Partitions in Windows 7

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by shadowstep, Jul 5, 2010.

  1. shadowstep

    shadowstep MDL Member

    May 2, 2010
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  2. Phazor

    Phazor MDL Expert

    Sep 1, 2009
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    #2 Phazor, Jul 5, 2010
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2010
    I never heard of 7 making a boot partition of that size.

    Besides, it has an 'OEM Partition' attribute whereas the C: partition has the 'Boot/Active' attributes so it can only be something related to the recovery stuff.

    Could be that it holds a small DOS or Linux environment to provide a user interface for the recovery.


    EDIT: Removed some nonsense.

    The fact that it says 100% free space doesnt necessarily mean its empty since Windows cant even read the filesystem...
     
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  3. fdjc

    fdjc MDL Member

    Feb 27, 2010
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    Windows 7 creates this when you install it, its for managing boot or temp space for during OS installation, some craic like that.
    I would leave it alone dude
     
  4. shadowstep

    shadowstep MDL Member

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    I can't do anything with it. Whenever I right click on it, only the "Help" option is visible (as compared to the other partitions, wherein whenever I right click on them, I can see more options like Shrink Volume, Merge, Help, Extend Volume, Delete Volume, Format, Properties, etc.)

    Thanks for the info, but are you like really sure? I mean if it was created for managing temp space during OS install, is isn't required anymore since the OS has been installed. And whenever I re-install the OS, it will automatically create it again. Right?
     
  5. fdjc

    fdjc MDL Member

    Feb 27, 2010
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    I think so yea, I haven't got that on my laptop as I have Ubuntu, XP and 7 but its on all other PC's iv put windows 7 on, usually takes up to 100MB,
    in your case it could even be a diagnostic partition that comes with the Dell's there.

    Il have a wee look round on the net later to confirm dude, gota head out now fix a mates broadband...god damn BT.
     
  6. Rosco

    Rosco MDL Addicted

    Oct 29, 2007
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    No - if it were the partition Windows creates it would be labelled "System Reserved" and it would be your "System, Active, Primary Partition"

    So it is a mystery but maybe related to the recovery partition - the fact Windows doesn't offer choices for it means its file system isn't recognized.

    Oh, and Windows creates the 100 MB "system partition" so you can run Bitlocker Drive Encryprtion - the boot code can't boot an encrypted drive without the decryption code running so Bitlocker requires unencrypted drive space to load those files from at bootup - besides it would be rather pointless if encrypted drives simply loaded up.
     
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  7. Pegatron

    Pegatron MDL Member

    Jul 5, 2010
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    See what it is!

    Use a live disc and see what's in there!
     
  8. urie

    urie Moderator
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  9. TainterGate

    TainterGate MDL Novice

    Mar 25, 2010
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    #9 TainterGate, Jul 6, 2010
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2010
    What's that mysterious 100-MB partition?

    If you install Windows 7 on a clean disk with no existing partitions, it creates a System Reserve partition of 100 MB at the beginning of the disk and uses the remainder of the unallocated space to create your system drive. That small partition isn't assigned a drive letter, so you won't even know it exists unless you look in the Disk Management console or use Diskpart or a similar low-level utility to inspect the disk structure.

    This stub of a partition, new in Windows 7, serves two functions. First, it holds the Boot Manager code and the Boot Configuration Database. Second, it reserves space for the startup files required by the BitLocker Drive Encryption feature. If you ever decide to encrypt your system drive using BitLocker, you won't have to repartition your system drive (a genuinely tedious process) to make it possible.

    If you're confident you'll never use BitLocker and prefer to do without the additional complexity of this 100-MB System Reserved partition, your best bet is to make sure it's never created. For a truly clean installation starting from an unformatted hard drive, you must use an alternative disk management utility, such as a setup disk available from many hard-disk manufacturers or a startup disk from Windows Vista. Create a single primary partition using all unallocated space, and then point the installer to the newly created partition as the setup location. Note that you cannot use the graphical disk-management tools available from the Windows 7 DVD to perform this task. After you use the third-party tool to create a partition on the drive, you can point the Windows 7 installer to that location and it will proceed.
     
  10. shadowstep

    shadowstep MDL Member

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    Are you sure? Also, please read ahead ->

    Is it confirmed? I don't want messed up partitions on my hard drive and would hate to re-install everything from the scratch. Also, I don't want Vista back, I'd rather go for XP if I'm not using 7, nor do I want to make a Dell Vista OEM SLP DVD.
     
  11. shadowstep

    shadowstep MDL Member

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    Yes, I will never use BitLocker. Nor do I want to re-install Windows 7 from the very beginning (I've read in the forum on how to prevent this 100 mb system reserved partition from being created, but that procedure only works while installing Windows 7, not after it). My question still remains unanswered though, is it safe to delete it now *AFTER* Windows 7 has been installed?
     
  12. acyuta

    acyuta MDL Expert

    Mar 8, 2010
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    If you really hate it, then delete it on reinstall. I keep it (too much of a hassle, not sure about the consequences of removal, and then 100 MB is nothing, in my case 400 MB, useful for making system images).
     
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  13. Phazor

    Phazor MDL Expert

    Sep 1, 2009
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    It depends on whether you still need what might be on it.

    Its definitely not anything related to Windows, so if you dont care what else it might be then kill it.
     
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  14. urie

    urie Moderator
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    Every one keep mentioning the stupit 100mb partition, you don't have that because you had vista installed i,e you had a system partition so 100mb was not created. I already told you it was the Dell Diagnostic partition you say your are not going to put vista back on then yes you can remove that Dell partition but as you said you do not have dell recovery dvd and wont be able to use the D:\ recovery files you can remove that also. Be warned you may need to integrate sata drivers onto windows xp cd to even install it, so download all the xp drivers needed from dell before installation.
     
  15. shadowstep

    shadowstep MDL Member

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    Thanks a lot! And I think you misunderstood what I wrote. What I really meant was that I'm using Windows 7 currently and would never shift back to Windows Vista (which originally came preinstalled with my laptop), and so, I won't use the Dell Recovery DVD (which I have) as it will reinstall Windows Vista in it. So if I ever want to change my OS, it'll be Windows XP (though I'm not going to change), and that is why I was asking that since I will never use the Dell Recovery DVD (as it will reload Vista) and do not need the files on the D:\ Recovery Partition (since it has Windows Vista files in it), is it safe to delete it using the Windows Disk management Utility and extend my E:\ Partition (safe as in two things - a.) things might get messed up while deleting, etc. the recovery partition; and b.) i don't want to lose my data AT ANY COST which is there in the E:\ Drive)?

    P.S. - I don't care about that hidden partition thing. Let it be there. The space is not even 100mb. I'm not bothered. :)

    Thanks for your help!
     
  16. urie

    urie Moderator
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  17. urie

    urie Moderator
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    You should not lose data if used correctly read help documents.
     
  18. Rosco

    Rosco MDL Addicted

    Oct 29, 2007
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    I think I said it wasn't the Windows 7 system partition and told him why Windows creates the system partition.

    He can probably easily add the free space to his C: partition after deleting both the small, insignificant partition and the other one.
     
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  19. shadowstep

    shadowstep MDL Member

    May 2, 2010
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    Okay. Thanks!

    Yup. Thanks! And I'll add the space to my E: partition, C: has enough free. :p