SSD Usage for Recovery?

Just bought a new Win 10 PC with:

• 256 GB SSD with C: Windows partition, D: Recovery Partition
• 2 TB HDD with E: data disk

Is it a good idea to have the Recovery Partition on SSD in view of, I hear, SSD are more prone to faults and could last shorter? If the Recovery Partition were on HDD and the SSD failed you could just replace the SSD & recover, couldn't you?

Create a system repair disc

Yes, but it rather defeats the purpose of having a recovery partition.

A modern SSD has longer life expectancy than a mechanical hard disk. http://betanews.com/2014/12/05/modern-ssds-can-last-...

But micksharpe is quite correct - never rely upon the same device for a backup as the one containing the material you want to back up. This is simple common sense. The point of a recovery partition is to recover your OS in the event of a disaster. If that recovery information is stored on a separate disk there is a far higher chance that it will be there when you need it.

Having the recovery partition on a separate hard disk within the same computer is not as good as storing it on an external disk or DVD, but it is better than storing it on the boot drive. And why waste fast space on your SSD with data that will hardly ever be used? So , if you are determined not to have a proper recovery disk, store the recovery partition on your hard disk. As this is not the standard setup you should check that you can boot from the partition; and you should repeat this check at intervals.

I would say the recovery partition is more for recovering windows after a software failure whereas the recovery disk is for recovering a hardware failure. The partition is convenient but not if the disk has died.

Exactly! That's why I asked.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

So , if you are determined not to have a proper recovery disk, store the recovery partition on your hard disk.

I haven't determined anything. I don't have the choice. This is how the new PC was built by the manufacturer.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Just bought a new Win 10 PC with:

• 256 GB SSD with C: Windows partition, D: Recovery Partition
• 2 TB HDD with E: data disk

Is it a good idea to have the Recovery Partition on SSD in view of, I hear, SSD are more prone to faults and could last shorter? If the Recovery Partition were on HDD and the SSD failed you could just replace the SSD & recover, couldn't you?

More chance of a mechanical drive going wrong than a SSD, just think of that disc spinning at high speed and that little head flying around the surface 19 to a dozen. i had a drive not so long ago that had windows 10 on fall apart, a loud crunch, bang and that was the end of it and there was a bulge in the top of the case.

Most commercially built computers have some sort of backup system to make rescue disks or in this day and age a rescue usb memory thing.


I suggest you use it, computer manufactures charge a fair bit for replacements.

You always have a choice. USB DVD writers cost next to nothing and are a very good investment.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

You always have a choice. USB DVD writers cost next to nothing and are a very good investment.

i could not be without my Blue-ray writer, not that I write many blue-rays these days.