This is normal behavior. Windows cannot natively read Linux ext4 partitions and only displays the small, FAT32-formatted boot partition. The remaining space is intact and usable by the target device. To restore the card for normal Windows use, clean it using the Windows diskpart utility or the SD Card Formatter tool. Modern Alternatives to Consider
If you have spent hours configuring a Raspberry Pi or a custom bootable USB drive, you can use Win32 Disk Imager to create a perfect backup image.
A: Because it backs up empty space too. It is a sector-by-sector clone. To shrink it, use gzip or the --sparse flag with Linux dd .
In the box, type a new filename (e.g., my_backup.img ) and choose a save location.
This is normal behavior. Windows cannot natively read Linux ext4 partitions and only displays the small, FAT32-formatted boot partition. The remaining space is intact and usable by the target device. To restore the card for normal Windows use, clean it using the Windows diskpart utility or the SD Card Formatter tool. Modern Alternatives to Consider
If you have spent hours configuring a Raspberry Pi or a custom bootable USB drive, you can use Win32 Disk Imager to create a perfect backup image. win64 disk imager
A: Because it backs up empty space too. It is a sector-by-sector clone. To shrink it, use gzip or the --sparse flag with Linux dd . This is normal behavior
In the box, type a new filename (e.g., my_backup.img ) and choose a save location. To restore the card for normal Windows use,