SEARCH

The How-To Geek Forums Have Migrated to Discourse



Join the Discussion at discuss.howtogeek.com

How-To Geek Forums / Windows 8

Will Storage Space drive data remain when OEM/retail Win8 is installed?

(18 posts)
  • Started 9 months ago by Fhirkin9
  • Latest reply from Fhirkin9
  • Topic Viewed 655 times

Fhirkin9
Fhirkin9
Posts: 179

I have Release Preview and activated 2 drives (separate from OS) as a Win8 storage space. Can anyone tell me if the data I save there will remain if I later install Win8 once it is truly released?

Posted 9 months ago #
Top
 
Xhi
Xhi
Posts: 6298

The windows 8 install should only effect the partition/drive upon which it is installed.

However, Xhi's rules 2-4 are Before you do anything Backup, Backup and Backup.

Posted 9 months ago #
Top
 
Fhirkin9
Fhirkin9
Posts: 179

Good point Xhi. When I enabled the feature it warned that all data on the drives was going to get reformatted. Just thought someone might have more info of the Space persistence once drives are configured as such.

Posted 9 months ago #
Top
 
Fhirkin9
Fhirkin9
Posts: 179

Just realized my Acronis back-up program is not compatible with Win8 (Release Preview at least). I will have to depend on the File History features built into Win 8 RP.

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Xhi
Xhi
Posts: 6298

Macrium Reflect works with my Release Preview of Windows 8.

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Fhirkin9
Fhirkin9
Posts: 179

Interesting, freeware too. By chance are you running the 64-bit version of Rel Preview?

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
whs
whs
Posts: 17584

I run the 64bit Win8 and free Macrium works. Here is how.

But if you do not want to install Macrium, download the WinPE .iso from this Skydrive link. Burn it to CD. With it you can image and recover any partition. It works the same as the installed program.

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Fhirkin9
Fhirkin9
Posts: 179

Thanks! @whs !

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
whs
whs
Posts: 17584

You are welcome. If questions come up, post back.

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Fhirkin9
Fhirkin9
Posts: 179

The video states that one should not save to any drive unless it is NTFS format, thats a problem for me at the moment. My secondary drive(s) are using the Win8 Storage Space, and if I save to that and The fresh install of Win8 I purchase ends up wiping the Storage SPace Drives this will be an exercise in futility. I will explore other options or check other USB drives to see if any are formatted NTFS...

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Posts: 13598

Just format them yourself. Why people still use fat on Vista upwards is beyond me.

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Fhirkin9
Fhirkin9
Posts: 179

I have some legacy files on old USB drives with lots of room left. It is easier to use them as-is than to try to make back-ups in order to make more back-ups.

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Posts: 13598

Why ?

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Fhirkin9
Fhirkin9
Posts: 179

Because it is easier? Jumping through the hoops to back up a 50-80 gig Norton Ghost file to DVD?

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Posts: 13598

Why not backup to an external HDD ? So much easier.

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Fhirkin9
Fhirkin9
Posts: 179

Perhaps I did not articulate sufficiently, the drive that is FAT32 is a USB drive. My dilemma is wondering if the Win8 Release Preview's enabled "storage space drive" (that is, 2 drives combined as one that is separate from the OS drive) will be wiped when I install the retail Win8 in a few weeks...or will the shared storage space (actually 2 drives combined in a RAID-like fashion) remain and become part of the new install. Asking about back-up options at first, I was worried that the shared space drive would get wiped. So I want to try to back-up the shared space drive to an external drive. All of the external drives I have are FAT32 (and all of them have legacy files of large size), and there was a warning about Macrium back-ups not being able to be restored from FAT32 drives.... perhaps I am pack-ratting old data and I should just bite it and reformat an old USB drive in NTFS and come clean, so to speak

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Xhi
Xhi
Posts: 6298

There is a good answer here What happens with Windows 8 Storage Spaces if I reinstall Windows? Apparently you could take the drives and connect them to another Windows 8 computer and they will work, so you should be able to connect them to a new install as well.

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 
Fhirkin9
Fhirkin9
Posts: 179

@Xhi Thats great news, thank you!

Posted 8 months ago #
Top
 



Topic Closed

This topic has been closed to new replies. Please create a new topic instead.


Create New Topic Return to Forum