Disc Management problem

Novel8 · 28 Apr 2014

Never attempted to use this win 7 feature until I just done my first build and installed Win 7. I have a 500 gb sata HD with just my C drive. Recently I wanted to add a partition for just my photos and etc and some small programs that I seldom use. Stupid me, I created a 100 MB partition. I think I know how to increase that partition, but upon looking at my system in DM, I saw another 100 MB Partition? in front of my C drive. The one I created came after my C drive. I didn't know or even noticed that part before, so I don't know if it was always there or I made a mistake somehow. I tried to delete it, but delete is greyed out. BTW, the info in that section says:System Reserve 100 MB NTSF Healthy ( System Active Primary Partition ) and the one I created says Unallocated....100 MB. Do I need that partition? If so, what is its purpose?

derekimo · 28 Apr 2014

You don't want to mess with that system reserved partition, that is what is booting your computer, (The System and Active labels on that).

The reason it isn't seen in Explorer is the lack of a drive letter, that is done on purpose to keep it hidden, except in disk management.

Here is a tutorial for posting a screenshot of your disk management, that will help with further advice,

Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

You might already be familiar with these,

Partition or Volume - Shrink

Partition or Volume - Create New

I recommend posting back and asking questions before doing anything further.

AddRAM · 28 Apr 2014

It`s much easier for a novice to use Partition Wizard to make and manipulate partitions.

But please post the shot of Disk Management as Derek has asked before you go any further.

Best Free Partition Manager Freeware and free partition magic for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Vista and Windows XP 32 bit & 64 bit. MiniTool Free Partition Manager Software Home Edition.

How to resize Partition for Windows Server 2000/2003/2008 or Windows XP/7/Vista with partition magic manager software? Move/Resize Partition Help.

whs · 28 Apr 2014

Right, a screenshot of your disk management would be helpful. There are a lot of traps you can fall into with disk management.

E.g you cannot have more than 4 primary partitions or more than 3 primary partitions and 1 extended partition. But then you can have a lot of logical partitions (up to 120) that are created under the umbrella of the extended partition. If you violate those rules, you get dynamic partitions and those are a bitch and very hard to work with.

In fact the only primary partition you need is the one that contains the bootmgr (the active partition). All other partitions can be logical partitions - even the C partition if you have an active 100MB system partition (or another partition that is active). Unfortunately the OEMs have made it a (bad) habit to make every partition a primary. Then the uninitiated user is stuck and does not know what to do when he wants an additional partition.

Disk Management is very hard to work with (e.g. for shrinking large bits). It is better to use Partition Wizard home edition. And here is their tutorial section with a video tutorial for any possible operation. If you want to make any operation on the C partition, you need to use the bootable CD of Partition Wizard.

And very important: Image your system before you manipulate partitions. It is easy to lose a partition when you make a minor mistake - has happened to me too, LOL.

Novel8 · 29 Apr 2014

derekimo said:

You don't want to mess with that system reserved partition, that is what is booting your computer, (The System and Active labels on that).

The reason it isn't seen in Explorer is the lack of a drive letter, that is done on purpose to keep it hidden, except in disk management.

Here is a tutorial for posting a screenshot of your disk management, that will help with further advice,

Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

You might already be familiar with these,

Partition or Volume - Shrink

Partition or Volume - Create New

I recommend posting back and asking questions before doing anything further.

here is a picture of my Disk Manager what threw me is that the reserve and the created unallocated are 100 MB's....is this a coincidence?

whs · 29 Apr 2014

Pure coincidence. but don't touch the system reserved partition.