Hello,
Installing Win-7 on my laptop with 750GB HD. Wanted to have 4 partitions but could not do so.
Right now I have
System - 100MB; C:\ ; D:\ as primary partitions and
E:\ and F:\ are logical drives
Is that the correct configuration or am I making a mistake? Please let me know.
Thanks.
You say you wanted to have 4 partitions.
Looks to me like you have 4 partitions plus a "system reserved" partition.
What's wrong with that?
Post a picture of Windows Disk Management.
There's a decent argument for not having a bunch of partitions, but I assume you think you need them--rather than maybe 2 partitions with a series of folders.
yes, but the partitions for E and F are logical drives instead of primary partitions (C, D are Primary partitions).
Will upload a pic if you still need. My old unit w/XP had 4 partitions and that is what I was migrating to but seems that this "system reserved" messes things up in Win-7
Windows will want to force you to extended/logical partitions if you go beyond 3 primary.
There's nothing wrong with extended and logical partitions, although you seem to think they are "messed up".
Just use the logical partitions as you want to. Or use a scheme that doesn't require that many partitions. You're likely just wasting space with that many partitions, but it's your choice.
Post a pic of Windows Disk Managment.
I have a quick pic since this laptop does not have any software installed on it yet. Hopefully it give enough info. else I'll take a better pic tomorrow.
Tough to read that picture, but it looks OK. There are 7 items in the list. The last 4 represent the 4 partitions on Disk 0, where C is located.
You have 4 primary partitions on Disk 0: System Reserved, C, D, and the extended partition which contains the logical partitions E and G.
Nothing wrong with that.
Looks like you just installed Windows?
Windows doesn't require System Reserved partition, but you get it with a normal install. It can be avoided. It contains your boot files. To get rid of it, you'd do one of these 2 things:
Copy boot files to C with a program such as Easy BC Edit or:
Reinstall Windows and make your partitions with Diskpart very early in the installation.
The result would be no System Reserved. Boot files would be on C.
That's what I did. I didn't want a System Reserved.
Or stay with the current situation. As I said, nothing wrong with it.
Windows has forced you into an extended/logical setup because you wanted more than 3 primary partitions.
The only partition that has to be primary is the boot partition (System Reserved in this case).
If you created 4 primary partitions, you would be stuck and would not be able to create any more partitions without deleting an existing one. That's why Windows 7 doesn't want you to do it. If you absolutely insist, I think you can force 4 primary partitions without an extended in Diskpart. But that's unnecessary as there's nothing wrong with extended/logical.
7 items - perhaps could have removed the usb thumb drive to make things easier.
However, I thought I need the System Reserved in order to use Windows System Image and Restore.
I think you mean - create partitions on HDD using Disk Part when one comes to Language screen while installing, then install Win-7 on C: etc. I've read about it on the forums and am a bit confused as to the benefits of doing that.
My different partitions were for - Document, Images/Videos, Music and VM in XP. So was wondering why it was an issue in Win-7.
Yes. I am still in the Audit mode and would like to ensure that all is well before installing drivers etc and making a system image (thanks to people like Kari).
thanks for your help.
I thought I read in these forums that one needs it for System Restore (WinPE or something). But could be mistaken.
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