Secondary drive is system reserved - how to open?

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  1. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
       #1

    Secondary drive is system reserved - how to open?


    My PC crashed, sent it back to ASUS, I think they reformatted the HD (they won't say!). Upon return I did a reinstall with the backup disks, BUT... connected the secondary hard drive before the reinstall. Big mistake, now that drive is "system reserved," and I can't access the files on it. I have to have those files - this was my backup. Any suggestions?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       #2

    Post a screen shot of a full screen Disk Management window.

    To open Disk Management, press Windows key+r, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter or click GO. Make it full screen.

    How to Use the Snipping Tool in Vista - Vista Forums (says it's for Vista but also works with Win 7).

    Use the Browse and Attach This File buttons below the text input area while using the Full editor to upload and insert here.
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  3. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #3

    Hook it up to another pc, the system reserved partition is only 100 MB. Hook it up to another PC the drivers will install and autoplay should run and openup. If not you may have wiped it during the reinstall. Use your install dvd to search the disk.

    Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Here's the screen shot/I tried that


    Screen shot attached. Thanks!

    I tried installing it on another computer, but "system reserved" migrated right along with it.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Secondary drive is system reserved - how to open?-diskmgmt-screen.jpg  
      My Computer

  5.    #5

    Your C drive in the screenshot is being booted by the System Reserved partition on the same HD as signified by the System Active flags.

    If that's the Win7 you want to keep then you only need to move the data off of Disk1 onto Disk0 and then wipe Disk1 with Diskpart Clean Command to get it cleanest for repartitioning in Disk Mgmt.

    Be aware that running Factory Recovery is an inferior install larded with sponsored bloatware and useless duplicate utilities that throttle Win7 native performance. You'd be much better off following the steps to get a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

    At the minimum I'd Clean Up Factory Bloatware
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 13,576
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #6

    Your Data is still there on H, have you been able to access it yet ?
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  7. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    No access to files on reserved drive


    No. I know they're there, but I just can't access them. You'd think there would be a way to just "unlock" the drive without losing the data that's on it.
      My Computer

  8.    #8

    "System Reserved" is a partition created by Win7 to boot itself, not an error given when files failed to be accessed.

    Go to Start>Computer>H drive. What is the problem with copying your data over to C or D by dragging it to the correct folder on the left-hand Explorer bar?

    Please report back any actual error message you're getting.

    If necessary use the Take Ownership Shortcut
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 7
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Thanks for the comment. BUT - the problem is that I can't even see the files, no less access or move them. The only reason I suspect they are still on the drive is that, when I right click on the F drive (the drive in question) and click on properties, it shows that 54 MB are used and 46 MB are free, which is how it was before this whole mess started.

    To recap: I had already connected my secondary drive when I ran system restore on this PC; consequently, Windows 7 made that entire drive "system reserved," and I am no longer able to access the files there - they are hidden. If I could just un-hide them then I could move them to my primary hard drive, which works just fine, and then reformat the secondary drive. I just don't want to reformat that drive until I get my files off it.
      My Computer

  10.    #10

    Why do you keep referring to the HD becoming "System Reserved?" We can see in Disk Mgmt that System Reserved is just one partition which was previously booting that HD, not the whole drive. It's like saying your car has become it's tire.

    Because the HD shows up in Disk Mgmt with each partition correctly assigned a letter it should also show up in Explorer when you click on Computer or rightclick on the partition in Disk Mgmt to Explore. If not run a Disk Check or Partition Wizard Check File System.

    As a last resort follow the suggestions AddRAM made to Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console, or use Paragon Rescue Kit Free Edition 11.0 Free to copy files to the other HD.
      My Computer


 
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