I recently purchased a Lenovo P53 that comes with a factory-installed Windows operating system. However, I prefer to use Linux and do not need Windows. In the future, I may want to give this machine to someone who prefers Windows, so I want to have the option to put Windows back on it.
One option would be to swap the boot drive with an empty one and keep the Windows one, but this would be expensive as the boot disk is a large SSD. Another option is to use an external Windows installation disk, but I am not sure if this is a viable option.
I am also considering saving the current Windows installation, either by saving the partitions or the whole drive. I am wondering if the UEFI boot partition should also be saved, how to properly restore them on a new disk, and if the Windows partition can be shrunk before saving.
I am also wondering if using TRIM commands and compressing the drive will ensure a successful restoration on a different disk in the future. Lastly, I am considering keeping the recovery partition, which is a 1 GB partition labeled “OEM partition” and is about 60% full.
I am wondering if this is a recovery partition, if it can be saved and restored, and if it can be left on the machine to be used by the BIOS in the future.
Is this a recovery partition? Can I save/restore it? Can I just leave it there (1GB isn’t much) and hope that the BIOS can still use it?
3 Answers
Introduction
When you purchase a new machine, it usually comes with a pre-installed operating system. However, if you prefer to use a different operating system, such as Linux, you may want to save the factory-installed Windows operating system before installing Linux. This way, you have the option to put Windows back on the machine in the future if needed. In this blog post, we will discuss how to save the factory Windows installation before installing Linux on a new machine.
Option 1: Swapping Boot Drive
One option to save the factory Windows installation is to swap the boot drive with an empty one and keep the Windows one. However, this can be expensive as the boot disk is usually a large SSD. This option is also not feasible if you want to keep both operating systems on the same machine.
Option 2: Using an External Windows Installation Disk
Another option is to use an external Windows installation disk. This is a viable option, but you need to make sure that the disk is compatible with your machine. You also need to ensure that you have a valid Windows license key.
Saving the Current Windows Installation
The best option to save the current Windows installation is to save the partitions or the whole drive. You can use software like Clonezilla or Acronis True Image to create a backup of the whole drive or just the Windows partition. When creating a backup, make sure to include the UEFI boot partition, which is essential for booting the Windows operating system.
Restoring the Windows Installation
To restore the Windows installation, you need to create a bootable USB drive with the backup image. You can use software like Rufus to create a bootable USB drive. Once you have created the bootable USB drive, you can boot from it and restore the backup image. Make sure to restore all the partitions, including the UEFI boot partition.
TRIM Commands and Compressing the Drive
Using TRIM commands and compressing the drive will not ensure a successful restoration on a different disk in the future. TRIM commands are used to optimize the performance of SSDs, and compressing the drive will reduce the size of the backup image. However, these actions will not affect the restoration process.
Recovery Partition
The recovery partition is a 1 GB partition labeled “OEM partition” and is about 60% full. This partition is used by the BIOS to restore the factory settings of the machine. If you want to save this partition, you can create a backup of it using software like Clonezilla or Acronis True Image. To restore the partition, you need to create a bootable USB drive with the backup image and restore it using the same software.
Conclusion
Saving the factory Windows installation before installing Linux on a new machine is essential if you want to have the option to put Windows back on the machine in the future. You can save the whole drive or just the Windows partition using software like Clonezilla or Acronis True Image. Make sure to include the UEFI boot partition when creating a backup. To restore the Windows installation, you need to create a bootable USB drive with the backup image and restore it using the same software. If you want to save the recovery partition, you can create a backup of it using the same software.
Saving a factory Windows installation before installing Linux on a new machine is possible, but it requires some technical knowledge and caution.
One option is to use a disk imaging software such as Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost to create a complete image of the current Windows installation, including the UEFI boot partition. This image can then be saved to an external drive and used to restore the Windows installation on a new disk in the future.
Before saving the image, it may be beneficial to shrink the Windows partition to save space on the external drive. TRIM commands and compression may not be necessary, as the disk imaging software should handle this automatically.
The 1 GB partition labeled “OEM partition” is likely a recovery partition, which is used to restore the factory Windows installation. It can be saved and restored along with the other partitions. It is likely best to leave this partition on the machine, as it can be used by the BIOS in the future.
It is important to note that restoring the Windows installation on a new disk may not be as simple as just restoring the image. The hardware configuration of the new machine may be different, which could cause issues with the restored Windows installation. Additionally, restoring the image may wipe out the Linux installation.
It is recommended to consult the manufacturer documentation or consult a professional before proceeding with the above steps.
One way to create a full system backup is by using applications such as Ghost or Acronis. However, it is not likely that you will be able to transfer this image to another machine. Since your Lenovo P53 came with Windows 10 pre-installed, it is considered an OEM version and cannot be transferred to another machine.
It is recommended to create a backup for your personal use, and then proceed to install Linux. Additionally, Lenovo machines provide the option to create a Recovery USB key, which can be used when replacing the disk drive. It is suggested to create this key and use it to reinstall Windows if you plan on giving away the entire computer with the operating system intact.