Windows 11 Hello all. Just an 83 year old ex IT man trying to keep up with the latest as I continue to lose those valuable brain cells.

Zevik83

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Why has MS now made it so irritating to create a System Image and Bootable Recovery USB ? The old Win7 Backup allowed creating both Boiotable Recovert and the System Image on an external drive, but 24H2 no longer allows same for Bootable Recovery "Disk" Now we have to download and use the Media Creation Tool. Why not let that tool be reprogrammed to allow for Recovery on ext. hard drive or USB - AND allow creation of the System Image on the ext. drive or USB. Heavens, USB are large enough now to carry both - 256Gig or larger, parttioned 32 Gfor Recovery and the rest for System Image.
 
Solution
Hi Zevik83 — I hear you. Microsoft’s recovery/installation tools have become more fragmented over the last few Windows releases, and that makes the simple “one USB holds the bootable recovery + system image” workflow you remember from older times harder to do reliably today. Below I’ll explain why that is, the practical limitations, and a couple of reliable ways to get what you want (including a “both-on-one-drive” option with caveats).
Why it feels more irritating now
  • Microsoft separates “installation media” (Media Creation Tool / installer USB) from the WinRE Recovery Drive tool. The Media Creation Tool’s purpose is to produce install media; the Recovery Drive tool creates a WinRE-based repair environment — they’re different...
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Hi Zevik83 — I hear you. Microsoft’s recovery/installation tools have become more fragmented over the last few Windows releases, and that makes the simple “one USB holds the bootable recovery + system image” workflow you remember from older times harder to do reliably today. Below I’ll explain why that is, the practical limitations, and a couple of reliable ways to get what you want (including a “both-on-one-drive” option with caveats).
Why it feels more irritating now
  • Microsoft separates “installation media” (Media Creation Tool / installer USB) from the WinRE Recovery Drive tool. The Media Creation Tool’s purpose is to produce install media; the Recovery Drive tool creates a WinRE-based repair environment — they’re different tools for different purposes.
  • The built‑in “system image” tool (Backup and Restore (Windows 7) still exists but is effectively legacy and not heavily promoted; Microsoft expects many users to use installation media + cloud / reinstall workflows instead of local system images. That’s why you don’t get a single, polished UI that builds both an install/recovery environment and an image in one pass.
  • Hardware/OS limits make “one USB with multiple useful partitions” fiddly: Windows historically only showed the first partition on removable USB sticks, and although later Windows builds added multi‑partition support, it’s inconsistent across device firmware, tools and USB sticks. In short: whether you can reliably put both a bootable recovery partition and a big NTFS image partition on the same USB depends on the drive type and Windows version.
Practical options (sorted from easiest/recommended to advanced)
1) Easiest and most reliable — use two drives
  • Small USB (16–32 GB): create a Recovery Drive (WinRE) or use the Media Creation Tool to build a Windows install/repair USB. The Recovery Drive tool will erase the USB when it creates WinRE, so use a blank drive.
  • Large external drive (HDD/SSD): create and store your System Image there (Control Panel → Backup and Restore (Windows 7) → Create a system image). This is straightforward and least error‑prone.
2) One physical device — use an external HDD (not a tiny “removable” flash stick) with two partitions
  • Use a full external HDD or a USB SSD that reports as a fixed disk (Windows handles these better). Create two partitions: e.g. 32–64 GB FAT32/UEFI for the recovery/rescue media, and the rest NTFS for the system image. Because many flash sticks still act as “removable,” this works best with an external HDD/SSD in an enclosure that presents as fixed. See caveat below about tools formatting the whole drive.
  • Caveat: the built‑in “Create a recovery drive” tool tends to format the target drive and may refuse to place the WinRE on an existing partition without wiping the disk first. That makes the process fragile if you try to do everything with the Windows default tools.
3) Best combined workflow for “one drive” (more control) — use a third‑party imaging tool (recommended: Macrium Reflect)
  • Tools like Macrium Reflect (Free) let you:
    1. Partition the external drive (first small partition for rescue media, second for images).
    2. Create a Macrium Rescue USB or write WinPE rescue media to the small partition.
    3. Save the system image to the large partition on the same disk.
      This avoids the “Create a recovery drive wipes the whole disk” problem and gives more flexibility and reliable restore options. Community/tech posts and Microsoft Q&A often point users to Macrium as a practical solution.
Quick how‑to (two recommended recipes)
A. Two-drive (recommended for most users)
  1. Plug in a blank USB (16–32 GB). Run “Create a recovery drive” (search recoverydrive.exe). Check “Back up system files to the recovery drive” if you want full WinRE. This will erase that USB.
  2. Plug in your large external HDD. Control Panel → Backup and Restore (Windows 7) → Create a system image → choose the external HDD as destination. Wait for the image to finish.
B. Single external HDD + Macrium (advanced but cleaner)
  1. Use Disk Management to create two partitions on the external HDD (32–64 GB FAT32 or exFAT for rescue; rest NTFS for images). If Disk Management won’t do it, use diskpart or a partition tool. (Remember: some USB sticks can’t host multiple usable partitions in all PCs.
  2. Install Macrium Reflect Free on your PC. Create Rescue Media and target the small partition (or create a rescue USB and copy the files to that partition).
  3. Create an image of your system and save it to the large NTFS partition on the same external drive. Macrium’s rescue environment can then restore the image from that partition if needed.
Final tips and safety notes
  • Always test your recovery media on the machine (boot from the USB) before you need it. Some Surface/UEFI devices are picky.
  • Keep current installers: the Media Creation Tool makes the latest installation media if you prefer an installer stick as your recovery fallback.
  • Make regular images and keep multiple backups (external drives fail). Create a system image after a clean config or major update.
  • If you want, I can walk you step‑by‑step for your exact hardware (tell me: model of external drive, whether it shows as “removable” or “fixed”, and whether you prefer Windows built‑in tools or a free third‑party like Macrium). I’ll give exact commands/screenshots to avoid wipes.
Would you like the step‑by‑step for the two‑drive approach (fast & safe) or the single‑drive Macrium method?
 
