Merging System Partition With Main Partition

[sevenben]

For the past several years I've been using 1 partition for my main SSD hard drive.
Today I tried to install a second 4TB SATA hard drive and in the process Windows 7 made a new system partition and moved that to my secondary hard drive...
By unplugging that hard drive the system partition appeared on my SSD. I want to merge it so that I only have 1 partition on my SSD again.
Please see attachments:


Then once I've done that I'd like to know how to set-up a second hard drive with 1 single partition on that as well.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Ben.

 

[AddRAM]

Did you have to run startup repair or something ?

No way could windows make a partition on the new hard drive unless you told it to.

All`s you do is hook up the drive, startup the pc and format the new drive in Disk Management.

 

[sevenben]

Thanks for a quick response.
I was initializing the new drive and it did it then.
What about my first question?
How do I get my main hard drive all one partition again?
Thanks,
Ben.

 

[AddRAM]

You`d have to set C as active, then run startup repair, once the system files show on C, then you can delete the SR partition.

Partition Wizard can help you set C active and delete the SR partition and add the space back to C.

There are 2 other ways to do it, I will let others comment on that.

 

[GokAy]

Are you sure it is how it happened?

You had System Reserved (S in your screenshot) all along but it didn't have a drive letter (by default it doesn't). And it doesn't hurt to be there. If you still want it to be gone:

This is the alternative method. Use EasyBCD to move bootmgr to C partition. Then use Partition Wizard free to delete System Reserved (S) and move/resize C into that empty space. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html

Post another screenshot of Disk Management with 4TB attached. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[sevenben]

So I managed to set C as active and get the system on there (also did startup recovery etc). Windows booted fine.
I then went into Partition Wizard and deleted the redundant 100mb partition and then extended C to include the 100mb unallocated space.
Since then I've been unable to boot into windows....
I can't access System Recovery Options either.
I get the message:
"This version of System Recovery Options is not compatible with the version of Windows you are trying to repair..."
I've been going through this link:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219533-troubleshooting-windows-7-failure-boot.html
Nothing has worked.
On number 5:
The first 2 things worked.
"Bootsect /nt60 all /MBR" didn't work. I was told that command was not valid. I was given a list of commands I could do and one of them enabled me to scan for versions of Windows and it found my Windows C. But I still can't boot into it. All my files are there still. Even one called bootmgr...
In Partition Wizard the repair MBR options has vanished. It also doesn't detect the drive as being a Windows drive any more.
Any other suggestions for getting my computer to boot up again?
Can I just do http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ool-how-use-windows-recovery-environment.html via shift+f10 command line? What does it do?
Beyond that what else can I try to get my hard drive bootable again?
Thanks,
Ben.

 

[GokAy]

Do you have "Windows 7 64bit Repair Disk"? You can create one in any 64bit Windows 7 system. Startup repair by booting to that, or you can also use your Windows 7 Installation DVD to get to System Recovery options.

I hope you didn't mess something up, trying all the commands

 

[sevenben]

I just have my Windows 7 ultimate x64 disc. Like I said, I can't get to System Recovery Options because I get the message:
"This version of System Recovery Options is not compatible with the version of Windows you are trying to repair..."
Should I try:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ool-how-use-windows-recovery-environment.html
What does it do?
Thanks,
Ben.

 

[GokAy]

I am not sure what it does but it requires you to boot from the same DVD, so I wonder if it will work.

Is this the same machine as in your System Spec? You need the correct bit install DVD or repair disk.

You can download 32 bit installation ISO from Microsoft Software Recovery if your copy of Windows is retail.

 

[sevenben]

I'm not sure what you mean. The Windows 7 Disc is the same one I used to install Windows 7. System Recovery Options always worked with it before. I'm talking to you via my laptop if that's what you were asking as I can't boot from my main PC.
I get:
"Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key".

 

[Layback Bear]

Where did you get your Windows 7 DVD from??

Did it come from Microsoft??

 

[sevenben]

It's an OEM that came with my computer.

 

[GokAy]

Alright, I guess your 4TB is still in the system? Can you remove it please? Just unplug power cable. Only DVD and your OS drive.

