things like Steam Library too)
Disk2 Backups / Images etc (SSD BEST HDD okay)

KB.

I have three drives.
Drive 0 is a standard internal 2.5" HD. My original drive.
Drive 1 is a Msata internal SSD. the clone.
Drive 2 is an external 2.5" standard HD. My File History.



There are still adjustments, moves and perhaps a few deletions to be done on Disk 0 and Disk 1.
I now have a better idea about I can and can't do.
When I have the time!!!
All is working now so I'll get around to those adjustments soon.

Joe

If Disk 1 is the SSD you would be better using it for Windows/Programs as it is much faster than the HDD , not sure if it is easy to swap the drives in the Bays so the SSd is Drive 0 or not? ( not really necessary but better long term) ..... and then use Macrium's Fix Windows Boot Option ( only on rescue Disk ) , it will locate all installations of Windows and create a new Boot file (BCD) . In this case you can remove the selection of the OS on the HDD , before continuing, so the Option to boot to the HDD will no longer Present itself and the computer should automatically boot to Windows on the SSD (and boot time should be reduced.)

You can then erase the HDD and do images to it and the external drive on a schedule ( my current backup strategy)

Thanks KB,
The primary drive is a HDD 2.5" laptop drive. It's a Dell XPS 18.
The secondary drive is a SSD MSata (Mini Sata) drive and cannot fit in the # 1 position. That's the only option.
I think that I have what I want, for now, and will wait a while before I buy a 2.5" 500 GB SSD.
I have four High Performance HDD drives I can fall back on.
Besides, I have only lost one HDD in ten years.
One of my laptops just died last month (it is 13 years old) and I simply replaced the HDD with a clone and updated from other external drives.
I have about six external backups.
I have been using a system of backups for over ten years and this old horse, (72) has become accustomed to doing it this way.
My first PC was (I still have it) a Tandy 1000. Ever heard of "Desk Mate"?
God help me if the whole house burns down. LOL

Joe

It is no issue using Drive 1 as the Primary (mSata) and it will be faster for you..... just set the boot option using Macrium as described above and you should be good to go... should only take 5 mins..... since it may take 4mins to boot the CD :)