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Solution
Al, tx so much for your almost instant response. Actually, I have tried all the options you mentioned including Macrium ! I am the only "tech savvy" in our small household of brother +2 sisters - those 2 are younger but not by much - with all the kids grown up and living elsewhere. I have 4 laptops to keep up to date, 3 for the living and one spare.

So I have my personal Recovery/System on a Seagate 1TG using the Macrium route, and one with a Medea Creation Tool Recovery on a 256 USB and System on an old and I suspect flakey 300G "Seagate external" clone (labelled as 500G but Macrium says only 300G hence the "flaky") and 2 more to set up. It was setting up the latter a couple of days ago that I came across the new Media Creation Tool.

So I like your B Options, bec. I can do Files backup on yet another partition. I also have 4DDIG for partitioning if I run into trouble with Win Disk Manager. I'll get a "Genuine" Seagates and redo #2, and then do same for the other 2 more

Tx for your final tip and notes - NOTED!

Just to really date me, my small IT research group was the first in the entire Chevron Empire to get MS/Bill Gare first desktops, and a couple of Compaq portables. And I was among a small group of rebels that worked behind the scenes to build company websites and start to connect up Chevron's worldwide Intranet with "pirated money" from not-so-observant managers" bu Such fun da
My personal publicly viewable contribution was building the website for the Golden State Model Railroad Club gsmem.org. Unfortunately, no-one has taken over more than basic Home window update - my HO scale internals "died" with my leaving the club at age 75. Yes, I was a model train fanatic after retiring at age 55, deciding to Live rather than Work myself to death. Took some financial sacrifice but well worth it - right decision !

Warmest Hellos again.
 
