Windows 7: Eliminating the 100MB partition on reinstallation on SSd

Hi,

I have been running windows7 for a year now on my pc. Its super fast and I love it. However; I have struggled to get Home Groups to work, and there are some other aggravating issues that I think I'll clear up by re-installign windows. I'll be using my family pack of Windows7 Upgrade DVDs to get it done.

Currently, I have a kingston 128 (maybe its bigger, don't recall) SSD that I keep my OS on. I have a 1TB HDD that I keep my data, user profiles, and all temp files on. So, I currently have a drive letter "D" that is the 100MB reserved partition. I already don't like keeping all my stuff on a second drive, but the idea that its on "F" is really odd to me.

I see that I can use DISKPART to re-do the partitions on my drive. I guess that I'll do that (any drawbacks ?). I'd really like to ditch the 100MB partition, as I have not had that on any of my past XP installs. I read that I do not need to re-align the SSD as I am not imaging, but rather "freshinstalling." I'll be wiping the whole SSD, and be down to one partition, if I can. The DISKPART stuff looks fairly confusing, but since I have a small drive and am not dual booting anything, hopefully its simpler.

I already checked the trim command and AHCI stuff last time, and I doubt that any of it would change.

System Reserved partitions do not normally have a drive letter. If it didn't have a drive letter, you could presumably assign the letter D to your 1 TB drive.

If you are going to do a clean install anyway, that doesn't matter. Yes, diskpart can bypass the creation of a System Reserved partition.

Here's the method.

Disconnect all hard drives other than the SSD.

Boot from the Windows 7 installation disc. Hit Shift F10 at the first screen where you are asked to choose a language.

A command prompt will appear. Type diskpart into that prompt.

Type in the following commands one by one, followed by the Enter key to create a partition (text in brackets are comments only):

list disk (to show the ID number of the hard disk to partition, normally Disk 0)

select disk 0 (change 0 to another number if applicable)

clean (this wipes the drive of anything on it)

create partition primary (this will create one primary partition covering the entire SSD)

select partition 1 (this selects the partition you just made)

active (this marks that partition active)

format fs=ntfs quick (this formats the drive)

exit (this quits the diskpart program)

exit (this closes the command prompt window)

Continue Windows 7 installation as usual. Remember to highlight and select the partition just created when you come to the partition screen asking "where do you want to install Windows?"

Man, that is great ! I really appreciate the fast response. I'll follow your instructions. I don't know why the drive letter for that small reserved partition was always visible. It drove me nuts. Hopefully it won't do that again.

Have a good weekend.
Richard

Always remove the drive letter from a System Reserved partition: Drive Letter - Add, Change, or Remove in Windows 7 - Windows 7 Forums

SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

Thanks for that info, I'll read up on that. I found that the "extra" drive letter is actually on the HDD, not the SSD that my OS is on. I guess that when I set up windows backup a long time ago, it created that. I don't mind keeping it if its needed, and I would prefer to hide that letter, as your link suggests.

Thanks again,
I appreciate it,
Richard

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.

Tell us what is on each partition.

You have a System Reserved partition on another HD from the OS HD? In Disk Mgmt is it marked with the System Active flag? What is the Windows 7 (C) partition marked with?