Joining reserve partition with system partition

[Sebastian42]

I want to store several iterations of my Win10 on a single large HDD, the oldest being replaced by the newest every week. I have done this successfully for years for windows 7 and now Windows 10, using Casper, to clone just the system partition (without the Reserve partition), to the successive partitions on the larger HDD. I have had to replace the large HDD, and now that method does not work anymore with the replacement large HDD. I can clone the system ALONG WITH the reserve partitions successfully, but that can only be done once, rather than for several ADDITIONAL iterations. That defeats the purpose of the exercise. I want to be able to continue to store SEVERAL bootable iterations on one large HDD.
I suspect that if I can conflate the system and reserve partitions into just one, THAT could be cloned successfully to one partition after another. I know how to do that conflation if I am setting up a fresh operating system and did it for Win7 , but I do not want to start afresh - I want to coninue with my ever evolving system as it now is, after many years of modifications. Can anyone help me ?

 

[Clintlgm]

Sounds like your issue is with your cloning software. I make full images of my C:\ SSD Monthly Full, Differential weekly and daily incremental I can also make full disk/SSD images daily if I want to and have done right before any Windows update I create a full disk/SSD image. Perhaps you should have a quick look at Macrium Reflect Free, it will do what you want it to do. however, if you only make images of your C Partition and you lose a hard drive you need all the partitions to restore a booting system and the other partitions are very small take up very little hard drive space or back up time.
Tutorial on how to use Macrium Reflect

 

[clifford_cooley]

I suspect that if I can conflate the system and reserve partitions into just one

I get what you are asking. And I get why you are asking. However it is pointless in doing this. Microsoft has programmed Windows 10 to automatically create this partition regardless of consumer desires. Sure you could combine the two and make an image. Then next time you want to make an image, you will need to repeat the process. It would turn into a nightmare trying to stay ahead of it.

I'm with @Clintlgm. If your current backup software can not handle current backups, it may be time to find another application. I don't use Macrium but I will give it a vote of confidence. I'm personally using Acronis 2016. With that said the installed application is confusing as hell to me. I only use the Boot Disk ISO that the application creates. Using an ISO to USB utility. It has been a long time now. I think it was Rufus Utility I used. I created a bootable external that boots the ISO. But for scheduled backups you would want to use the installed application.