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Lovely story — thanks for sharing, and well done on keeping everything maintained across the household. Glad Macrium is already part of your toolbox; that will make a “one device with both rescue + images” arrangement quite workable.
A few practical, safe tips and an exact diskpart recipe you can use when you replace the flaky drive and re‑partition the new Seagate (with warnings):
Short checklist before you start
  • Back up any data on that external drive (everything will be erased by the steps below).
  • Verify whether the external drive is reported to Windows as a “Fixed” disk or a “Removable” device (some flash sticks are reported as removable and Windows treats partitioning differently). To check, run Command Prompt as Admin and type: diskpart → list disk. Fixed disks normally show as disks; removable sometimes cause issues. If you want I can explain how to tell from the output.
  • If the old drive is flaky, run a quick SMART check (CrystalDiskInfo or Seagate SeaTools) to confirm health before relying on it. If it reports problems, replace it.
Recommended partition scheme (works well for UEFI systems)
  • Partition 1 (32 GB, FAT32) — Rescue / WinPE / EFI boot. FAT32 ensures UEFI systems will see it as a bootable partition.
  • Partition 2 (rest of disk, NTFS) — Macrium system images and full backups. NTFS handles large files and image sets.
Diskpart script (example). Important: this will wipe the selected disk. Replace X with the disk number you see from list disk.
1) Open an elevated Command Prompt (right‑click Start → Windows Terminal (Admin) or cmd as Admin).
2) Run diskpart, then enter these commands (one line at a time):
diskpart
list disk
select disk X <-- replace X with the correct disk number (double-check!
clean <-- WARNING: wipes the disk
convert gpt
create partition primary size=32768
format fs=fat32 quick label=RESCUE
assign letter=R
create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick label=IMAGES
assign letter=I
exit
What that does: makes a 32GB FAT32 partition (R for rescue media and a large NTFS partition (I for your images.
How to put Macrium rescue + images on that drive
  1. In Macrium Reflect: Rescue Media → Create Windows PE rescue media. When it asks for destination, choose “Copy to a local folder” and pick the R: partition (or create the rescue ISO and manually copy the files to R.
  2. In Macrium Reflect: Create an image of your system and choose I: as the destination folder. After imaging, use the “Verify Image” option to ensure integrity.
  3. Test by booting the PC from the external disk (enable USB boot in BIOS/UEFI) and confirm Macrium WinPE loads and can see the image on the I: partition.
Useful extra checks & tips
  • If you encounter UEFI boot issues because some UEFI implementations want an EFI System Partition: Macrium’s rescue creation will generally put the correct boot files on the FAT32 partition if you copy the WinPE there. If a machine is BIOS (legacy), you may need an MBR bootable partition; tell me if any of your laptops are old enough to use legacy BIOS.
  • If Windows’ “Create a recovery drive” insists on wiping the whole disk, use Macrium/ WinPE approach instead (you already have experience with Macrium, so this is smoother).
  • For drive health: CrystalDiskInfo is simple; Seagate SeaTools is good for in‑depth checks. If SMART shows reallocated sectors or pending sectors, replace the drive.
  • Keep a separate small USB (16–32GB) with the Media Creation Tool installer as an additional fallback — sometimes installers are simpler for total reinstall scenarios.
  • Keep at least one image offsite or on a second external drive in case the primary external fails.
If you want, I can:
  • Provide an exact diskpart script tailored to the exact disk number once you paste your diskpart list disk output.
  • Walk you step‑by‑step with screenshots for Macrium’s Rescue creation and image placement.
  • Help test the bootable rescue on a particular laptop model (tell me model + whether UEFI or BIOS).
Which would you prefer next — the full step‑by‑step with screenshots, or the quick scripted commands and a checklist so you can do it right away?
 
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Al, latest, esp scripting, is getting very close to the next set of my brain cells to die Alot to absorb and some hard drives to buy. I feel pretty comfortable executing the Macrium route and partitioning drives, but have yet to run the suggested tests for integrity you suggest. So I think I need a week or more of alone time to work my way through things before possibly needing your help or walk through. And there are other things in life to do besides being stuck behind a screen!!

Will check back then if needed.
Again many tx for your interest and ideas.
 
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Sounds perfect — enjoy your break from the screen. When you return, I’ll be here to help step‑by‑step.
Quick, tiny checklist you can tuck away and follow when you’re ready (keeps it simple):
1) Buy replacement externals that report as “fixed” (desktop HDD or USB‑SSD in an enclosure) rather than cheap removable flash sticks.
2) Before you use any drive: run a health check
  • CrystalDiskInfo (quick SMART view) or
  • Seagate SeaTools (in‑depth for Seagate).
    If SMART shows reallocated/pending sectors, replace the drive.
    3) Partition plan (what we discussed)
  • 32–64 GB FAT32 for Rescue/WinPE
  • Rest NTFS for images/files
    4) Create rescue media in Macrium and copy/write it to the FAT32 partition.
    5) Create the system image to the NTFS partition and use Macrium’s Verify Image option.
    6) Test: boot one laptop from the external drive and confirm the Macrium WinPE environment sees the image.
    7) Keep one small USB with Media Creation Tool installer as an extra fallback.
    8) Maintain at least one additional backup (offsite or second external) for critical machines.
If/when you want help next week or later, tell me:
  • Which laptop you want to test first (model + UEFI or legacy BIOS if you know it), and
  • Paste your DiskPart output (run as Admin: diskpart → list disk) so I can give the exact disk number and a ready‑to‑paste diskpart script for that drive.
Enjoy the rest of your life stuff — model trains, walks, family time — and ping me when you’re ready. Warmest regards and glad to help anytime.
 
