Broken patition table but somehow it's still working

Yep, it looks like the Asus comes equipped with a Sandisk ReadyCache SSD connected to a port on the board

searching for the drive listed in your DevMgr returns: SANDISK READYCACHE SSD
This page references a 32 GB drive, yours is 24 GB - just a capacity difference.

Accelerate your desktop PC without replacing your hard drive

Desktop computers running the Windows® 7 or Windows 8 operating system. An open SATA port must be available on the motherboard to install the SanDisk ReadyCache SSD
Part: Desktop Accelerator

I suspect the cache holds the OEM Recovery (based on the partition Type) but it would make more sense for it to also hold boot contents.

The drive might be put to better use, but that will take a lot of looking. In the end, very little might be changed - perhaps only placing the Windows10 install wim on the Recovery partition - not sure.

If your machine is running fine, it's easier to leave it be. ... it's only 24 GB (only he says)

Let me know if you want to play with the ReadyCache/Boot/Recovery possibilities. It takes a bit of time doing it on a forum ...

I'd need to know the exact model of you Asus to go any further ... and answers to questions I haven't yet asked

UX501 | UX305 | UX303| UX301 | ?something else?

Also, it would be helpful to know what Win10 has configured for the Recovery partition:
Command Prompt (Admin)

reagentc /info

Post the results

It's also VERY useful to members to have details on your machine in your TenForums > Profile > system spec.

The easiest way to do this is to use the information from a PUBLISHED Speccy report.
See: Speccy - Publish Snapshot of your System Specs

Post the link to the report that Speccy gives you and also open the Speccy link.
Then click here to view your System Specs on this forum.

When you have both windows open, put them side-by-side and simply copy the information, field by field, from the Speccy report to your System Specs.

• In the System Manufacturer/Model Number field, manually type Desktop or Laptop adding it to the information already in the field. The specific model number is important - there are often many models of a given series.
  For example, my machine is a HP Pavilion dv6, but there are tens of the dv6 series, so dv6-6c10us is the specific model.
  
  
• Specify Custom Build as the manufacturer if it is not an OEM machine.
  
  
• Don't forget to include the bitdepth of your Os (32-bit or 64-bit)

To see what information other members provide in their System Specs, click on My System Specs in the lower left of any post by any member.

Thanks

Thanks - you've been great so don't be embarrassed

Now that you have the Speccy report + the output you already provided - you know as much as I know!

I'll read the stuff you're posting now and see if I think it's worth your time pursuing it further.

Bill
.

Thanks for updating your Specs ... now I also know the Asus model.

Reagentc /info points to Disk 0 Part 5, so there's nothing Win10 recovery knows about on Disk 1.

The EFI Part is also on Disk 0, my initial thought is Disk 1 is just a paper weight
- but don't change anything

I am a curious monkey, if I come up with a safe step-by-step procedure, I'll post it on your thread.
At this point, I appreciate your willingness to continue and I might take you up on that sometime

I'll think hard about this because your machine is running w//o issue (relatively speaking).

For now, let it run as it is.

Bill
.

ceauke said:

....
The whole thing sounds a bit bloaty I must say. If I dont even know how to use any of these recoveries, what is the point of having it? or is it for when you take it into the shop that the technicians can use it?

It's actually fairly cool from a techie point of view.

Windows is somewhat self-healing and that helps non-techies when common issues arise. But .... Windows cannot know about every PC mfgr recovery mechanisms, so it falls short when machines are upgraded (Win8 or Win7 to Win10 for instance). Add "What should a Windows upgrade do with OEM partitions" to the equation and you get 40 answers. I guess the best thing Windows can be expected to do is to leave the OEM partitions alone. And that's the state your machine is in now (as best I can tell) - Win10 running with Win8 recovery on the SSD, but Win10 doesn't know about it. There might be an Asus hotkey (don't do/try it) recovery that will launch what's on the SSD - don't know until I read more on your machine.

I don't even know how to use any of these recoveries, what is the point of having it?
Sure, a shop can use the Recovery options, but that costs for repairs end users can do themselves ... if they know how.

Aha! That's where the tutorials come into play.
You can learn a lot from them - when you need to fix something or learn how to do something.
That's the first place members should look - Search for the subject of interest or browse the sections

I don't even know how to use any of these recoveries, what is the point of having it?
Sure, a shop can use the Recovery options, but that costs for repairs end users can do themselves ... if they know how.

Normally, OEM partition is specific to the manufacturer recovery option back to the day you bought the PC. and usually associate with a function key at boot time. For ASUS, I think it's F9 to activate the recovery.
@OP,
In your case if you use this, it would restore back to Windows 8.1

topgundcp said:

Normally, OEM partition is specific to the manufacturer recovery option back to the day you bought the PC. and usually associate with a function key at boot time. For ASUS, I think it's F9 to activate the recovery.
@OP,
In your case if you use this, it would restore back to Windows 8.1

Thanks topgun,

Right ... that woke up some dying brain cells.
The OEM Recovery partition is the mfgr's way of providing Installation media in case your machine crashes. I don't think any send out discs any more.

The user is expected to create their own Installation discs, in case of catastrophic disk errors.
The Install media on the Recovery Part can be booted and Windows re-installed from there.

But, as you stated ... the Windows you would re-install would be the version that came with the machine.
Which is not what anyone would necessarily want to do. Maybe, but most would want to recover the version the machine is currently running.

Since reagent points to Disk 0 Part 5, Win10 knows where to launch winRE

Bill
.

But, as you stated ... the Windows you would re-install would be the version that came with the machine.
Which is not what anyone would necessarily want to do. Maybe, but most would want to recover the version the machine is currently running.

True unless in the future you need to bring it back to the original state to sell/give to someone.

topgundcp said:

True unless in the future you need to bring it back to the original state to sell/give to someone.

Excellent point