Despite being very useful when it comes to solving certain problems or reinstalling the system, the recovery partition takes up a considerable amount of disk space (especially on SSD drives). For this reason, many users choose to delete it. For them, our little guide is here Guide to delete Recovery Partition safely and efficiently.
We refer to a reserved segment within the hard disk where the tools necessary to restore the operating system to its original factory state are stored. It is also very useful when reinstalling Windows. These are things that we must take into account before making the decision to remove it.
What does the Recovery Partition contain?
Before you start the removal process, it is worth remembering what the content of this segment of the hard drive is. Basically, it is a series of files needed in case of restoring or repairing the operating system. On Windows, it's like this:
Files to perform a system restore to its factory state.
Advanced recovery tools.
Other options to solve problems or reinstall the operating system without having to resort to external means.
It is important to be clear that All of this will no longer be available once we finish deleting the Recovery Partition. Not from the disk, of course, although it is also true that many of these tools can be replicated using external media, such as a recovery USB.
Pros and Cons of Deleting Recovery Partition
The big question is this: Is it worth deleting the Recovery Partition? By doing so, we will gain a number of advantages, but at the same time we will have to accept the consequences.
The positive This frees up a considerable amount of disk space (between 20 GB and 500 GB, depending on the case) and allows you to reorganize partitions more comfortably.
The negative The thing is that when we need to repair or reinstall Windows, we will have to use an external medium. In addition, restoring will not always return us to the original factory settings.
As a prudent advice, It is advisable create an external recovery media before starting the removal process, so that you will have access to the restoration tools regardless.
Brief Guide to Delete Recovery Partition in Windows
Let's see what is the process that we must follow, explained step by step, to delete the recovery partition safely:
Previous Step: Check the Recovery Partition
Before starting the process itself, it is necessary to verify the existence of the Recovery Partition (it could happen that it has already been deleted before). To do this, use the shortcut Windows + X and open the Disk Manager. Then you just have to locate the partition, which It is usually labeled “Recovery.” It is important to make sure that this is not an active part of our operating system.
Step 1: Using the DiskPart command
Windows Disk Manager is used to view disk partitions, but not to delete them. For this task, we can use the DiskPart tool from the command line. These are the steps to follow:
To begin with, We open the Command Prompt as administrator. The easiest way to do this is to use the shortcut Windows + S, type cmd in the search box and select the result.
In the console that appears below, we write the following command and press Enter: diskpart.
Then, to list the disks, we write this command and press Enter: list disk.
In the list, we select the disk where the Recovery Partition is located with the command select diskX. *
Next, we list the partitions with a new command: list partition.
We look for the partition labeled "Recovery" and select it with the command select partition X. *
Finally, to execute the deletion, we use the command delete partition override.
(*) Here you have to replace "X" with the name of the corresponding unit (disk or partition).
Step 2: Reallocate the freed space
After deleting the partition, the space it occupied will be displayed as “Unallocated”. Here we have the possibility to reassign it to another existing partition. Here is how we need to proceed:
We open the again Disk Manager.
then we do Right click on an adjacent partition to unallocated space.
Finally, we select «Extend volume» and we follow the instructions to complete the process.
Another option we have is create a new partition. To do this, go back to Disk Manager, right-click on the unallocated space and select “New Simple Volume.” To finish, just follow the instructions to format and assign a drive letter.
Ultimately, deleting the recovery partition in Windows is a great way to recover disk space, especially recommended for systems with limited storage. However, it is a process that should be performed with caution. That's why it's not a bad idea. resort to specialized software eg EASEUS Partition Master and similar programs.