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Tx - very helpful summary. On File.

Well, of course, I was unable to step away (IT'itis is a terrible affliction) and of the 4 one is a Lenovo Ideapad3 i5 (rest Dell Inspirons). So now I have learned that they have a whole new neat way of Recovery using their so called Novo button, and have already generated the required USB-mounted software. Now to research the paper on whether I need to generate a System Image and how.

More later - assuming I can overcome the affliction in the next few minutes !
 
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Nice — good find with the Novo button. Short answer: keep the Lenovo Novo (vendor) recovery USB, but also make a full system image + rescue media (Macrium or similar). The vendor recovery is useful for returning the laptop to factory state, but it usually does not preserve your current Windows updates, installed apps or personal tweaks — a system image does. Community/tech notes and our forum guides explain this distinction and why having both is the safest approach.
Why keep both (quick bullets)
  • Novo/vendor recovery = factory restore (OEM image). Good if you want the out‑of‑box condition or vendor tools. It’s often provided as a USB you generated with their utility.
  • System image (Macrium, built‑in “System Image”) = a bit‑for‑bit snapshot of your current system (OS, apps, settings, files). Restoring this gets you exactly back to the state you have now — faster and less work than reinstalling and reconfiguring.
  • Rescue/WinPE media (Macrium rescue or Windows recovery USB) = what you boot to when Windows won’t start so you can restore the image or repair boot files. Always test that this media actually boots on your laptop.
Practical, safe plan to follow (simple)
  1. Keep the Novo USB you already made (label it “Lenovo factory recovery — Ideapad3”).
  2. On a good external drive (prefer one that Windows reports as a fixed disk), create a Macrium image of the laptop and save it to that drive. Use Macrium’s “Verify image” after creation.
  3. Create Macrium rescue media (WinPE) and put it on a small USB or the rescue partition. Test by booting one laptop from that rescue USB and confirm the image is visible.
  4. Keep at least one additional copy (a second external drive or an offsite copy) for critical systems.
  5. If you plan to restore images between machines or reimage later, read the restore caveats (UEFI vs MBR, disk size, BitLocker, drivers) so you’ll be ready if a restore needs boot‑repair steps.
A couple of quick checks before you image
  • Is BitLocker enabled? If yes, note the recovery key — it will be needed for some restores.
  • Is the external drive healthy and reported as “fixed”? SMART check (CrystalDiskInfo or SeaTools) is a good idea before using a drive as your image repository.
If you want, I can:
  • Give a very short step‑by‑step (no scary scripting) to create the Macrium image + rescue USB for your Ideapad3.
  • Provide the small checklist to test the rescue USB (what to press for Novo boot menu vs BIOS boot menu) so you don’t get surprised.
  • Walk you through handling BitLocker or the UEFI/EFI boot repair commands if needed.
Which would you like next — the “one‑page” step‑by‑step for Macrium rescue + image, or the short testing checklist (how to use the Novo button to boot the recovery USB)?
 
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And tx again for the super fast response. Any way to send a High Five to your manager? I have never had such super support in my brief few years !

Well, I dont yet have an available ext drive - yet to buy - and think I had better stick to the ext drive route rather than using the ~225G remaining partition on the Recovery USB which is a recently purchased Amazon Basics unknown ,manufacturer. Then I can use the drive for Files etc backup also. What say you ?
 
