Best Answer alacran , 17 June 2021 - 10:58 PM
On usuall Bios or CSM mode boot the HD is MBR partitioned. HD max size is 2 TB. Max of 4 primary partitions or 3 primary partitions and a extended partition with multiple logical partitions.
On usuall UEFI boot the HD is GPT partitioned. No problem if HD is bigger than 2 TB. Many partitions are possible.
There is no advantage in UEFI + GPT unless your HD is bigger than 2 TB.
There are some tricks to boot on Bios or CSM mode from a GPT partitioned HD, but it is complicated and totally unnecessary in your case.
In your actual Bios or CSM mode boot you can add to bootable partition grld.mbr and grld files and create or edit your actual menu.lst, and (if you haven't done it) by means of BootIce it is very easy to add an entry to boot from OS(s) on other primary or logical partitions or boot also grld.mbr from grub4dos v046a (for Bios), on your menu.lst you can make entries to boot from other OS(s), some ISO(s) or Ramboot Mini-VHD(s) files manually, or by means of UEFI MULTI and/or VHD_WIMBOOT, to create the respective entries automatically, both programs made by wimb.
In UEFI + GPT boot, you can't do same as on previous paragraph, as using UEFI + Secure Boot you can only boot Windows OS(s), in this case it is necessary to boot first to grub2 and from it load the Windows OS(s) or grub4dos for UEFI, or dissable Secure Boot and boot directly to grub4dos for UEFI replacing the bootmgfw.efi with the respective *.efi file from grub4dos for UEFI renaming it to bootmgfw.efi, in UEFI + GPT case also same tools from wimb mentioned on previous paragraph will work to create the respective entries automatically.
So far I'm using this version of grub4dos v046a (for Bios) and there are no bugs in it.
So far I'm using this version of grub4dos for UEFI and there are no bugs in it.
So you have available alternatives to choose, but I strongly recommend keep Bios or CSM mode boot and MBR partitioned HD.
alacran
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Member
Posted 21 June 2021 - 09:15 PM
Hi @alacran. Thanks, I didn't know one needed to Save Globals for the timeout. I will try that next. Right now, Clonezilla is performing an image backup. 
In the BCD boot menu options section, there is an option to change the timeout, but it only allows three selections: 5 minutes, 30 seconds, or 5 seconds. I'll find out next whether BootIce can (successfully) set other values (including zero!), after Clonezilla is done.
Platinum Member
Posted 21 June 2021 - 09:39 PM
Yes, using BootIce you can select any time you want including zero, zero is NOT recommended because in case of troubles (OS not loading fine) you will not be able to boot any other option to reinstall your backup image, unless you boot from a USB stick or a CD/DVD.
I use usually 10 seconds, but you may try 5 or 2 seconds, in my experience 1 second is not enough.
EDIT: Also when you see the boot options, and you want to boot the default option, by ENTER key on keyboard it starts booting without waiting the Timeout.
alacran
Member
Posted 21 June 2021 - 09:49 PM
Clonezilla having completed successfully, I used BootIce to change the timeout to zero, and am pleased to report that a restart resulted in booting to Windows, without seeing the BCD boot menu; and that Shift+Restart resulted in the BCD boot menu (one extra selection now necessary in this menu, in order to choose GRUB4DOS, which is no problem). Excellent, and thanks to all for the help in achieving this!
Having done the above before your last post, but having now seen your post, I now changed the timeout to a short (non-zero) value, as you recommended.
Also, I decided to change my boot procedure on system no. 2 (the one with the System Reserved partition) to use the BCD boot menu, rather than the F12 BIOS boot order, as was suggested in this thread. I found out that on this system, grldr had to be in the root of C: in order to work; in the root of E: didn't work for some reason.
Does anyone have any thoughts on preventing Windows from continually re-creating the $RECYCLE.BIN and System Volume Information directories on a particular partition?
Platinum Member
Posted 21 June 2021 - 10:11 PM
Good to know all is working as you want.
About:
Does anyone have any thoughts on preventing Windows from continually re-creating the $RECYCLE.BIN and System Volume Information directories on a particular partition?
$RECYCLE.BIN is a safe precaution, it is re-created by the OS always, but to permanently delete a file or folder keep pressed Shift Key and then delete the file/folder.
I have System Volume Information folder deleted on my Mini VHDs and it is not re-created again just by adding a zero bytes file named same way (no extension) hidden and write protected (only readable), but for Wimboot installations that folder is required, for more info see this Post. (Also all post mentioned in it).
alacran
Guest_AnonVendetta_*
Posted 22 June 2021 - 03:41 AM
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Posted 22 June 2021 - 06:14 AM
On older than 10 OS the System Volume Information folder stores System Restore, Volume Shadow Copy, and content-indexing files.
And now on 10 it also contain Tracking Service info, dubious service that may be considered as a malware if you care about your privacy.
After some time of OS use this folder may growup to a 10% or more of drive size (a big waste of space).
None of this is used on my OSs:
I use to delete that folder and replace it with the mentioned zero bytes file, every time I format a partition/drive, internal or USB, just copying the zero bytes file before the folder is created (usually it appears after first reboot or replug of USB device).
In the case of Mini VHDs the waste of the space used by this folder is more critical than in standard installation, but it is requiered if you install the OS on Wimboot mode, there is stored all the info related to the linked WIM file.
It is preferable to replace the folder with the zero bytes file before install the OS (or re-deploy your backup WIM file), if done after the OS is installed and booted at least once, the OS may run a disk repair procedure on first boot after deletion/replacement, this is not repeated on future boots but it is something that may not like to some users.
Well, now you have all the info, decide by yourself.
alacran
Guest_AnonVendetta_*
Posted 22 June 2021 - 07:15 AM
Platinum Member
Posted 22 June 2021 - 07:45 AM
As said:
Well, now you have all the info, decide by yourself.
But it may be good to take a look to this link to have an idea how big the wasted space can be in a usual installation:
Windows 10: System Volume Information more than 100GB on new PC
alacran
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