Windows 7: Unallocated 7.84 mb space materializes (from Outer Space?)

Hi,

I went to a lot of trouble to consolidate the 100 mb (BCD/bitlocker etc) partition that Windows 7 unexpectedly created when I installed 7 some months ago.



Since then I've configured a 7/XP as multi-boot system and thought it was stable. C: stored 7, D: stored XP, and there were 2 additional partitions.

Tonight Partition Wizard (bootable) tells me there is an unallocated 7.84 mb logical partition occupying sectors 0-16064. Neither 7 nor XP reports the existence of this space.

Definite details about the origin of such a storage mystery would be much appreciated.

Thx,
P

Sounds like a partition alignment problem, as sectors 0-16064 are normally the first track on a hard disk.

Update on V4 progression

Did you ever have a Linux partition on that computer?

Never.

I built the system last May. Installed Windows 7-64 Home Prem. , then XP (multi-boot), and added 2 data partitions. A second identical HD stores a bit-for-bit copy of what is on the first.

P

I *think* Partition Wizard (Bootable CD) will correct that. Although I have not done so personally.

Windows XP leaves a very small unallocated space on the hard drive during its install. Its reserved for data related to making the partition part of a dynamic disk. If memory serves me right its around 8 megs on my XP PC. It also doesn't show up in Disk management on my XP PC but I know its there.

So Alpha - best for OP to leave it alone?

Alpha is dead on , I would leave it alone

I always just left it, its only ~8 megs. I couldn't be bothered loading a third party partitioning app just to get ride of it. Once you installed XP it was out of site out of mind anyway. I just noticed that during the XP install, even if created a new partition, there was always this little bit left over. That got me curious so I did some digging to figure out what it was for. I don't think anything would happen if you recovered that space, unless you tried to setup a dynamic disk. Thats not something I think to many people do these days. Its up to you if you want to nuke it, just don't blame me if bad things happen.

I appreciate your responses, and have heard of the dynamic-disk thingness before, but ...

The problem is not what to do with the 7.84 mb space, but rather determining where it came from.

Around 06-01-2010 I installed Windows 7 and was amazed to find it had written the first partition of 100mb (BCD, bitlocker, etc). It cost lots of time to find out what it was and consolidate it into the functional Windows 7 partition. Acute Heartburn!

By 08-11 I was certain that I wouldn't place primary reliance on Windows 7, so I spent lots of time learning about Windows 7/XP multi-boot, then installed XP as the 2nd partition. It did not create the 7.84 mb space.

The thing is, I need total control of what is stored on my HD's in order to specify and execute my backup strategy. I suppose I'm kinda "old school" in that it flat-out boggles my poor brain that *any* software product would write some unknown and unspecified (to the user) storage entity to a HD. Even worse that it would hide it from common program facilities like "Disk Management".

So, I'm just after control. Where did it come from? How can I prevent it from re-appearing?

Thanks,
P

SYMPTOMS
During Setup, if you choose to create a partition that uses the remaining space on a disk, you cannot use the maximum space available on the disk.

For example, if you choose to create a 4096-MB partition on a disk that has only 4096 MB available, the actual partition that is created may be 4095 MB or less in size.

CAUSE
Some space at the end of the disk is reserved by Setup in case you later want to upgrade the disk to a dynamic disk. Dynamic disk information is saved at the end of the disk. The amount that is reserved is a minimum of one cylinder, or 1MB, whichever is greater. One cylinder can be up to 8MB, depending on drive geometry and translation.