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How do PA, BU detect Windows?

aiArtisanaiArtisan
edited November 2023 in AOMEI Products Support
PA, BU do not clone Windows system disk for free, they do clone a data disk for free. How does BU, PA detect Windows? Is it a file in the ESP or C partitions? Is it a flag on a partition? Is it something else? How is it detected? Is the method different depending on if it is an MBR Windows, or a GPT Windows, or is the same?

Comments

  • adminadmin
    @AiArtisan, AOMEI Backupper and AOMEI Partition Assistant will detect the system/boot marks. For MBR windows, the system partitions have "system"and "boot" marks. For GPT windows, it has "EFI" and "boot".
  • aiArtisanaiArtisan
    Windows 11 GPT disk had Linux GParted removed flags Boot, ESP/EFI; rebooted into PA std free, BU std free WinPE USB, but it would not clone for free with either program.
    After this, I deleted the ESP/EFI partition, then rebooted into PA std free, BU std free WinPE USB again, but it still would not clone for free.
    PA, BU does not seem to use the flags to detect if there is a Windows system on the disk. What file is it detecting?
  • aiArtisanaiArtisan
    edited December 2023
    I erased all files and folders inside of C partition, removed all Windows flags, deleted EFI/ESP, and WinRec/diag partitions, but still, Partition Assistant detects a Windows on the disk ha. Truely this is a mystery. What is it detecting?

  • adminadmin
    @AiArtisan, If you have deleted the files and folders inside of C partition, removed all Windows flags, deleted EFI/ESP, and WinRec/diag partitions, the system can't boot. When error situation did you get when you do the disk clone under WinPE of free edition?
  • aiArtisanaiArtisan
    On a GPT disk, I
    1) Format NTFS C partition
    2) Delete EFI/ESP partition
    3) Delete WinRec partition
    4) Linux > GParted, and remove both C partition flags, system and boot.
    After doing those 4 actions, on PA free 10.2, it still does not allow me to clone the disk, because it says that is a Windows System disk. Why does PA still think Windows is on that disk, when it is empty?
  • adminadmin
    @AiArtisan, Are you booting from WinPE of AOMEI Partition Assistant? Could you take a screenshot of Partition Assistant so that we check your disks?
  • aiArtisanaiArtisan
    edited December 2023
    "Partition Assistant will detect the system/boot marks. For GPT windows, it has "EFI" and "boot"."
    What command will show these marks?
  • adminadmin
    Could you take a screenshot of Partition Assistant so that we check your disks?
  • aiArtisanaiArtisan
    "Partition Assistant will detect the system/boot marks."
    What Terminal Command will show these system/boot marks?

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