Duplicate files caused by OS on D: drive

Here is what Disc Management looks like...

Hi I have an Inspiron 15z 5523 15z laptop. I upgraded to W10 in December 2015 by doing a clean install. Everything was working fine. To cut a long story short, something went wrong recently after I did a registry clean using CCleaner (which I’ve done before with no issues) which eventually ended up with me being unable to boot in to Windows at all – I just got BSOD and/or error messages. So, having backups of my files, I did a new clean install of W10. At the point of installation I wasn’t allowed to install on the C: drive (I don’t know why), so I put the OS on a different partition. I now have the C: drive (Local Disk) with Program Files etc. while drive D: is called OS. On both drives there appear to be some duplication of files and folders, particularly in 'Windows' - see attached. Now when I restart the PC it asks whether it should start using W10 on Volume 3 or Volume 4. I can’t see any reference to these volume numbers anywhere, including in Disk Management. Volume 4, being the newer, seems to work and so is presumably the D: drive. Volume 3 won't boot to Windows at all - just tries a disc repair. How can I delete from this Volume 3 to remove the apparent previous version of W10 to both stop the option appearing and free up space? Thanks

Looks like you set up a dual-boot situation, as in...

http://www.windowscentral.com/how-dual-boot-windows-10-preview-windows-81

How to dual-boot Windows 10 Technical Preview alongside Windows 8.1

Scroll down to the section entitled "Going back to only Windows 8.1" to see how to keep only the fresh install & regain the disk space of the other. It looks fairly easy. But I wouldn't do it right away.

I wanted to say (C:) came first (& is the bad one) & OS (D:) came second (& is the one to keep), because (C): doesn't look like a true fresh install - it has Dell & Intel folders. But the dates of the folders on OS (D:) precede those of (C:) by a month. Also, it has a Windows.~BT folder. So, I'm confused which is which.

(1) Did you do the fresh installs using the same installation media - or was one a Dell disk & other strictly Windows?

(2) At what point did you give (D:) the name OS?

(3) Is there a clue which is which in MSConfig at the Boot tab, as shown in the article?

(4) I don't like that OS (D:) has no Program Files or Program Files (x86) folder.

(5) At "START, Settings, Update & Security, Activation", is the install activated?

(6) When you R-Clk them in Disk Mnagement, is "Delete volume" shaded for one of them...

You'd better hold off, until we can decide which is which. Also - if the computer has been divested of Dell - better run it a while to see all works well.

sorry, this is the image I meant to include.

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

I know that C: came first/was the original installation because previously I only had Music on the D: partition. I did the most recent clean install on 05/06/16. I think the day things went wrong was 26/05/16.

The Dell and Intel folders may have been added by reinstalling drivers. I didn’t mean to set up a dual-boot situation. Only one of the options works, but there seems to be some weird split of folders between C: and D:

In answer to your numbered questions. 

(1) I did both from a USB after downloading the Media Creation Tool and W10 from the MS website.

(2) I didn’t; the system did that itself when the second, most recent installation was done. As I said, I wasn’t allowed to put the new install on C: and I don’t know why. If I could have it would presumably have overwritten all of C: and left D: alone.

(3) See attached. There are indeed both options.

(4) These are all on C: and doesn’t seem to have caused any problems yet.

(5) Yes

(6) C: has Delete Volume shaded, while D: doesn’t.

What is Disk 1?

Hi   Thanks for your reply. ...snip (to be answered separately)... What is Disk 1?

Well, I plugged in both an external HDD & a USB flash drive to compare them to your picture. Do you have one of those plugged in? If not, I suspect you've got two internal drives - the 8 GB unallocated one possibly being an SSD (Solid State Drive). But that seems pretty small, probably too small to install Windows into it. Here is my picture...

To get your top pane to look like mine, in the View menu, select "Top, Disk List". Here is my analysis:

My Sandisk USB flash drive showed up as "Removable". Therefore, your Disk 1 isn't that. My Seagate external USB hard drive shows up as "Basic", so far matching your Disk 1. The top pane shows it to be "USB". If yours does too, then that's what you've got. Unplug it to make it go away. But if it says "SATA" or something else - then it's a second internal drive - but looks pretty small to be very useful.

R-Clk "Disk 1" in the bottom pane (far left), & select "Properties". Here is what my Seagate shows...

The Events tab may have identifying information too. Here is what my stuff looks like in "R-Clk START, Run, type 'MSInfo32', & hit ENTER"...

Both my internal HDD & external HDD are called "Local Fixed disk". The flash drive is "Removable Disk". Poke around for a definitive answer.

