Windows 10 Pro (Format the Factory Restore drive D for other uses?

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  1. Posts : 8
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Windows 10 Pro (Format the Factory Restore drive D for other uses?


    I Bought an HP Pavilion Slimline (s5310f) computer in 2010 with Windows 7 Factory installed OS. Than I upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate OS.


    Installed Windows 10 Pro.


    I deleted Windows/OLD.


    What is in the Factory Image that shows up in MY PC files ? It is also listed in System Restore?
    Is it Windows 10 Pro or Windows 7 that originally came with purchase.


    I read somewhere that Windows 10 does not have a Factory Restore only Recovery.


    http://www.howtogeek.com/220986/how-...ecovery-tools/


    Is it safe to format the Factory Restore drive D for other uses?


    Any answers greatly appreciated.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 13,896
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #2

    Being of sound mind I had made the factory restore discs when prompted in setting up a couple of Notebooks then when I Upgraded them to Win10 I did use Disk Management to delete that partition [and data in it], gave me additional storage. The thing is, as I understand it, is that the Product Key gets associated with Win10 and the restore function is no longer available. Perhaps putting in a new HDD and then using the restore discs will work but Activation may be an issue.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #3

    Berton said:
    The thing is, as I understand it, is that the Product Key gets associated with Win10 and the restore function is no longer available. Perhaps putting in a new HDD and then using the restore discs will work but Activation may be an issue.
    You understand incorrectly. The Windows 7 product key does not get associated with Windows 10 in any way.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 8
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Berton said:
    Being of sound mind I had made the factory restore discs when prompted in setting up a couple of Notebooks then when I Upgraded them to Win10 I did use Disk Management to delete that partition [and data in it], gave me additional storage. The thing is, as I understand it, is that the Product Key gets associated with Win10 and the restore function is no longer available. Perhaps putting in a new HDD and then using the restore discs will work but Activation may be an issue.
    I am more confused than ever. Simple question was what was on the Factory restore drive. Perhaps no one knows and if that is the situation I will leave it alone. Since I deleted windows Old which had Windows 7 on it I have nothing to restore from.
    Is there a way to see the files in Factory Restore D Drive ? It has approximately 10 GB on it.Windows 10 Pro (Format the Factory Restore drive D for other uses?-disk_management_profile.jpg
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 3,506
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #5

    The Factory image is to return to Windows 7 using the recovery utility (losing all your data and programs). If you don't mind, create recovery disks for Windows 10, in case you need them in the future, and delete the Factory image partition and the recovery partition to gain space. When you delete them there will be unallocated space. Right-click on the Windows partition and select Extend Volume to take all the unallocated space.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #6

    Zone1 said:
    I am more confused than ever. Simple question was what was on the Factory restore drive. Perhaps no one knows and if that is the situation I will leave it alone. Since I deleted windows Old which had Windows 7 on it I have nothing to restore from.
    Is there a way to see the files in Factory Restore D Drive ? It has approximately 10 GB on it.Windows 10 Pro (Format the Factory Restore drive D for other uses?-disk_management_profile.jpg
    The small 1/2 GB recovery partition will have the Windows 10 recovery environment on it - you can repair boot issues with it, but not install Windows 10 from it. The Factory Image partition contains the Windows 7 image necessary to restore back to Windows 7. I ended up in the same situation and actually combined the two. I took the install.wim file from the Factory Image partition and copied it, then deleted factory image partition and expanded the smaller recovery partition into the free space. Then I copied the install.wim file into the newly expanded recovery partition and set reagentc.exe to see it as the OS image. Then shrunk the recovery partition to the smallest size possible.

    So, I ended up with a Windows 10 recovery partition that, if I picked restore, would restore my computer back to the Windows 8.1 that it came from the factory with.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 3,506
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #7

    I would make sure that Windows 10 work without any issues. Then take a full system backup or clone the disk on a spare. Then delete any recovery partitions and extend Windows to take the whole disk. If you have enough free space, you can just forget about it for the time being as it is rather advanced and sounds like a lot of trouble.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 8
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #8

    spapakons said:
    I would make sure that Windows 10 work without any issues. Then take a full system backup or clone the disk on a spare. Then delete any recovery partitions and extend Windows to take the whole disk. If you have enough free space, you can just forget about it for the time being as it is rather advanced and sounds like a lot of trouble.
    So, it's not like I am running low on space. If I just formatted the Factory Restore D I would have a bit of extra space for say special files ? I will make sure to have a Windows 10 clone on USB beforehand.
    Thank you for all replies, mucho appreciated.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 8
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #9

    NavyLCDR said:
    The small 1/2 GB recovery partition will have the Windows 10 recovery environment on it - you can repair boot issues with it, but not install Windows 10 from it. The Factory Image partition contains the Windows 7 image necessary to restore back to Windows 7. I ended up in the same situation and actually combined the two. I took the install.wim file from the Factory Image partition and copied it, then deleted factory image partition and expanded the smaller recovery partition into the free space. Then I copied the install.wim file into the newly expanded recovery partition and set reagentc.exe to see it as the OS image. Then shrunk the recovery partition to the smallest size possible.

    So, I ended up with a Windows 10 recovery partition that, if I picked restore, would restore my computer back to the Windows 8.1 that it came from the factory with.
    So even though I deleted Windows/Old files when I upgraded to Windows 10 you are saying Windows 7 still resides in Factory restore on my D drive ?
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #10

    Zone1 said:
    So even though I deleted Windows/Old files when I upgraded to Windows 10 you are saying Windows 7 still resides in Factory restore on my D drive ?
    Yes. But you can't do a simple revert back to Windows 7. You would have to do a full system restore. You may or may not be required to enter the Windows 7 product key for that.
      My Computer


 

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