OEM Partition

[ramonas]

Hi everyone,

couple days ago i have bought Lenovo G460E laptop and installed win7. I want to make 3 HDD partitions but due that there is OEM partition created i cant so i want to delete it...but before deleting i want to sniff what is in there, and make a backup copy. I have installed provided backup utility by lenovo but seems i cannot open OEM partition. How to use that partition? how to open? i really want to make a backup before deleting it, but since its the first time im dealing with such thing i dont know how to open it (nor found answer while googling).

Anyone can help me ?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello ramonas, welcome to Seven Forums!



Perhaps you don't have to delete/remove the OEM partition right away to create additional storage space, have a look at Method Two of this tutorial at the link below and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.


Partition / Extended : Logical Drives











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[theog]

Have you made your Recovery Disks?

You can Order Lenovo Recovery Disks from here:
Lenovo Support - How can I get a Product Recovery CD or DVD?
Lenovo Recovery
Lenovo Support - How do I recover my factory installed programs and files? - Desktops and Workstations

 

[ramonas]

thanks, i will check it out! but still my main goal is to be able to check what there is in that partition

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

If you will please post a snip/screen-shot of the entire disk management drive map with a full description as to which drive/partition is which, so we can see what you have going on as there may be a fairly simple way to resolve the situation.

In the Windows start menu right click computer and click manage, in the left pane of the "Computer Management" window that opens click disk management and post a maximized snip of that.


How to Upload and Post a Screenshot and File in Seven Forums

 

[ramonas]

If you will please post a snip/screen-shot of the entire disk management drive map with a full description as to which drive/partition is which, so we can see what you have going on as there may be a fairly simple way to resolve the situation.

In the Windows start menu right click computer and click manage, in the left pane of the "Computer Management" window that opens click disk management and post a maximized snip of that.


How to Upload and Post a Screenshot and File in Seven Forums

here it is

 

[Bill2]

thanks, i will check it out! but still my main goal is to be able to check what there is in that partition

Theres no treasure there, it just has one or more .wim or .swm files- these are image files used to restore your computer to factory default when you choose that option. These same files are used to create the oem recovery disk set.

If you want to view them, you can boot from the install dvd or system repair disk or any windows pe, then navigate to that partition and copy off everything you find there to an external drive.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

You should be able to view the contents if you give it a drive letter in disk management.



I see you already have an Extended partition so another can't be created but you could create as many Logical drives for storage, within that Extended as there are available drive letters.

 

[ramonas]

You should be able to view the contents if you give it a drive letter in disk management.



I see you already have an Extended partition so another can't be created but you could create as many Logical drives for storage, within that Extended as there are available drive letters.

I cant set the letter on OEM partition, i have tried already, only option i can select is "Help".

I cant create any more hard disk partition even if there is space, i if make lets say 200gb partition and 214 left, i cant use it, i get error, something like "there is not enought space..." or something.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

If you want to view them, you can boot from the install dvd or system repair disk or any windows pe, then navigate to that partition and copy off everything you find there to an external drive.

Use the method Bill2 posted to view the contents.

How to Copy & Paste in Recovery Console on Windows 7 or Vista

I see you already have an Extended partition so another can't be created but you could create as many Logical drives for storage, within that Extended as there are available drive letters.

Use this one to shrink the Extended D:, then additional Logical drives can be created inside the Extended, see Method One #2 of the first tutorial I posted above.

How to Shrink a Partition or Volume in Windows 7

 

[ramonas]

If you want to view them, you can boot from the install dvd or system repair disk or any windows pe, then navigate to that partition and copy off everything you find there to an external drive.

Use the method Bill2 posted to view the contents.

How to Copy & Paste in Recovery Console on Windows 7 or Vista

I see you already have an Extended partition so another can't be created but you could create as many Logical drives for storage, within that Extended as there are available drive letters.

Use this one to shrink the Extended D:, then additional Logical drives can be created inside the Extended, see Method One #2 of the first tutorial I posted above.

How to Shrink a Partition or Volume in Windows 7

thanks, unfortunetly, it doesnt show OEM partition ;/

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Have a go at the Partition Wizard Bootable Disk (PWBD) to see if it will assign a drive letter to the OEM partition or if you can view the contents of the partition from the Partition Wizard boot program.



First download the PWBD ISO file to the desktop, be sure to get the PWBD and not the installed version; scroll down to see the download link for the bootable CD ISO file at this link below.

Partition Wizard Free Bootable CD


Then use ImgBurn to burn the ISO to a CD, at no greater than 4x speed with a verify; it was designed for use and works best from a CD rather that a DVD then boot the created CD to make the changes.

ImgBurn Free ISO Burning Software

 

[mjf]

Partition Wizard's "Explore Partition" is more powerful for exploring partitions with special permissions and no letter assigned. Even assigning a letter and giving yourself hidden files, system files permission, will hide much useful information.

You can use the installed minTool version for this. The Bootable version is best for performing major partition operations.

I would suggest you know what your deleting before getting rid of the OEM partition. It's not big enough on its own to do a factory restore.

Addition: You have one extended partition containing one logical at this stage. Depending on available space you should be able to make other logicals if you want.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again.


I've been working on this for you in diskpart and it should work; be sure to keep me posted.

Just be sure to run the commands from an elevated command window.

click to enlarge


​

 

[ramonas]

Hello again.


I've been working on this for you in diskpart and it should work; be sure to keep me posted.

Just be sure to run the commands from an elevated command window.

click to enlarge
View attachment 157753
View attachment 157754
​

thanks ive made via shrinking two disks, now just need to check with OEM partition.

 

[ramonas]

Have a go at the Partition Wizard Bootable Disk (PWBD) to see if it will assign a drive letter to the OEM partition or if you can view the contents of the partition from the Partition Wizard boot program.



First download the PWBD ISO file to the desktop, be sure to get the PWBD and not the installed version; scroll down to see the download link for the bootable CD ISO file at this link below.

Partition Wizard Free Bootable CD


Then use ImgBurn to burn the ISO to a CD, at no greater than 4x speed with a verify; it was designed for use and works best from a CD rather that a DVD then boot the created CD to make the changes.

ImgBurn Free ISO Burning Software

i have tried this, i was able to sneak what is in there, but i wasnt able to make a backup or assign a letter.

 

[mjf]

Over to you BFK - creating extra logicals is trivial without deleting the OEM partition.

 

[ramonas]

well never mind, i just deleted the oem partition after exploring whats in it

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Post another snip of the maximized disk management so we can have a look, if you please.

 

[ramonas]

here it is