Problem with Alien Respawn

Question

Hi, I have bought an Alienware MX14-R2 with Dual drives i.e. one 64GB SSD and a regular 500 GB HDD. Now, the problem is that the C> drive is already full, with no big programs installed. While I was searching for the problem I discovered 1) that Win 7 Pro uses as much as 20 GB Space on the drive (!) and 2) the Alien Respawn software is part of the problem. It came pre-installed with the laptop and blocks a 18 GB (!) hidden partition 'recovery' on the SSD drive! What kind of sick configuration is that? First of all: why should anyone create the recovery partition on the same drive as the system partition? And second, why would someone do that especially on a 64GB small SSD??? Now I want to remove this Alien Respawn software, but my question is: will this erase the recovery partition as well? Probably not, right? How can I delete the recovery partition? And second question: the program bugs me right from the start to upgrade to some advanced version, where it offers the features necessary to make it a real useful backup software. Does the advanced version offer the opportunity to select the destination path for the backup files i.e. to some other partition? Thanks for any help in advance! Konne

DELL-Frank Lz · Answer

The 64GB mSATA drive that the system came with is a boot drive; meaning is used to get windows and basic software up. Not to install everything on it.

The partition is 18GB because it will give you back a clean windows version along with all the drivers, so is another copy of what you have right now.
This will leave you with around 20GB left to install more software.

Yes, you can uninstall AlienRespawn. No, it won't erase the partition.

Here is a link that will show you a quick review on the different versions.

Thank you, let me know if you have more questions.

Konne · Answer

screenie removed

Konne · Answer

Hi Frank,

thanks a lot for your answer, but I still have some questions and remarks about that:

1) I did not install "everything" on the boot drive. From the beginning I was aware of the limited space of the SSD. So I changed most of the default pathes of the windows libraries (pics, music, videos etc to folders on the other drive). I also installed all games and larger programs on it.

Here you can see how the space is used:

And from the 2.8 GB used in user, 2.3 GB are used for the User/AppData Folder, which can't be changed for some programs.

2) I do not question the use of a recovery partition in general - I just don't see the sense in generating the recovery partition on the tiny boot drive. What is the reason for that?

3) So if it doesn't help to uninstall AlienRespawn - how do I get rid of the recovery partition? Can I just delete it from the windows console?

3) The link you posted above still doesn't explain clearly, if the upgrade can solve my problem. So please clarify: if I upgrade to the advanced version, can I move, remove and delete the recovery partition?

Thanks for the help in advance,

Konne

DELL-Frank Lz · Answer

1) Ok great :)

2) Reason is that the process of building the system doesn't really changes, so the partition is installed on the main drive

3) Yes, you can just delete it

4) Sorry the link is only for differences between one version and the other; no you wont be able to. So upgrading, for what you need, is not a option.

I am sorry I wasn't clear enough, feel free to reply with more questions

Konne · Answer

Ah, ok! Thanks for help, Frank! I will then delete the partition and set up a new one either on the second drive or an external HDD.

@ 2) you should really change that. With Win7 inflated to such dimensions I will surely not be the last user with space problems on the boot drive...

timinftl · Answer

I had to restore my system and when the HD was formatted the recovery partition went away with everything else. Now I have rebuilt the system and all my programs are back on and running. Yes I used the disks that came with my R3 but tonight I went to reinstall AWR and it says it can't create or rather find the recovery partition. I have space to free up on the hd (it's a 1 tb). Can you advise me on how to get respawn the partition it's looking for created? Thanks in advance I truly appreciate your time and effort.

Are you sure you really need or even want the recovery partition? Look at it like this. Here you are where you already restored the computer and didn't use it so why even bother putting it back on? Use the space for something else

morblore · Answer

I had to restore my system and when the HD was formatted the recovery partition went away with everything else. Now I have rebuilt the system and all my programs are back on and running. Yes I used the disks that came with my R3 but tonight I went to reinstall AWR and it says it can't create or rather find the recovery partition. I have space to free up on the hd (it's a 1 tb). Can you advise me on how to get respawn the partition it's looking for created? Thanks in advance I truly appreciate your time and effort.

Are you sure you really need or even want the recovery partition? Look at it like this. Here you are where you already restored the computer and didn't use it so why even bother putting it back on? Use the space for something else

timinftl · Answer

Sorry, left out your Kudos and shouldn't have, please accept these belated expressions of acknowledgement.

timinftl · Answer

Yer rite !!! that's 33gigs I can put back on C: Sometimes I just need to let the darn thing go and walk away, for some reason when I take that approach the answer comes whatever the issue. Hardware, Software etc it just kinda works but I get what I call "keyboard fever" and can't leave well enough alone. I'm my own worst enemy. Thanks for the grounding,

:-)

timinftl · Answer

I know I'm gonna sound like a DA but could you tell me how anyway? I have 33gig to work with.

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