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Perfect choice — don’t use the Recovery USB’s leftover partition for your system images. Use a dedicated external drive (HDD or SSD) instead. Short reasons, then a simple plan you can follow when you buy the drive.
Why a separate external drive is better
  • Reliability: vendor recovery USBs and the Windows recovery tool can be fragile (they may be wiped or overwritten by tools), so you don’t want your only image living on the same device as the rescue media. Keep factory/vendor recovery separate from your personal system image.
  • Visibility & tooling: Windows and some vendor tools sometimes reformat or only target the whole USB, and small “removable” sticks may not reliably show multiple partitions. External HDDs/USB‑SSDs that present as fixed disks work more reliably for a two‑partition rescue+image layout.
  • Capacity, speed & longevity: system images can be large and you’ll want space for multiple images and file backups. An external 1–4 TB HDD is cost‑effective; a USB‑SSD is much faster for create/restore but costs more. The extra space also lets you keep file backups on a separate partition.
Recommended buy & sizes (practical)
  • If cost matters: 2 TB external HDD (USB 3.0) — good balance for 3–4 laptops.
  • If speed matters (faster images and restores): 1 TB USB‑SSD (NVMe in an enclosure or external SSD).
  • Make sure the drive reports as a “fixed” disk in Windows (many desktop externals and most USB‑SSDs do). If you want, tell me the model you plan to buy and I’ll confirm.
Simple, safe plan (what to do when you have the drive)
  1. Health check: run CrystalDiskInfo (quick SMART) or Seagate SeaTools on a Seagate drive to confirm health before use.
  2. Partition scheme (recommended):
    • Partition A: 32–64 GB FAT32 — rescue/WinPE (Macrium rescue or vendor rescue files).
    • Partition B: remaining space NTFS — store Macrium system images + optional file backups.
  3. Create rescue media in Macrium and copy/write it to the FAT32 partition (or create a separate small USB rescue stick if you prefer). Then create the full system image to the NTFS partition and use Macrium’s Verify Image option.
  4. Test: boot one laptop from the rescue partition/USB (use the Novo button for the Ideapad or the F12/Esc boot menu on the Dells) and confirm Macrium sees the image. Boot testing is essential — don’t skip it.
  5. Keep a second copy for critical machines (rotate or keep offsite). Hard drives fail — multiple copies are cheap insurance.
If you’re ever tempted to re‑use that Amazon Basics USB: you can, but it’s less reliable (removable flag, risk of accidental wipe). I’d only use it as a temporary extra copy, not the primary image store.
If you tell me what external drives you’re considering (models or links), I’ll confirm which one is best and give the exact, ready‑to‑paste diskpart and Macrium steps when you’re ready. High five accepted — I’ll pass on your compliment in spirit.
 
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Seagate Ultratouch HSS 1TB Model SRDOVN4 - that O may be an Q says 84 year old eyes using his best magnifyer
Manufactured in China Assembled in Thailand. Got all the EU etc verifications Icons
 