Hi   Thanks for your reply. I know that C: came first/was the original installation because previously I only had Music on the D: partition. I did the most recent clean install on 05/06/16. I think the day things went wrong was 26/05/16. The Dell and Intel folders may have been added by reinstalling drivers. I didn’t mean to set up a dual-boot situation. Only one of the options works, but there seems to be some weird split of folders between C: and D: In answer to your numbered questions.  (1) I did both from a USB after downloading the Media Creation Tool and W10 from the MS website. (2) I didn’t; the system did that itself when the second, most recent installation was done. As I said, I wasn’t allowed to put the new install on C: and I don’t know why. If I could have it would presumably have overwritten all of C: and left D: alone. (3) See attached. There are indeed both options. (4) These are all on C: and doesn’t seem to have caused any problems yet. (5) Yes (6) C: has Delete Volume shaded, while D: doesn’t. What is Disk 1?

I need to tell you it really takes a two-headed expert to fully understand a dual-boot situation - & I've only got one!  So, I remain confused.

Now it looks to me that (C:) is booting - not OS (D). Your MSConfig shows C:\Windows to be the "Current OS". This isn't like days of old when C: was assigned to whatever partition was booted, & the rest fell into line. These days, a partition generally holds its letter until one manually changes it.

Yet, the label "OS" was created during the 2nd fresh install. And OS (D:) does have a Windows folder. But it has no Program Files or Program Files (x86) folder. I can't see how that can be right. Windows Defender & Windows Mail are in Program Files. Program Files (x86) does seem to be 3rd-party, though.

I am thinking (C:) is your good one (though it came first). Let us look at...

(1) R-Clk START, & select "Command Prompt (Admin)".

(2) Type "DiskPart", & ENTER.

(3) Type "Select Disk 0", & ENTER.

(4) Type "List Partition", & ENTER.

(5) Type "List Volume", & ENTER.

(6) Type "Exit", & ENTER.

I want to see whether we can identify Volume 3 & Volume 4.

Thank you for all your advice and help.

When I took that snapshot of Disk Management I didn’t have any external drives plugged in as far as I recall. The 15z has a 500GB HDD and a 32GB SSD, so it would seem that Disk 0 is the HDD, before doing the steps you set out. Looking at the detail as suggested it shows that Disk 0 is the HDD with C: and D: (both described as Local Fixed Disk) and Disk 1 is a LITEONIT LMT-32L3M mSATA, though why it says it has a size of 8.00GB I’m not sure.

Hi

I’ve done this Command Prompt process as suggested with the steps here.

This is the result:

The Windows folder on D: has got a later date that the one on C: suggesting C: is the ‘active’ one. But then how did that get on D: apparently on 27/05/2016, which is probably when I attempted a recovery of the original installation?

Thank you for all your advice and help.   When I took that snapshot of Disk Management I didn’t have any external drives plugged in as far as I recall. The 15z has a 500GB HDD and a 32GB SSD, so it would seem that Disk 0 is the HDD, before doing the steps you set out. Looking at the detail as suggested it shows that Disk 0 is the HDD with C: and D: (both described as Local Fixed Disk) and Disk 1 is a LITEONIT LMT-32L3M mSATA, though why it says it has a size of 8.00GB I’m not sure.

R-Clk Disk 1 in Disk Management, & select "Format". Give it a distinctive label, & make it NTFS. Did you get your full 32 GB? 32 GB is useful. You should probably install Windows into it. Here is how...

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-8-1-on-ssd/

How To Install Windows 8.1 On SSD

The process is the same for Win 10. Read through the article, & return with any questions. You will need the full 32 GB. Also, you still will end up with a multi-boot situation, if you don't remove Windows from both C: & D: partitions. You'll get a chance to format those partitions during the install. Or, disconnect the HDD drive, as said in the article. Probably, you should backup your current installation first onto an external hard drive, at...

"START, Settings, Update & Security, Go to Backup & Restore (Windows 7), Create a System Image"

Then, we can get back to now should the future prove unacceptable. But I think you have proven Win 10 will install for you one way or another. Does it run well?

(I'll respond to your DiskPart separately.)

Hi I’ve done this Command Prompt process as suggested with the steps here.   This is the result:     The Windows folder on D: has got a later date that the one on C: suggesting C: is the ‘active’ one. But then how did that get on D: apparently on 27/05/2016, which is probably when I attempted a recovery of the original installation?

I do believe C: is your active OS, & it is volume 2. But there are anomalies I don't understand, like why you are asked to boot volume 3 or 4 - but don't even have a volume 4 that I can see. I think a fresh install of Windows onto the SSD is warranted.

