Please have a look @ my partition setup

[Benteke]

I have a few questions regarding my HDD partitions after a recent Win7 restore. The HDD was brand new & I did not partition it prior to installing Win7. I simply followed the manufacturers restore instructions.

1) Not sure what the 1st partition (recovery partition) is? Is it the OS .ISO from the restore Cd's?
2) Is the 2nd partition the MBR? If so, why is it 200 MB? Shouldn't it be 100 MB? Does it matter?

Just wanna know if there any abnormalities here before I attempt another restore, this time on a brand new SSD. Will also attempt to partition the SSD beforehand using Minitool Partition.

Thanks!

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
You might post a screen shot
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[Benteke]

Sorry.... I forgot to include the actual capture....DUH!

 

[Brds7t7]

The first partition contains your recovery image which is used to do a factory restore.
Some manufacturers changed the default size of the System Reserved partition from 100MB to 200MB as the 100MB size was known to cause issues with the Windows Image backup utility (see below). I have mine set at 450MB but I keep some other tools on that partition too. MS should have never set it at 100MB in the first place. This was altered in Windows 8 to 350MB then to 500MB in Windows 10.

 

[Benteke]

The first partition contains your recovery image which is used to do a factory restore.
Some manufacturers changed the default size of the System Reserved partition from 100MB to 200MB as the 100MB size was known to cause issues with the Windows Image backup utility (see below). I have mine set at 450MB but I keep some other tools on that partition too. MS should have never set it at 100MB in the first place. This was altered in Windows 8 to 350MB then to 500MB in Windows 10.

View attachment 383721

Okay cool, that's what I 'thought' the 1st partition was. So if I create 2 Partitions on my new SSD (Say, C: and D), I can 'direct' the factory image (from my restore CD's) to D:, then install Win7 OS onto C:, go back & delete the image on D: and use D: for data, etc... correct?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I believe you're referring to partitioning with uefi
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[derekimo]

Hi,
I believe you're referring to partitioning with uefi
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-7-a.html

Where did you see that?

 

[ThrashZone]

I see what I see

 

[derekimo]

I see what I see

So you can't answer a simple question?

 

[ThrashZone]

He's talking about creating or altering partition sizes usually created by the installer.
Although mini tool can do that fairly easily is it worth doing for less the half a gb :/

Seems better to use EasyBCD and not worry about how large it is
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html

I'm sorry are we hijacking this thread

 

[derekimo]

He's talking about creating or altering partition sizes usually created by the installer.
Although mini tool can do that fairly easily is it worth doing for less the half a gb :/

Seems better to use EasyBCD and not worry about how large it is
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/209885-bootmgr-move-c-easybcd.html

I'm sorry are we hijacking this thread

I don't see where UEFI comes into play, I didn't see it mentioned in his posts so I was curious why you were suggesting that. For all I knew you two had previously talked about it because it certainly isn't obvious in his screenshot.

Yeah, it might be hijacking, but it's to get an answer as to why you suggested that.

 

[ThrashZone]

I was thinking if wanting to increase the system reserved any amount it requires shifting the entire os to the right which is risky in it's self even with mini tool

EasyBCD will at least copy the boot loader or what ever it is to the c drive
Mini tool can just as easily move the os to the left still just as risky for such a little amount.

So is it better to do this before install ?
The only way I've read to do it is with a uefi install of win-7 that way you make the partitions what ever you want too.

Of course the op has a system restore partition too which complicates the deal but he could move the system restore partition to the right after using EasyBCD too and it just gets extended

 

[derekimo]

It doesn't have to be changed to UEFI to do that.

 

[Brds7t7]

I don't think Benteke wants to resize the System Reserved partition, he was just asking why his is set at 200mb when the default size is usually 100mb.

 

[Benteke]

Actually, when I installed W7 on this HDD a few months back, I just let the installer run but then ran into a 'limitation' where I couldn't shrink the C drive smaller than 350 Gb because I was using disk manager. MiniTool was recommended, so I created a bootable flash drive in case I ever need to partition w/out an OS. Re-sizing C: Drive

I also remember reading that it's better to partition a new drive prior to any installations as opposed to the way I did it on my current HDD (install Windows, then create partitions). Also read whs's thread about SSD alignment (which is why I posted my current HDD partition sizes).... The C drive being 349.55 GB seemed odd to me @ first, but then I figured that the MBR & factory image partitions are both divisible by 4, so the rest of the drive must also be aligned (maybe my reasoning is incorrect). The last thing I want is to compromise the performance (write speed) on a brand new Samsung 850 Pro.

Also, why do you mention UEFI?

 

[derekimo]

Also, why do you mention UEFI?

That's what I was wondering too, it seems he may have been thinking you were trying to do something he has only seen mentioned with UEFI if I understand it correctly.

You can just forget about that part now.

 

[Brds7t7]

Also, why do you mention UEFI?

Thrash sees what he sees... He sees dead people... He's psychotic! Just kidding Thrash!

 

[ThrashZone]

:devil2:

Personally I prefer not to have a system reserved partition and you don't have to care how big it is

 

[Brds7t7]

The default size of 100mb is pretty useless so I can understand why a lot of people remove it. I like to keep a few extra boot tools on mine though so it can be handy. Saves having to pull out CD's or USB sticks at times.
Not sure why MS made it 100mb. Even during the Windows 7 beta it was 200mb then for some silly reason they reduced it for the RTM.

 

[Benteke]

I apologize if I wasn't clear in my OP....
W/regards to the first partition, (recovery partition)... I'm assuming that when I initially ran the restore cd's for the new HHD, the W7 'image' was placed on the HDD (recovery partition), correct? So I can remove it leaving just the system & boot partitions without any adverse effects, yes?

I apologize for the rudimentary questions but I'd rather ask than risk attempting something I'm not 100% sure about.