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Perfect — that Seagate Ultra Touch 1 TB (SRD0VN4 / SRDOVN4) is a perfectly good choice for your image repository and backups. It’s the right class of device (portable external drive / USB‑SSD/HDD style) for the fixed‑disk + image workflow I recommended. A few short checks and then an exact, ready‑to‑paste plan so you can proceed safely.
Quick checks before you start
  1. Confirm the drive is healthy
    • Run CrystalDiskInfo (simple SMART view) or Seagate SeaTools (short SMART/Quick tests). If SMART shows reallocated/pending sectors, don’t use the drive for images — replace it.
  2. Confirm Windows sees it as a “fixed” disk (preferred) not a removable flash stick:
    • Open an elevated Command Prompt and run: diskpart → list disk
    • If the external drive appears in the list (e.g., Disk 2) it’s fine; removable thumb‑sticks sometimes behave oddly with partitions, but most name‑brand externals are “fixed.”
Ready‑to‑paste diskpart script
  • WARNING: this will wipe the selected disk. Double‑check the disk number from diskpart’s list disk output and replace X with that number.
Open an elevated Command Prompt and paste these commands one at a time:
diskpart
list disk
select disk X <-- replace X with the external drive number (double‑check!
clean <-- WARNING: erases the disk
convert gpt
create partition primary size=32768
format fs=fat32 quick label=RESCUE
assign letter=R
create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick label=IMAGES
assign letter=I
exit
What that does
  • Creates a 32 GB FAT32 partition (R for WinPE / rescue media (UEFI friendly) and the remainder as NTFS (I for Macrium images and file backups.
Macrium steps (concise)
  1. In Macrium Reflect → Rescue Media: create Windows PE rescue media.
    • Choose the WinPE version Macrium recommends. If it offers drivers, include NIC mass storage drivers only if needed.
    • Create an ISO or “copy to local folder.” If Macrium lets you write directly to a USB target, you can choose R: (the FAT32 partition). If not, create the ISO then use Rufus or copy the rescue files to R:.
  2. Create your system image: Macrium → Image this disk → select your system disk(s) → Destination: I:\ (create a folder like I:\Backups\LaptopName) → Start Image.
  3. After image creation, run Macrium’s Verify Image on the new image (right‑click image → Verify).
  4. OPTIONAL: Use Macrium’s “Create Rescue Media” wizard again and choose “Write to USB” if you prefer a separate small USB instead of the R: partition.
Testing (very important)
  1. With the Seagate connected, boot the Ideapad using the Novo button (small recessed button depending on model — press with a toothpick/pen while the laptop is off). Choose Boot Menu and select the USB/external drive.
  2. Confirm Macrium WinPE loads and that it sees the image on I:. If Macrium can see and mount the image, your restore environment is good.
  3. Also test one restore step (don’t overwrite your working system) — e.g., open the image in Macrium WinPE and browse files to confirm readability.
BitLocker / UEFI notes
  • If BitLocker is enabled on the laptop, suspend BitLocker before imaging (Control Panel → BitLocker Drive Encryption → Suspend protection) or ensure you have the recovery key — restores can prompt for it.
  • If you ever restore and Windows won’t boot, you can repair the EFI boot files from WinPE: assign a letter to the EFI partition (diskpart) then run bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI (I can give exact commands if needed when you have the machine in front of you).
If you want I’ll:
  • Give the exact diskpart/disk numbers if you paste your diskpart list disk output, OR
  • Walk you step‑by‑step through creating the Macrium rescue and image on this Seagate, including screenshots and the commands to repair EFI if necessary.
You’re set — buy the drive, run the health check, and when you’re ready paste your diskpart list disk output (or tell me the disk number) and I’ll give any final tweaks. High five received and returned!
 
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No problem — 2 TB is even better. Everything I said still applies; only tiny adjustments are needed for size. Quick notes and two ready‑to‑paste diskpart scripts (one for a 32 GB rescue partition, one for 64 GB) so you can pick whichever you prefer.
Short recommendations for a 2 TB drive
  • Keep the rescue partition modest (32–64 GB FAT32) — enough for WinPE + drivers and vendor files. 32 GB is normally enough; 64 GB gives extra headroom.
  • Make the rest NTFS for Macrium images and file backups.
  • Still check SMART with CrystalDiskInfo or SeaTools first, and confirm Windows lists it as a fixed disk (diskpart → list disk).
  • Warning: the diskpart steps below will erase the selected disk. Double‑check the disk number before running.
Diskpart script — 32 GB rescue (copy / paste into elevated Command Prompt)
diskpart
list disk
select disk X <-- replace X with the external drive number
clean <-- WARNING: erases the disk
convert gpt
create partition primary size=32768
format fs=fat32 quick label=RESCUE
assign letter=R
create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick label=IMAGES
assign letter=I
exit
Diskpart script — 64 GB rescue (if you prefer more space)
diskpart
list disk
select disk X <-- replace X with the external drive number
clean <-- WARNING: erases the disk
convert gpt
create partition primary size=65536
format fs=fat32 quick label=RESCUE
assign letter=R
create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick label=IMAGES
assign letter=I
exit
Next steps after partitioning
  1. Create Macrium Rescue (WinPE) and write/copy it to R:.
  2. Image your system to I: (create a folder like I:\Backups\Ideapad3). Run Verify Image after creation.
  3. Test booting the Ideapad with the Novo button and confirm the rescue environment sees the image.
  4. Keep a second copy or small USB with Media Creation Tool as extra fallback.
If you want, paste the output of diskpart → list disk here and I’ll give the exact command with the correct disk number filled in so you can just copy/paste safely.
 
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No problem wiping the entire drive - it has 23H2 Recovery and System, and from my 4th Dell that is waiting for repair on initernal charghe port.

Final (truly!) Question: On the Dells, will I be able to specify Recovery and System Image on drive letters other than D and E? With 2TB, I will have space for the 3 Dells, including File etc backups (I only plan to keep 2 backups for each laptop since we dont generate much new on an ongoing basis). but only if I dont have to use D and E for the 2nd and third Dells.
 
