Why Do The Same Programs Appear On Both Drives C And D?

Discussion in 'Software' started by scherz0, Feb 9, 2022.

  1. scherz0

    scherz0 Private E-2

    1. I never deliberately installed programs on my D. Thus why do some programs appear on both C and D?

    2. How can I harmlessly remove the duplicated (on both C and D) programs from D? Please see screen shot below.


    https://i.stack.imgur.com/4KVYt.jpg

    3. As you can see below, I have merely 1 Windows installed.

    https://i.imgur.com/0deW1yg.jpg
     
  2. Anon-e88bcb5f0b

    Anon-e88bcb5f0b Anonymized

    I compared a few (not all) and it appears the duplicated apps in C: are consistently more recent than the ones in D:. Makes me wonder if sometime in 2019/2020, you created D:\ partition and moved your apps there... but certains apps later installed their updates to the old C: directories out of habit?

    [Edit] Just reread your post and realized you wrote you did not deliberately install or move any apps to D:\. So why/how was D:\ created?
     
  3. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Can post a legible screenshot of Disk Management please? It's on the right click start menu.
     
  4. plodr

    plodr Major Geek Super Extraordinaire

  5. XoXgaming

    XoXgaming Specialist

    Sounds a lot like raid to me.
     
  6. scherz0

    scherz0 Private E-2

    My drive C is a SSD. Drive D is a 5400 RPM HDD. I've devoted C:\ to programs and Windows files, and D:\ to personal documents and visual media. I never deliberately moved Windows programs to D:\.

    Please see below.

    https://i.imgur.com/9T2aFye.jpg
     
  7. Anon-e88bcb5f0b

    Anon-e88bcb5f0b Anonymized

    Disk 0 (SSD) - C: partition looks fine. The EFI system partition and the Recovery partition both look empty - but I'd leave them alone for now.

    Disk 1 (HDD) - EFI system partition, D, A, A(?) and Recovery partition all look like candidates for deletion. Seems E is the only one you use for data? But before deleting any partitions, I suggest disconnecting this disk and reboot.

    If computer reboots perfectly and all, then delete all the partions in Disk 1 (HDD) except for E partition. Then, Disk 0 (C) will have all the boot and system files while Disk 1 (E) will be solely data. At this point, if you wish, you can reassign E to D (your original intention).

    My view is that your HDD was orignally your system disk. You added the SSD to serve that purpose, but the old system stuff still remained in your HDD (thus the older dates) - but not really doing anything anymore. The test is in the disconnection of HDD to make sure the system truly boots completely using just the SSD (as I expect it would, but let's be sure).

    Finally, for housekeeping, you can move E partition to the 'front' of the disk, followed by all the unallocated space. My tool for partition stuff is the free app "Minitool Partition Wizard". Hope this helps.

    [EDIT TO ADD WARNING]: I am a home laptop user/tinkerer who have done some stuff with partitioning, but am not any kind of trained expert whatsoever. I believe the above steps will work, but if others see holes, please jump in!
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2022
  8. Anon-e88bcb5f0b

    Anon-e88bcb5f0b Anonymized

    And hopefully I'm stating the obvious, but make sure you back up all your data to a separate drive - like a USB drive or SD card - before monkeying with your HDD partitions.
     
  9. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Hopefully you have not taken the advice to delete partition D on the HDD as that is where your personal data is stored, as you yourself said. Also, D is part of a dynamic disk so deleting it would probably also wreck any data on the other brown coloured partitions on disk 1.

    As said in the other forum your system layout is unusual to say the least but my advice for the present would be to leave the system as it is and ignore the problem. Once you are satisfied you have safely backed up all your personal data I recommend completely clearing and reformatting the HDD and performing a clean install of Windows on the SSD.
     
    scherz0 likes this.
  10. Anon-e88bcb5f0b

    Anon-e88bcb5f0b Anonymized

    My mistake (?) - but I think Disk 1 Windows (D:\) also contains those 'superfluous' Windows program files that OP wants to get rid of. The critical point is that OP (1) makes good backup's using a separate device (SD card, etc.) and (2) test boot with Disk 1 disconnected. If fully successful, I would suggest deleting out D:\ - if not repartitioning Disk 1 again - recreate a new Disk 1 partition D: (as the only partition in an appropriate size - and recopy data files back over.

    Once everything is "just so" - Disk0 (c drive) bootable + Windows and Disk1 (d drive) Data - I would highly recommend doing a system (image) backup. A free app to do this is Macrium Reflex.
     
  11. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    It's up to the OP which approach to take but IMO the system is in such an unholy mess as it stands, personally I would choose to start afresh. But it can be sorted either way.
     
  12. Anon-e88bcb5f0b

    Anon-e88bcb5f0b Anonymized


MajorGeeks.Com Menu

Downloads All In One Tweaks \ Android \ Anti-Malware \ Anti-Virus \ Appearance \ Backup \ Browsers \ CD\DVD\Blu-Ray \ Covert Ops \ Drive Utilities \ Drivers \ Graphics \ Internet Tools \ Multimedia \ Networking \ Office Tools \ PC Games \ System Tools \ Mac/Apple/Ipad Downloads

Other News: Top Downloads \ News (Tech) \ Off Base (Other Websites News) \ Way Off Base (Offbeat Stories and Pics)

Social: Facebook \ YouTube \ Twitter \ Tumblr \ Pintrest \ RSS Feeds