Hidden Volumes on Your Hard Drive
Pre-built computers frequently contain hard drives with hidden volumes storing recovery information such as the operating system, device drivers and bundled applications. The hidden volume consumes a portion of the hard drive's available storage space, but it enables the restoration of your computer to its original factory state without an operating system disc.
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Background
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A computer with a hidden recovery volume typically does not include a physical recovery disc. Omitting a recovery disc allows the manufacturer to save a small amount of money on the production of each computer. This also benefits you; if your computer required a disc for recovery, losing the disc would render you unable to perform a recovery operation. However, there are two drawbacks. The recovery volume prevents you from using a portion of your computer's hard drive; in some cases, a recovery volume may consume several gigabytes. In addition, if you install a new hard drive, it won't have the recovery volume.
Accessing the Hidden Volume
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A computer with a hidden recovery volume typically gives you two options for computer recovery: you can use a recovery application in Windows or boot from the recovery volume if Windows is unable to start. In Windows, the recovery software is in a "Start" menu folder with a name such as "Acer eRecovery," "Dell Factory Image Restore" or "HP PC System Recovery." If you cannot use Windows, look for a prompt after turning the computer on. The prompt displays a message such as "Press F2 to enter recovery mode." Press this key to boot from the hidden volume and recover your computer.
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Creating Recovery Discs
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In most cases, a computer with a hidden recovery volume gives you the ability to burn a physical copy of the recovery information on blank DVDs. You can access this feature from the recovery "Start" menu folder in Windows. This process may require multiple DVDs. Because each set of recovery discs contains a copy of Windows, the end-user license may prevent burning multiple sets. After burning a set of recovery discs, store it in a safe place. A set of recovery discs allows you to restore your computer to its original factory state after upgrading or replacing a failed hard drive.
Removing the Hidden Volume
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After burning a set of recovery discs, you can remove the hidden volume from your hard drive if desired. In some cases, the recovery software in Windows has an option such as "Remove recovery partition" that you can use to remove the hidden volume automatically. In other cases, you may need to use partition management software. The Disk Utility in Windows can remove some types of hidden volumes. If the Disk Utility cannot detect the volume, you can use a third-party partition manager such as Acronis Disk Director or Avanquest Partition Manager.
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