Hidden partition?

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by kralurtz, Jul 4, 2015.

  1. kralurtz

    kralurtz MDL Novice

    Jun 16, 2015
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    You who have tested win10, is it a hidden 100MB partiton like in Win 7?
     
  2. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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    Nov 30, 2009
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  3. kralurtz

    kralurtz MDL Novice

    Jun 16, 2015
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    Ok i see.Thanks
     
  4. Mr.X

    Mr.X MDL Guru

    Jul 14, 2013
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    So what? If you don't want it you can partition the drive prior installation making the first or only partition as primary and active. This way you prevent that hidden partition.
     
  5. Don

    Don MDL Expert

    Jul 29, 2009
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    Isn't it required in a GPT structure?
     
  6. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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  7. spidernz

    spidernz MDL Senior Member

    May 20, 2011
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    They bumped it upto 500MB in Win10 now actually
     
  8. xXBlackWidowXx

    xXBlackWidowXx MDL Junior Member

    May 21, 2015
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    So what is actually on this "System Reserved" partition?
     
  9. genet

    genet MDL Novice

    Mar 10, 2013
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  10. kralurtz

    kralurtz MDL Novice

    Jun 16, 2015
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    I think the recovery stuff also is on winDVD
     
  11. WaltC

    WaltC MDL Addicted

    Mar 8, 2014
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    If you boot to the iso image, and select for a clean install you'll get a chance to format c:\, and if you simply delete all the partitions on the drive where you want to install Windows, or just delete the partition you want to be your c:\ drive, and leave the partition unallocated (raw) after you delete it--then hit the "Next" button...what happens then is that the Win10 install routine automatically sizes and installs and correctly formats the recovery partitions before it begins to copy files over in the beginning of the install. I did that with 10162 and Windows automatically gave me a 450 MB hidden recovery partition, and a 100MB hidden EFI partition, so I can't imagine why anyone might want to try and install Win10 without those hidden recovery partitions (as they take up very little space on the drive.)

    Also remember that to get Win10 install to EFI you need to start with a gpt partition and have secure-boot enabled in the bios. Then follow the above steps for the Win10 EFI install. I've noticed that in installing to an unallocated partition (which windows automatically will format and partition if allowed to), the hidden partitions come before the c:\ partition begins. If installing to an MBR drive the 450 MB hidden recovery partition is installed on the tail end of the c:\ System drive instead of before it, and of course there is no additional 100MB EFI partition in that case.

    At least, this is what occurred for me with 10162...;)
     
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  12. agent268

    agent268 MDL Junior Member

    Feb 20, 2012
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    The System Reserved Partition on BIOS/MBR based systems is the partition marked as Active and is home to the core Windows boot components like bootmgr and the BCD. It also is generally home to the Windows RE image (winre.wim) too. Windows stores these items on a separate partition in order to keep them safe and more secure from accidents that may occur on the primary OS partition and ensure one can still at least boot to WinRE.

    In the UEFI/GPT world, the EFI System Partition (ESP) and the WinRE Partition are the technical equivalents to the System Reserved Partition on a BIOS/MBR system. The ESP is required for booting on any UEFI/GPT based system.
     
  13. WaltC

    WaltC MDL Addicted

    Mar 8, 2014
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    Great points...thanks for the clarification...;) Yep, the partitions are so small I wonder why anyone would object to them, especially in light of their obvious purpose...
     
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  14. agent268

    agent268 MDL Junior Member

    Feb 20, 2012
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    No problem. Glad to share the info. I also wonder why people want to delete them too. Maybe through some education that will change their minds.
     
  15. Pointy

    Pointy MDL Junior Member

    May 11, 2015
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    I don't why would anyone want to get rid of it. it can be useful when you re in trouble.
     
  16. Pointy

    Pointy MDL Junior Member

    May 11, 2015
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    and on gpt uefi you can have as many partitions as you want upto 128 I think
     
  17. EFA11

    EFA11 Avatar Guru

    Oct 7, 2010
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    By default the GPT table contains space for defining 128 partitions. But if you want to define more partitions, you can allocate more space to the table.
     
  18. xXBlackWidowXx

    xXBlackWidowXx MDL Junior Member

    May 21, 2015
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    I'm still on MBR, how does GPT handle Linux and logical partitions?
     
  19. EFA11

    EFA11 Avatar Guru

    Oct 7, 2010
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