Which partitions to keep when cloning with Macrium

[mrwoof]

Which partitions do I  keep when cloning with Macrium ? Acer laptop 8.1

[Boggin]

A clone is an exact copy of the HDD so you would keep all of them but I just use Macrium to create system images which does the same and I think it's easier to restore with a system image - although I've never learned how to restore with a clone.

[mrwoof]

Question about Unallocated Partition detected in SSD dashboard. The same partition "Healthy (recovery partition) reads as 100% Free in Disc managmen. I assume that means empty.  Your thoughts on this, leave it or merge it with C ?

[Boggin]

Not sure about Win 8.1 but I wouldn't have thought it should be empty.

Win 7 used to have an empty 400MB Recovery partition but it wasn't listed as unallocated.

To extend it to C: it would have to be immediately to the right of C: -  but I'll ask as to what you should do with it.

[Still_Game]

I clone using Casper 10 (and have used Casper for many, many years) - I currently run 3 hard drives in usb enclosures on a rotating basis and, if the need arises to resolve a serious issue, merely physically swap the drive in the laptop for one of the clones. Because the clones are exact bootable copies and all partitions are copied, the process is seamless and pretty-well foolproof. I do run an occasional system image to another drive but must confess I've never had to restore from that yet.

[Boggin]

I think it's just that program that is listing your 15.76GB Recovery partition as unallocated and that will be the partition that you would use to factory reset the machine.

When you have unallocated space, Disk Management would list it as such and in your case, it doesn't.

I'd just leave things as they are.

[jpm]

Always back up all your partitions if possible.  I mean frankly, you do not NEED them, as long ad C: and D: are perfect - but they may not be. Plus, the manufacturer put those there for a reason.  You have to have the efi to boot.


As for merging -- I was surprised to see such a large partition but it seems it is necessary per the acer community. https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/546513/what-is-in-the-1gb-recovery-partition