What are PBR_DRV and WINRE_DRV drives for?

Question

What are these drives and what are they used for? I'm looking into upgrading my motherboard and don't know if I'll need all of those drives then.

Solution

As Ramhound noted, WINRE_DRV is a partition for Windows Recovery Environment.

I suspect PBR_DRV is a partition associated with the Lenovo One-Key Recovery software. It may be other vendors also supply something based on the same third-party software.

Both of these are probably relatively small partitions that are normally hidden from end-users. You should probably leave them alone unless you have, and know how to use, a full set of DVD/CD media to reinstall your operating system, drivers and vendor-supplied utilities.

Neither of these need "optimization" or defragmenting.

Comments

[Ramhound]

WINRE is the Windows Recovery Environment. PBR isn't a standard drive, you will actually have to tell us, what it is used for.

[LukaxH]

@Ramhound All of these drives where installed when I bought my computer so I have no idea :/

[Ramhound]

I did a simple google search on PBR_DRV its purpose is well documented.

[qasdfdsaq]

It's worth mentioning those are partitions not physical drives.

[Ramhound]

Its Dell but close enough, it contains the factory image, for restoration purposes.

[LukaxH]

When I upgrade my motherboard should I install this disc or should use throw it away?

[LukaxH]

@Ramhound Accidently hit enter button :P

[Ramhound]

@LukaxH - Install what disk? Neither partition is required for Windows to function.

[LukaxH]

@Ramhound The pbr_drv one

[Ramhound]

@LukaxH - That is entirely up to you.

[user5249203]

@LukaxH: I'm not sure what you mean. WINRE_DRV and PBR_DRV are most likely hidden partitions of your primary internal hard disk. You don't have an option to literally throw them away. If short of disk space, I suggest buying a second additional internal hard disk.

[LukaxH]

@Ramhound Do I need it? What is it good for? Will it work if I upgrade my motherboard to ASUS?

[Ramhound]

You can download Windows 10 installation disk easy enough, that gives you all the tools, that exists on the recovery partition. The recovery image is going to be invalid, the minute, you replace the motherboard due to the embedded license contained on it.

[Ramhound]

@LukaxH - No you don't need it; Once you replace the motherboard it won't be good for anything; No it won't work if you replace the motherboard in an OEM machine.