You can read about it here:
This version of System Recovery Options is not compatible with the - Microsoft Community

 

[sevenben]

No I removed it ages ago like I said.
I'm looking at a software called "Easy Recover Essentials" which was linkd on the EasyBCD website. Does anybody have any experience with it? Sadly it isn't free .
Thanks for the help,
Ben.

 

[gregrocker]

I don't know why you would remove the System Reserved partition which was working fine and only needed the unnecessary drive letter removed. This was asking for trouble and completely unnecessary.

There was nothing indicated that required moving the boot manager to C, and certainly not reclaiming the tiny 100mb space from deleted System Reserved into C because there is always a risk from resizing on the boot sector. Even if you used PW bootable disk which will not fail, it may require Startup Repairs to start, and if you used the Windows edition resizing may have failed and scrambled the install - all again a completely unnecessary risk for an apparently imaginary problem.

So try booting into the Win7 disk to confirm C is Partition Marked Active then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times to see if it will boot again.

If not then from the booted Win7 DVD see if your files are intact and then rescue them to external HD by following Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console.

Then do a Clean Reinstall Windows 7 deleting all partitions and this time ignoring the perfectly harmless System Reserved partition which makes no difference whatsoever whether you have it or not.

 

[Layback Bear]

Greg is it possible the the Disc sevenben is referring to is a B/S disc from the computer manufacture and not a Windows 7 DVD and does that matter?

 

[gregrocker]

They way I read it Jack this is his own retail Ultimate disk used to install the OS.

The first error he reports of wrong version of Recovery options often requires some reboots of the PC usually accomplished by trying and failing to run it.

The last error he reports means the disk is being bypassed and trying to boot the hard drive.

Check the condition of the disk for scratches and dirt requiring washing and drying it with a soft cloth.

Where did you get the disk? Did you burn it yourself and if so, how? What was the ISO source? Do you have access to another for that version, or can you burn a System Repair Disk on another 64 bit Windows 7 PC?

 

[sevenben]

In future please can you read the whole thread before passing judgement gregrocker.
The system reserved partition wasn't there before I initialized my new hard dive - I made a point of making it that way when I installed Windows.
And anyway; I successfully moved everything onto C leaving just a 100mb empty partition (and ran startup repair 3 seperate times).
It was when I deleted that empty partition and extended C to again include that 100mb of space that I had problems. I knew it may require Startup Repairs after doing that and that's exactly what I attempted to do. The first time after deleting the 100mb I was able to load the System Recovery Console but it didn't detect my windows. Since then I've been unable to load it.
As stated, all my files are intact. A reformat is not an option and won't ever be an option. I don't have an external hard drive to back any files up onto anyway - that was why I bought this 4tb internal hard drive. I was going to move files from my full external hard drive onto it.
From what I read having the system reserved 100mb partition hurts system performance hence why I didn't want it there in the first place.
I do appreciated you taking the time to try and help me but if you read the whole thread you could have been a lot more helpful.

The disc is not a B/S disc. It is an OEM Windows 7 Ultimate x64 DVD. Admittedly it doesn't have Service Pack 1 on but that has never caused any problems before and the disc is certainly not the problem here.

I just ran the Partition Recovery Wizard with Partition Wizard Free and it found 4 lost/deleted partitions that are labelled "Boot". They are 3.01 MB each. Sadly they are dated 2005 :S. Didn't even have my computer then and the hard drive wasn't even released then so IDK what they are .

Does anybody have any suggestions on what to try next? Isn't there some software such as the one I mentioned above that fixes these sorts of problems?

Thanks for all the help,

Ben.

 

[sevenben]

It's bypassing booting from the disc because I changed the BIOS to just try and boot from my hard drive.
I can make a system recovery disk from this 7 x64 Home Premium PC. I'll do that now.

Thanks,
Ben.

 

[Layback Bear]

Thanks Greg.

That was the reason for my post # 11

Then I don't understand post # 12.

I'm thinking it would be helpful to know exactly what disc is being used and where/how it was come by.
It might be a manufacture recovery disc or the such.

It would also be handy to know exactly what kind of computer we are working with.

@ sevenben please use this tutorial to fill in your (My System Specs)

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/180324-system-info-see-your-system-specs.html