Having a separate Data Partition?

You did a clean install last week so presumably all your data is backed up. So it's seems the worse thing that can happen is you may need to do a clean install again.
With Partition Wizard use the bootable version NOT the installed version.

Why such a large system reserved partition? 100MB is the default and really too small. 200MB is good and 300MB on the conservatively high side.

Edit: I think 80GB would be a good choice for C:. Nothing less.

mjf said:

You did a clean install last week so presumably all your data is backed up. So it's seems the worse thing that can happen is you may need to do a clean install again.
With Partition Wizard use the bootable version NOT the installed version.

Why such a large system reserved partition? 100MB is the default and really too small. 200MB is good and 300MB on the conservatively high side.

Edit: I think 80GB would be a good choice for C:. Nothing less.

The System Reserved partition was like that when I got the system, I have kept it the way it is (even through the clean install)

Ok, so I should just bootup the disc and shrink the partition? I just backed up my system. No need to disable anything or any other prep?

So it is recommended to have your data on a separate partition right?

Correct.
For all the reasons mentioned, I have been using a Data partition for at least 20 years.
No need for any other prep.

As mentioned previously, you have received good advice, many members here use Partition Wizard and recommend it to others, with no problems.
I have used it many times and it is an excellent tool, it will do easily what the native Win7 Disk Management can not do.

If you have a system backup, then you are safe to proceed.
Use Method Two in this tutorial posted previously:
Partition / Extended : Logical Drives

Your first partition is a Toshiba Recovery partition.

Where did you store the backup?
It is best to put it on another HDD or external HDD, but if you don't have those putting it on your system HDD is better than not having one.
It is highly recommended to get an external HDD for backup storage.

Let us know your progress, and if you have any questions.

I have stored the backup on an External Seagate 500GB drive, so it should be safe. I'm currently a little busy right now and will probably have to pick this up tomorrow. I will keep you guys updated though.


I'll keep my fingers crossed :)

I did not read every post of this thread so I apologize if I repeat things. But here something to watch for:

1. if you already have 4 primary partitions (as many brand new OEM systems have), you cannot proceed without first converting one primary into a logical partition. Check that in Disk Management.

2. Here is my tutorial how to create a Data Partition and how to move the user data. ( Data Partition ). It may help you. It is very important that you first create empty folders in the new partition (you can name them anything - the system will rename them anyhow) and move (with MOVE in the Location tab of Properties) your user folders to these empty folders (e.g. Docs to F1, Music to F2, etc.). Do not move your user folders to the data partition itself. That will create a mess.

Hi whs, the OP has two primary partitions, Toshiba Recovery partition and the C partition with Win7 and data.
The new partition can be Logical or Primary, personally I would make it Logical.

Dave76 said:

Hi whs, the OP has two primary partitions, Toshiba Recovery partition and the C partition with Win7 and data.
The new partition can be Logical or Primary, personally I would make it Logical.

Actually, I don't know if the other partition is the Toshiba Recovery Partition, there was a 8GB partition called "HDDRecovery", but after I installed Ubuntu (sadly before making a recovery DVD), it was useless. When I reinstalled Windows, I deleted that partition since it had no use anymore. That one GB partition has always been there too, I assumed it was the System Reserved partition, but I soon figured out that since there wasn't a boot option to get to the recovery options that the partition holds, I figured it was something else important and that I shouldn't touch it.

I just saw the Disk Management snip. Sorry I missed it before.