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Short answer: Yes — you can store each Dell’s system image and rescue files in whatever folder / drive‑letter you prefer on the 2 TB Seagate. You are not forced to use D: or E:. A few practical points and a recommended, safe workflow below.
Key points
  • Windows’ System Image tool and third‑party tools (Macrium) let you pick any destination drive/folder when you create an image — not limited to D: or E:.
  • At restore time WinRE (or Macrium’s WinPE rescue) will locate images on the attached drive. If the recovery environment does not automatically list an image you can browse to the folder on the external drive and select it.
  • Caveat: drive letters can change between Windows and WinRE (or between different PCs). Macrium’s rescue environment is robust and will show images even if drive letters differ; the built‑in Windows recovery also lets you browse for an image if it isn’t listed automatically. Always test the rescue media.
Recommended, low‑risk setup for your 2 TB drive
1) Partitioning (you already plan this): small FAT32 rescue partition (32–64 GB) + large NTFS images partition. (You already have the scripts for doing that.
2) Use clear folders (one per laptop) rather than relying on a letter: e.g. I:\Backups\Dell1\ I:\Backups\Dell2\ I:\Backups\Ideapad3\
  • Put each image set and its verify log inside its laptop folder. That avoids confusion if letters shift.
    3) Assign a permanent letter in Windows while the drive is connected (Disk Management → Change Drive Letter and Paths) if you want a consistent letter while working in Windows — but don’t depend on that for restores, because WinRE may assign different letters.
    4) Keep the rescue media separate and tested:
  • Create Macrium rescue (or Windows recovery) on the FAT32 partition or on a separate small USB.
  • Boot the laptop from the rescue media and confirm you can browse to I:\Backups\Dell1\ and open the image. Testing avoids nasty surprises.
Practical tips for reliability
  • Don’t hardcode scripts that expect images at D:\ or E:\ — use folder names and let the restore tool browse. (Scripts are fragile if WinRE assigns a different letter.
  • If BitLocker is enabled: suspend BitLocker before imaging or record the recovery key — otherwise restores can be blocked or prompt for the key.
  • Verify each image after creation (Macrium has a Verify option). Keep two images per laptop as you planned — store them as separate dated folders (e.g., I:\Backups\Dell1\Dell1-2025-11-09 and I:\Backups\Dell1\Dell1-2025-10-01).
Example folder layout (recommended)
  • I:\Backups\Dell1\Dell1-2025-11-09\ (image files + XML/verify log)
  • I:\Backups\Dell1\Dell1-2025-10-01\
  • I:\Backups\Dell2...
  • I:\Rescue\ (Macrium WinPE contents or bootable rescue files)
If you want, next steps I can give now
  • A short checklist to test the rescue: what keys to press (Novo vs F12/Esc), how to confirm Macrium sees the image, and what to do if it doesn’t.
  • Or, paste your diskpart → list disk output and I’ll give the disk number‑filled diskpart script and exact Macrium steps for copying the rescue image to the 2 TB Seagate.
Which would you like — the test checklist now or the exact ready‑to‑paste diskpart + Macrium steps?
 
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No further help needed right now. Got to e.g. eat and nap and play with our 8 cats.

Yes, I am aware of the drive letter shifting So I avoid G for connected Google drive and one has a DVD drive (never used) allocated to D which I reassigned to F. So F and G are my "Restricted Drive letters which I'll apply to all laptops. We have been using Google Drive from early on, so switching to OneDrive was just to much effort - also Google gives us quite a bit more space than OneDrive for free. Apologies to MS.
 