R-Clk Disk 1 in Disk Management, & select "Format". Give it a distinctive label, & make it NTFS. Did you get your full 32 GB? 32 GB is useful. You should probably install Windows into it. Here is how... http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-8-1-on-ssd/ How To Install Windows 8.1 On SSD The process is the same for Win 10. Read through the article, & return with any questions. You will need the full 32 GB. Also, you still will end up with a multi-boot situation, if you don't remove Windows from both C: & D: partitions. You'll get a chance to format those partitions during the install. Or, disconnect the HDD drive, as said in the article. Probably, you should backup your current installation first onto an external hard drive, at... "START, Settings, Update & Security, Go to Backup & Restore (Windows 7), Create a System Image" Then, we can get back to now should the future prove unacceptable. But I think you have proven Win 10 will install for you one way or another. Does it run well?

Thanks. I have hit my first snag: I formatted the SSD as per the instructions. For reasons I don't understand, the size is 8GB maximum. I can't seem to make it any bigger than that and not to the full 32GB as should be the case. I double-checked the specs of the PC and it is definitely supposed to have a 32GB capacity SSD...  Any ideas?

You ask if it runs well as it is. That’s the thing, it does run well so far. The reason that I originally posted was because I could see that Programs seemed to be on a different drive to the OS and some duplications were taking up space on the hard drive. It doesn’t seem to have actually caused any problems with the way the PC operates apart from the choice of volumes at boot up. However, I am a bit unsure about doing another clean install on the SSD. Restoring files from backup is easy enough but it’s all the reinstallation of programs and then tweaking all the personal settings that takes so much time.

PCR Just PCR R-Clk Disk 1 in Disk Management, & select "Format". Give it a distinctive label, & make it NTFS. Did you get your full 32 GB? 32 GB is useful. ...snip... Thanks. I have hit my first snag: I formatted the SSD as per the instructions. For reasons I don't understand, the size is 8GB maximum. I can't seem to make it any bigger than that and not to the full 32GB as should be the case. I double-checked the specs of the PC and it is definitely supposed to have a 32GB capacity SSD...  Any ideas? ...snip of portion to be answered separately...

PCR Just PCR. ...snip... Does it run well? ...snip... You ask if it runs well as it is. That’s the thing, it does run well so far. The reason that I originally posted was because I could see that Programs seemed to be on a different drive to the OS and some duplications were taking up space on the hard drive. It doesn’t seem to have actually caused any problems with the way the PC operates apart from the choice of volumes at boot up. However, I am a bit unsure about doing another clean install on the SSD. Restoring files from backup is easy enough but it’s all the reinstallation of programs and then tweaking all the personal settings that takes so much time.

The best I can come up with is to "clean" the SSD in DiskPart. That will clear off any hidden partition that doesn't show up in Disk Management & hopefully return the missing GBs to you. Follow the instructions & warnings in... http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command (1) How large did "List Disk" say it was in DiskPart, both before & after "Clean"? (2) If that doesn't work, maybe the SSD needs to be initialized or replaced. (And I don't know how to initialize it.)

I tried this and it basically said that it was the same 8GB before and after. Too bad, I'll just have to leave it as it is.

Now I'm thinking you should stick with the current install. Even 32 GB might not be enough, really, to run Win 10. Just my Windows folder is 17.1 GB. My full C: drive is 46.3 GB. You'd have to set Windows to put large folders & files on the HDD, & still always keep an eye on available space on the SSD. If frequently used files are put on the HDD, it defeats the purpose of having a quick SSD. So, the first article I posted comes back into play... http://www.windowscentral.com/how-dual-boot-windows-10-preview-windows-81 How to dual-boot Windows 10 Technical Preview alongside Windows 8.1 Scroll down to the section entitled "Going back to only Windows 8.1" to see how to keep only the fresh install & regain the disk space of the other. ...However... (1) In step 3, the boot option to delete is "(D:\Windows)". (2) Before doing step 4 (delete volume), ensure there is nothing on D: that you want. (3) Because OS (D:) precedes (C:) on disk 0, you won't be able to do step 5 (extend volume). You will need a 3rd-party partitioning tool, if you want to attach the unallocated space to (C:). Maybe you want to keep D:. Then, skip steps 4 & 5 of the article. Just delete the files on it in Explorer, if it will let you. Or, reformat it in Disk Management. Edit 3:05 AM: The first thing to do, really, is to make a system image of your current install. Only then consider deleting anything. There are still unanswered questions... 1. If (C:) was the first install (that went bad) & OS (D:) was the second install (after which things got better) - why is (C:) the good one now? 2. What are volume 3 & 4 that are offered as boot options, when you've only got 3 volumes & MSConfig puts different names on the boot choices? I'm sure we can easily add to that list.

I'll see if I can do this over the weekend and report back.

Thanks

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