Windows 7: Extra System drive created during install, how to delete?

I have just reinstalled Windows 7 Pro 64 bit on my new SSD disc which has 2 partitions, C containing the operating system, and D where I have my documents located. In addition I have another disc, E, which I use to save backups on, and a third disc with my F drive for storing pictures.

Somehow, when doing a clean install of Windows 7 the F drive has become a System drive. This means that when I do a System Image it includes the F drive. How can I change the F drive from System, Active, Primary Partition to just a Primary Partition so that only the C drive is included in the System Image?

Formatting the F drive does not work, unsurprisingly, but I am hoping that there is a way to do what I want without having to reinstall, which has taken me over one day so far.

Viv

Please post back a screenshot of your maximized Disk Management drive map and listings:

1. Type Disk Management in Start Search box.
2. Open Disk Mgmt. window and maximize it.
3. Type Snipping Tool in Start Search box.
4. Open Snipping Tool, choose Rectangular Snip, draw a box around full map and all listings.
5, Save Snip, attach using paper clip in Reply Box.

We will confirm that the normal procedure to Mark Win7 Partition Active then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times will not run into any problems.

Thanks for offering to help. Here is the image requested.



Viv

This should be a better quality image.



Viv

Hi Viv yes it looks like the problem is that it wrote the System boot files to the first partition on first HD. This is a good reason to have the OS HD plugged into Disk0 and set to boot first in BIOS Setup. The solution will rectify this as well as recreate the 100mb System Reserved partition which is normally meant to boot Windows 7.

Back up your files on C, in Disk Management create a Primary NTFS partition in the 100mb unallocated space, label it System Reserved: Partition or Volume - Create New

Then Mark 100mb Partition Active.

Next mark F Inactive: Partition - Mark as Inactive - Windows 7 Forums

Now power down and unplug F HD, plug its data cable into C HD so that it becomes Disk0, making sure it remains set as first HD to boot in BIOS setup.

Next boot the Windows 7 DVD or System Repair Disk to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until Windows 7 starts and the 100mb partition is marked System Active. You should also now have System Recovery Options on the F8 Advanced Boot Options by using this method.

You can now plug back in F HD to Disk 2 cable to use as data drive. If it should interfere at all with Windows 7 the procedure is to move the data off to wipe the HD with Diskpart Clean Command

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately the C & D drives are on an SSD drive which is plugged into a PCI card. I am wondering if I can do anything in BIOS, but a quick look suggests not. The other possiblity is disconnecting the 2 conventional hard drives to see if that forces my SSD disk to be recognised as Disk 0.

Viv

Try that, if not unplug all other HD's while running Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots on Windows 7 HD, after marking F Inactive and creating a Primary NTFS partition which you mark Active.

You'll have to be vigilant that no other partitions become marked Active so that during repairs it rewrites the System boot files to the first Active partition. Keep System Reserved Active if you reinstall to avoid this again.

Thanks, I now have a working system again.

No problems after repairing the system with only the SSD drive connected, but reconnecting the other HDDs stopped Windows loading. Trying them one at a time enabled me to see that somehow one of the partitions on one of the HDDs had become Active. The other problem was the order of the disks had become rearranged so I had to go into the BIOS and make the SSD the first drive. This solved the problem.

Many thanks again, I am much happier now.

Viv