Windows 11 Create Recovery Disk

[rdilauro]

I was going through the Windows 11 details regarding Backup/Restore. I had a 7.2 TB NTFS External drive. I selected YES to the Microfosft option and the next thing I saw was that 7.2TB being carved up for a 32GB backup drive. The rest of the data was not available.
Using several tools, (ie Disk Management) I was able to create a new partition in one of the two unallocated partitions. So, I can copy data there. There is still a 5.2TB unallocated partition. I want to use that, but can not add, or create a new volume or even extend the partition that I was able to allocate.
Is there a simple way to allocate and unallocated partition. I tried many of the third party tools, but they did not work at all, waste of money.
I followed some directions using PowerShell and other CMD tools, but nothing is allowing me to extend the drive.

Physical Drive 7.2TB E: 32GB I: 2TB the rest 5.2TB is unallocated Is there anything I can do to use that unallocated space?

 

[Grizzly]

How is the drive setup?? is it MBR or GPT (UEFI)? that makes all the difference.

MBR is limited to 2TB while GPT is open end basically. Do a Google search with " MBR vs GPT "

 

[rdilauro]

How is the drive setup?? is it MBR or GPT (UEFI)? that makes all the difference.

MBR is limited to 2TB while GPT is open end basically. Do a Google search with " MBR vs GPT "

Honestly I do not know. When I first got the 7.2TB, I formatted it as NTFS. The 32GB is formatted as NTFS and so is the 1.8TB, the remaining is unallocated

 

[Grizzly]

Here is how to find out:

Open your Disk manager and pull up the properties for your drive. Click on the Tab named "Volumes"
Look for the setting that I highlighted below.



Which Backup/restore are you using?? the windows built in that is a remnant of Windows 7 and has never worked??

 

[Sir_George]

I was going through the Windows 11 details regarding Backup/Restore. I had a 7.2 TB NTFS External drive. I selected YES to the Microfosft option and the next thing I saw was that 7.2TB being carved up for a 32GB backup drive. The rest of the data was not available.
Using several tools, (ie Disk Management) I was able to create a new partition in one of the two unallocated partitions. So, I can copy data there. There is still a 5.2TB unallocated partition. I want to use that, but can not add, or create a new volume or even extend the partition that I was able to allocate.
Is there a simple way to allocate and unallocated partition. I tried many of the third party tools, but they did not work at all, waste of money.
I followed some directions using PowerShell and other CMD tools, but nothing is allowing me to extend the drive.

Physical Drive 7.2TB E: 32GB I: 2TB the rest 5.2TB is unallocated Is there anything I can do to use that unallocated space?

I suggest using the free version of MiniTool Partition Wizard. It is a well respected app and reasonably easy to use. There are tutorials provided that will assist you in performing the tasks you list in your post. If interested, you can download the app from the site listed below.

MiniTool Partition Wizard Free | The Best Partition Manager for Windows

As an all-in-one free partition manager and disk manager software, MiniTool Partition Wizard Free helps manage disk partitions safely on Windows 11/10/8/7.

www.minitool.com

 

[Xploit Machine]

Unfortunately you cannot manually create Recovery Partition on the disk using built-in Disk Management and other 3rd party tools .. because those partitions in the disk itself has unique ID's .. even if you create and name it as Recovery Partition, Windows will ignore and won't recognise it and the created partion is treated as working parition ..

Recovery Partition doesn't have drive letter and only Windows be able to allocate it .. the only way you can get back the original Recovery Partition is via in-place upgrade ..

Do an in-place upgrace using the same build ISO or the previous ISO .. run the Setup.exe within Windows (not via booting up) and complete the installation (including Windows Updates) when required at the process .. once completed you will get it back as original (see my screenshot below) .. finally do Windows Disk Cleanup to clear the existing Windows.old folder (never manually delete it) ..

Yes, I lost the original Recovery Partition once when I deleted it and merged into working partition, weekly Windows Cumulative Updates will fail if you lost this recovery sector ​