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Sounds perfect — enjoy the cats, nap and lunch! Quick pocket reminder list you can tuck into your pocket and read when you pick this up again:
Quick checklist (when you get the Seagate and start)
  • Health check first: run CrystalDiskInfo or Seagate SeaTools (quick SMART) on the new drive. Replace if SMART shows reallocated/pending sectors.
  • BitLocker: suspend BitLocker on each laptop (if enabled) before creating the image — or note the recovery keys.
  • Partition plan: 32–64 GB FAT32 (Rescue/WinPE) + remaining NTFS (Images/Files). Use the diskpart script I gave earlier when you’re ready.
  • Macrium flow: create Rescue (WinPE) → copy/write to FAT32 partition (R, create image → save to NTFS partition (I → run Verify Image.
  • Test rescue: boot the Ideapad with the Novo button (power off → press the tiny Novo button with a paperclip/toothpick → choose Boot Menu → select your external drive). For the Dells use F12/Esc boot menu. Confirm Macrium WinPE loads and can browse the image.
  • Store & organize: use folder names (I:\Backups\Dell1\Dell1-2025-11-09) — don’t rely on fixed letters for restores. Keep at least one extra copy for critical machines (second drive or offsite).
  • Keep a small USB with Media Creation Tool installer as an extra fallback and label all drives clearly (model + date + purpose).
If you want a tiny follow‑up later:
  • Paste your diskpart → list disk output and I’ll fill in the exact disk number in the script so you can copy/paste safely.
  • Or I’ll walk you step‑by‑step while you do the first image and the rescue test.
Have a great break — and enjoy the cats. Ping me anytime when you’re ready to continue.
 
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Yes, I agree. Microsoft split the old all-in-one backup to push cloud and separate recovery tools. Now the System Image option is hidden in Control Panel > Backup and Restore (Windows 7), and recovery media must be made with the Media Creation Tool or the “Create a recovery drive” option. It’s mostly for security and to avoid image errors. You can still use one big USB by partitioning it, but Windows won’t do it automatically anymore. For an easier backup, a third-party tool can still make the full image in one go.
 
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Exactly — that’s the situation now. Short confirmation plus the practical options if you want the old “one‑shot” image + recovery media flow.
TL;DR
  • Microsoft moved the System Image tool behind Control Panel → Backup and Restore (Windows 7) and shifted focus to cloud/modern recovery flows (Settings / Create a recovery drive and Media Creation Tool).
  • You can still make a full system image and recovery USB, but Windows won’t package everything into one single USB automatically anymore. Third‑party imaging tools are the easiest way to recreate the legacy one‑piece workflow.
Quick how‑tos & options
1) Built‑in: create a system image + recovery drive
  • Create a system image (full disk image): Control Panel → Backup and Restore (Windows 7) → Create a system image. Save to an external drive (recommended) or a network share.
  • Create recovery USB: Settings → System → Recovery → Create a recovery drive (or search “Create a recovery drive”). It will offer to copy system files so you can recover/repair Windows. Note: this will format the USB and requires a sufficiently large stick.
2) Make Windows installer (if you need to reinstall)
  • Use Microsoft Media Creation Tool to build a Windows installer USB (keeps system reinstall and troubleshooting separate from your image).
3) Single USB with both installer + image (manual)
  • Windows’ tools won’t automatically create a multi‑partition USB with both an installer and a large image. You can do it manually:
    • Partition the USB with Disk Management or diskpart (one FAT32 UEFI partition for installer, one NTFS partition for your image), then copy files. Be careful: many firmwares won’t boot an NTFS USB without a shim; for UEFI installer FAT32 is usually required.
    • Or use Rufus / other utilities that support creating UEFI boot sticks with large WIM files or UEFI:NTFS workarounds.
  • Note: this is more advanced and error‑prone — make sure you test booting the USB.
4) Easiest: third‑party imaging (recommended if you want “old behaviour”)
  • Macrium Reflect (Free) or Acronis True Image let you:
    • Create a single bootable USB that contains rescue media and can restore full images from an external disk or from a partition on the stick.
    • Schedule images, verify them, and mount images to inspect files.
    • Macrium is the most commonly recommended free option for reliable full‑disk images and simple recovery media.
5) Best practices
  • Store system images on an external drive (not the same internal drive). Keep at least one offsite copy if the data is critical.
  • Verify your image after creation (most imaging tools offer verification).
  • Keep a copy of your Windows product key / Microsoft account info. For drives encrypted with BitLocker/device encryption, suspend or decrypt before imaging or ensure you have recovery keys backed up.
  • Periodically test restore on a spare machine or by mounting the image to confirm it works.
If you want, I can:
  • Give step‑by‑step commands/screenshots for Control Panel → Create system image and for Create a recovery drive.
  • Walk you through creating a single USB containing recovery + installer (manual diskpart + Rufus approach).
  • Recommend and walk through Macrium Reflect free: create rescue media + take your first full image and test a restore.
Which would you like — built‑in steps, a Macrium walk‑through, or the single‑USB manual method?
 
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