Windows 10 Home has created an extra partition (Local disk 'F'), for why?

[Tommygunn]

I recently built a new computer and installed Windows 10 Home and ideally I would have had the following:
Operating System (C), Games (D) and Everything Else (G) - C and D on my SSD and G on my HDD.

However, after the install, a disk 'F' appeared on my SSD and has the same or similar folders as my 'C' drive, and I don't know why. From some searching this would appear to be normal and unavoidable, however, other people's 'F' disk only seems to take up a few hundred Mb's while mine has a capacity of nearly 20Gb.

Why is this file here, why are certain programs e.g. Movavi Video Suite defaulting to it for photo/video saves and can I get rid of it and return the 20Gb back to C or D disk?

Thanks,
Tom.

 

[holdum323]

Hi A screen shot of your disk management might tell us more.

 

[Tommygunn]

Will do, one moment.

Tom.

 

[Tommygunn]

I think I am mistaken, is it on my HDD?



Tom.

 

[holdum323]

Hi. I'm not sure. Your disk 0 looks great to me. I'm not sure what's going on with disk1. Sorry, maybe other members can help later.
Is disk 1 a external drive? I really don't know what's on disk 1. Your OS is on disk 0. Can you mount disk 1 and see what's on it?

 

[holdum323]

Hi! Sorry. I'm tired and not thinking very well. I see no reason you can't get rid of it. I don't know why other programs are defaulting to it. Sorry

 

[Tommygunn]

Disk 1 is my internal HDD which has all my slow stuff on; docs, videos, photos etc.
I'm correct in saying that 'F' is now a partition of this HDD when actually it should be only one single drive I.e. 'G'.

Also, I don't know how it got there. When I installed W10 I formatted both my SSD and the HDD creating only two distinct partitions on the SSD, for the OS and my games. The HDD was reformatted as it had XP on it, leaving it as one whole, contiguous drive and then copying all my files over to it from my back up drive.

Somehow this extra drive has appeared on the HDD.

Tom.

 

[holdum323]

Hi IDK. We're getting drives and partitions all mixed up. All I know is that your screen shot shows your OS is on disk 0
I really have no idea whats on disk 1 or how the data got there. I can tell you that disk 0 looks great . I can't tell you much about disk 1. If you have data on disk 1 that you need, save it and then reformat disk 1. That's the best I can do for you.
See you tomorrow

 

[Tommygunn]

I actually have a new HDD arriving today because the one we are discussing is old(ish) and I just want to replace it so, yes, that is going to happen regardless.
I suppose I'll just have to see if it happens again or, if not, and 'F' and it's files are gone, I may have to do some repair work/re-installation.

Tom.

 

[holdum323]

Hi Good techs use to be in abundance here. Something happened and that doesn't see to be true any more. I do the best I can with the limited knowledge I have. Some times I just don't have enough, but I always give it my best shot.
I have no idea what you just posted. Let us know how things go. Good luck!

 

[Tommygunn]

No worries, thanks for trying. I'll hang on and see if anyone else has any ideas.

Cheers,
Tom.

 

[holdum323]

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Rich M]

This is one of the oddest things I have seen in a while. I guess the most obvious question is how did you format the hard drive?
If you go into the "F" drive my guess is you never really formatted it and XP is the partition you see, You could tell by going into Documents and Settings and see if all the files from XP are there as if its your new files they would be under users. If you tried to put your user files on the hard drive I don't think you could do so on a Logical Drive as they are OS folders and possible Windows did this by itself to be able to locate them there but that would be the first I have ever heard of that. Are the files on the "F" partition duplicates of your user files or are they actually your user files?

 

[Tommygunn]

Ah, that could be it! When I plugged the HDD into my new setup I probably just focused on the 'Everything Else' and forgot about the old XP 'C' partition and so I was thinking I was completely wiping the HDD when I formatted it.
I've just had a closer look into the files, shown above, and some do look like old stuff and other files have that greyed out, old school look which would indicate they have no functionality.

My new HDD has just arrived so let me do some messing about.

Tom.

 

[Rich M]

That's easy just install create partition, name it and format.

 

[Tommygunn]

All sorted, no doubt an oversight on my part when I re-formatted the HDD prior to the install of Windows 10. Now I have just the three drives.

Cheers,
Tom.

 

[Rich M]

There you go good job!