Windows 7: What is the system reserve partition in Win 7

I know you are supposed to backup the system reserve partition along with the main C: (installation) partition.

Some questions:

1) What exactly is the reserve partition and is it necessary to keep it ?

2) When you restore the main C: drive to a previous image...Is it necessary to restore the system partition also ?

3) My main PC (Win 7 pro 64bit) does not have a system partition...I'm assuming it's because I built this system from scratch.

4) If there is nothing on my other Win 7 Pro 32 bit system partition (Pretty much rebuilt when we added win 7 pro 32 bit a year or so ago) that's used from the manufacturer (HP Pavilion older media center)...is it necessary too maintain the reserve partition ?

Thanks....TRinAZ

1. This partition contains the bootmgr. If you delete it, you system will not boot any more.

2. No. I would image it only once and keep that image in a safe place for the case that your HDD dies and you have to transport it to a new HDD. But since it never changes (unless you decide to add an additional OS on this HDD), there is no need to reimage it all the time.

3. That can happen if you install Windows 7 to a predefined partition. Then the bootmgr is on C.

4. Just keep it as is and leave it alone.

My usual disclaimer: I'm not an expert at anything.

1. The reserve partition is usually 100MB. It contains the bootmgr which is what helps your computer to boot. It's called an active partition because without it your computer is just an expensive door stop.

2. The answer to this really depends on which imaging tool you're going to use. For example, if you use the built in Windows 7 imaging tool it will automatically image everything on your hard drive. When it comes time to use that image it will automatically replace everything on your hard drive. But if you use another imaging tool like Macrium free, you can select which partition(s) to image. A lot of people just image the C: drive because that's what changes over time. The reserve partition shouldn't change. But it wouldn't hurt to image the reserve partition "just in case".

3. As above, it should be OK to just image the C: drive. I'm not sure what you mean when you say you don't have a system partition. Did you mean the system reserve partition? If so, as long as your computer is working properly, no worries.

4. There should be no need to maintain the reserve partition other than perhaps making an image and storing it safely some place (like an external hard drive.) In fact, I've heard stories that changing the reserve partition by increasing or decreasing partiton size, etc can cause major problems.

If I've made any errors in what I've said I'm sure other more knowledgeable forum members will correct me.

EDIT: whs beat me to it. He taught me everything I know and he's faster on the keyboard than me!

As already stated, the system reserved partition houses the boot record and deleting it will render your computer unbootable. It will also be the active partition that Windows looks for when you boot up your computer.

In addition, having it gives you the facility to boot into the Windows recovery environment by tapping the F8 key at startup.

It is possible during a Windows install to extend the system reserved partition and install Windows to it so that the Windows partition becomes the active partition that contains both the master boot record and the operating system, but you do lose the F8 function.

In line with marsimar, if I've given you wrong information, the cavalry will soon put us right.

marsmimar, that was very nice of you to say that. I am glad that I can contribute and that you are learning from my posts. But my typing skills are dismal.


seavixen, I would not so that. Just leave it alone. There are many circumstances where the little partition is useful.

Ok, here comes the cavalry. The only thing the sysres is required for is bitlocker, if you use that feature. Its not required for F8-Repair your computer to function (this is about the nth time I'm saying it and soon I'll start sounding like a parrot). So, IF you wish you can manage things without sysres quite nicely. But if you're lazy like me and already have it, let it be, its harmless and only takes a corner of your massive hard disk.

"this is about the nth time I'm saying it and soon I'll start sounding like a parrot"

As long as you don't start looking like one!!

Thanks for putting me right, I'll try and remember it for future posts of a similar nature.

You might as well image it along with the rest of your OS. It's only 100-200 MB and takes seconds to image. At least that way if you need to restore then you know where to find it.

It seems ironic that this 100MB partition, which MS implemented no doubt to head-off boot problems from corrupted C drives, is itself causing confusion and problems amongst users...

Can you go over this for the n+1 time.
This is all related to another key element in the system reserved partition which hasn't been mentioned. In system reserved, within a folder called [Boot] is the important BCD store. This points the boot manager were to go to load the operating system (one OS or multi boot options).
My understanding is it facilitates the F8 function. If the system reserved partition is done away with and [Boot]/BCD is located in the OS partition, F8 is lost.
You then have to use Reagentc to assign another Fn to the Repair function, eg. F9.

And this is how you do it
100 MB Partition

Is this incorrect?