Windows 7: System Reserved HD?

Well, my grain of salt is that unless someone has the need for that special setup where the limited number of primary partitions comes into play, System Reserved should be left alone. For one, it's the quickest way to fully recover a computer using a system image created by Windows 7 Backup utility.

Please explain.

If you are referring to SysReserved making the Repair Console available by tapping F8 at bootup, be aware that in many cases it will not load WinRE sufficiently into memory to "Recover Using a System Image," but instead require you to reboot with the DVD or Repair CD.

For imaging, this seperate partition containing the MBR creates a few challenges.

1. You should make a seperate image of this small partition containing the MBR just to be sure you have it if the drive goes south. You need to make that image only once because it does not change over time. Restoring this little partition is not required as long as the disk drive remains operational.

2. During the restoration of the OS partition from an image, you must not mark the OS partition as active nor must you restore the MBR because the active partition is the little partition and the MBR was not imaged when you imaged the OS partition.

3. If the little MBR partition resides on a seperate physical drive as is the case of the OP desktop, there is the additional problem that you need 2 physical drives for booting and problems with any one drive will make booting impossible.

Really? Well, I will readily admit I didn't try that in person, so I took the documentation at face value. Therefore, I humbly remove myself from this discussion..

I must admit that the OP's original disk & boot setup looks superbly weird. It looks like he installed Win 7 on one partition, than on the other, then wiped the first one.

We see this about once a month here. It apparently happens when OP chooses one HD for install, it creates the 100mb System Reserved partition there, then OP perhaps inadvertantly clicks on another HD and OS install begins there.

Another good reason to unplug any extra HD during install.

Here's a screenshot of how it is now....

Backup your files and save a Windows 7 Backup Image externally so you an start over if necessary, since resizing a partiiton can fail - although we haven't had it fail yet here using free Partition Wizard bootable CD.

Boot PW CD, allow files to load, choose 1 for Screen Res, rightclick System Reserved partition to Delete, OK.

Now rightclick E, select Resize, drag left grey border all the way to the left over deleted 100mb space, OK.

Next rightclick Windows 7 partition, select Modify>Set to Active, OK. Apply all Steps.

When steps complete, shut down and swap HD cables, or set Windows 7 HD as first HD to boot (after DVD) in BIOS setup.

Now boot the Windows 7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots to write the MBR to Windows 7.

Sorry, but I'm totally lost on all that.

That's what I was afraid you would say. Although all these steps are easy (for us geeky guys), there are enough traps in it for failure. You are liable to end up with a bunch of problems.
Your current setup is a little unusual and none of us would probably leave it at that, but it works and the risks are not too great. Short of a disk failure or damage to one of the 2 partitions, you will stay operational.
I suggest you leave it as is for the time being and come back to it once you have a better understanding of:

- Live bootable CDs and how to get them to boot
- Manipulating partitions
- BIOS settings
- Use of the Repair Console

I personally think that "do nothing" is the safest way for you to proceed right now. In the meantime you might want to aquaint yourself with each of the above subjects one by one.

I'm sorry I don't understand, but I appreciate everyone's help. whs, could you tell me why my set up is "unusual"?