Can Windows Create Itself From 300MB?

[New Goer]

Hello again. While experimenting with the problem of my previous post, an unbelievable encounter happened:

In Recovery Environment, with only the <300MB in recovery drive, and 400KB in image backup, Windows was able to create itself, without any proper source. 😱

What happened is that, using "System Image Backup", I created an image.

I formatted the destination partition.

In the folder WindowsImageBackup\[ComputerName], I deleted all the 13 files that held the contents of the image, and made sure they were permanently deleted and no other image existed in storage. The folder size became only 400KB.

In spite of that, "System Image Recovery" detected an image, and the restore process was made into the new formatted partition.

The resulting OS appeared complete. It's folders and files were there in the new partition. I logged into it with my specific user name, and it was functioning normally. 😵

How can the Image Recovery tool create the OS, without the GBs of files that hold the contents of the image? 😕

I'm curious to know if anyone can explain. 🙂

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Presumably it downloaded it from the internet.

 

[JackMDS]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12415/windows-10-recovery-options


😎

 

[New Goer]

Presumably it downloaded it from the internet.

No. It wasn't connected. Recovery Environment has no networking AFAIK.

 

[New Goer]

I really think this is worth investigating by an expert or anyone interested: To actually try what I described and analyze it in order to provide an explanation. 😵

 

[New Goer]

NE1 ?

 

[JackMDS]

May be you would like to install and Run this Free Program and see what exactly is the actual content of your HD/SSD.

https://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html


😎

 

[New Goer]

JackMDS, I don't wish to have anything to do with Windows problems anymore. I'm just using it 'cuz it's what I have now.

I posted the question, assuming it was interesting to the community, & expecting an expert w'd actually try what I described and investigate it in order to come up with an explanation.