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Update: oh, yes, the goal is to clean as much space as possible so I can install arch.
Recovery Drive
The first thing I did when I got my XPS is create a windows 10 recovery drive - 16gb usb drive. The wizard wrote 9gb on it, the drive is bootable and it looks like this is a factory default windows installation.
Question 1: does this drive contain a clean and full windows installation? (if my ssd dies, can I use this)
Question 2: does this drive contain the windows key? I don't have a windows sticker with a key
I guess the recovery drive contains the info from the 12gb partition - full windows installation.
Recovery Partitions
I have three recovery partitions (.5gb, 12gb, 1.1gb).
Question 3: What's on them? I guess the 12gb one is a factory windows installation?
Question 4: How many of those can I delete?
Note: I don't have no data on the windows installation that I care about.
mist
Posted 2017-02-24T14:19:19.707
Reputation: 233
1With Windows 10 you don't need a key anymore. When you install your Windows will checkout on Microsoft servers if your windows had been activated before and will activate it again, if there are not (big) hardware changes. If you had big changes, you'd have to phone activate it – fernando.reyes – 2017-02-24T14:27:22.700
1"does this (recovery) drive (I created) contain a clean and full windows installation?" - The recovery drive you created requires a working installation to already exist.. "does this drive contain the windows key?" - No; Your Windows license is stored on the hardware's ACPI table. The Windows installation environment can retrieve your license. You can delete every partition except for the EFI and System partition. The (OEM) recovery partitions would perform a clean install, with the ability to download the ISO for free, these partitions are not required to recovery the system. – Ramhound – 2017-02-24T18:35:07.247
Thank you @Rambound. So a 9gb usb drive is not a clean install? If my ssd dies, how do I install a new windows 10? What are the two other small recovery partitions? – mist – 2017-02-24T20:05:32.343