2 active system disks. Systembackup requires 1,5TB-storage ?

Hello,
I have an SSD where I installed the OS. WIN 10 from scratch
(Replacement of an updated Win10 which causes suddenly errors that couldn't be repaired, infinite loop from repairing and refinding the same error).
Saturday I tried making a system-backup but I was requested for 1,8 TB of storage. Strange, an SSD of max 450 GB with max 210 GB of software and OS.
Looking to the systeem-disks I saw I have 2 active systemdisks in my PC. F: (1,8 TB, collection of photo's, once used for OS Win XP) and C: 450 GB.
Here the overview:

1 SSD with the OS on it. (Max450GB) with driveletter C:.
When asking to create an system-backup, the soft requested for a disk greater than 1 TB and that is not possible.
Looking to the system I saw two active primar systemdisk, the SSD as C:
Looking further I saw a boot-partition (350MB) on C: and a partition for 'restore' and another one with the OS (450GB).


1 HD (1,8TB) assigned as F:





With easybcd I discovered next:

There is one entry in the Windows bootloader.

Default: Windows 10
Timeout: 30 seconds
Boot Drive: F:\

Entry #1
Name: Windows 10
BCD ID: {current}
Drive: C:\
Bootloader Path: \Windows\system32\winload.exe

In the root of C: I see
C: contains BOOTMGR and BOOTXN,
In the root of F: I found a BOOT-folder

Questions I have.
1) Can and may I desactivate disk F: which in fact is NOT containing the OS
2) How to tell the PC that it should not start from F: as mentioned in the Windows loader with an imediate rotuing to C:
3) What is the meaning of the BOOT-map on F: ?

Any way, thanks for reading this post

There are three great tools available for free that will help you greatly - you already have one:

EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies
Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free
Macrium Reflect Free


This is what I would do:
1. If disk management won't assign a temporary drive letter to the 350mb system reserved partition at the beginning of disk 0, then use MiniTool Partition Wizard to do it. (I would just use MiniTool to begin with). Call it T: drive.
2. In EasyBCD change the boot partition to T: drive.
Changing the Boot Partition
If the Disk 0 system reserved partition is already the boot partition (and I doubt it is), EasyBCD will tell you.
3. Disconnect the hard disk drive (disk 1) and make sure you can boot only the SSD.
4. Reconnect the hard disk drive and make sure that bios is set to boot from the SSD first, not the hard disk drive.
5. Use MiniTool partition wizard to remove the drive letter T: from the system reserved partition and to clear the active partition setting from the hard disk (disk 1) F: drive partition.
6. Use Macrium Reflect free to create your backup images. (and a rescue disk.)

topgundcp said:

1. No need to install any software. Just download @Kyhi Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

The downside is that the user actually has to boot from the PE disk and can't just run the programs from inside Windows.

topgundcp said:

And the Upside is you don't have to install several programs to fix the problem. Specifically why would you install Mini Tool just to assign a Letter T: when it can be easily done using Diskpart ?

Personal preference.

There are not really any down- or Upsides with either solutions. I personally prefer to install the programs because in my box of appr. 40 USB sticks I never find the one I am looking for.

whs said:

There are not really any down- or Upsides with either solutions. I personally prefer to install the programs because in my box of appr. 40 USB sticks I never find the one I am looking for.

Tip: I get the 1.25" key tags from the hardware store to put on a number of my thumb drives and mark the capacity on them. If there's any with particular data on them I can write that on the tag. They come with a ring that can be used for attaching to the hole on the drives.