Okay to delete System Reserved on xp?

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  1. Posts : 6
    Windows 8 64 bit
       #1

    Okay to delete System Reserved on xp?


    I'm sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I was wondering if it was fine to delete the system reserved partition because I decided to use windows xp after realizing Windows 7 had too much requirements. I changed my default boot to windows xp in easybcd and deleted the windows 7 boot entry.

    Basically, I want to delete the System Reserved Drive and combine my windwos 7 drive with my windows xp since I decided to forgo Windows 7. Can I just use a partition manager to delete the system reserved drive and combine my windwos 7 drive to windows xip to get more space?
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  2. Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       #2

    Post a screen capture of an expanded Disk Management window please.
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  3.    #3

    Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image - Windows 7 Forums

    Tell us what's on each partition and we'll give you the steps to do what you want.
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  4. Posts : 6
    Windows 8 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Basically, my d drive is the mian windwos xp drive. I wanna ditch and format the h dirve so I can combine with the widnwos xp drive for more space and hopefully be able to delete the c drive so I can change the letter of my current d drive to the default c drive.

    P.S. and the usb partition is jsut the 32 gb usb I'm using to move things.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Okay to delete System Reserved on xp?-untitled.png  
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  5. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #5

    From this screenshot it is hard to tell. You have to open the 'Status' field completely so that we can read the full text.

    If in doubt, leave the 100MB partition alone. You have acres of space on that disk. The 100 extra Megabytes are really not going to make any difference.
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  6.    #6

    How did you get XP on D? It should be on C since it has to be installed from boot so claims C. I've seen Win7 be blocked from claiming C when installed from another OS, but not XP. How did you install both?

    Perhaps you should explain more fully what changes you've made since there is not Active flag or even a Boot flag telling us what OS you're booted into (though we can tell by the GUI it's XP). Is WIn7 still booting? If so its likely booting off XP partition as signified by the System flag. It would help to see a Win7 screenshot if so.

    It should be safe to delete Win7 partition, and System Reserved since it would be marked System if it held any boot files and was operable - same with Win7. But it would be good to see one other Disk mgmt screenshot from either Win7 or free Partition Wizard.

    You can recover the disk space once the two partitions are deleted using Partition Wizard Resize Partition - Video Help. Use the boot CD which is safest.
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  7. Posts : 11,408
    ME/XP/Vista/Win7
       #7

    1) The screenshot is from WinXP.
    2) Windows 7 was installed first making the 100mb System Reserved partition.
    3) Than WinXP was installed, making the 100mb System Reserved partition, it's boot partition.

    Therefore deleting the C: partition, will make the Windows 7 & WinXP installs unbootable.
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  8.    #8

    The System flag is on XP partition which signifies that system boot files are on XP partition unless Disk Mgmt is wrong.

    This is why I asked for secondary screenshots from Win7 or Partition Wizard, to confirm this.

    From what I've seen XP is not sophisticated enough to place its boot files on any other than its own partition.
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  9. Posts : 6
    Windows 8 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Here you guys. Basically, I installed Windwos xp first then 7. Change my easybcd to boot windos xp. and then booted windwos xp.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Okay to delete System Reserved on xp?-windows-screenshot.png  
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  10.    #10

    The second, PW screenshot confirms XP holds its own System Boot files and is in fact marked Active so everything is in order. The only way we could confirm this better is Partition Wizard boot CD.

    What I would do is save a XP backup image to external or another HD of just the XP partition using Macrium - Image your system or your imaging app.

    Then you can delete SySReserved and Win7 partitions using PW Boot CD to Resize XP into the space to its left. Partition Wizard Resize Partition - Video Help. Use the boot CD which will not fail as all others besides Disk Mgmt can.

    However sometimes resizing on the boot sector can cause an OS to become unbootable requiring bootrec repairs from XP Repair command line, or even an XP Repair Install from booted CD. This is why I suggest saving a backup image first. You can also leave XP partition where it is.
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