"system reserved" on the second HDD?

[albert1234]

I have just bought a laptop. Looking to HDDs I realized that "system reserved" is on the second drive(e:\) whereas windows7 is on the first drive( c:\)
Now I wonder What would happen if I exchange my second HDD? As far as I know "system reserved" contains files which are used during boot. So could I face a disaster while booting the computer after having removed the first HDD?

 

[zigzag3143]

I have just bought a laptop. Looking to HDDs I realized that "system reserved" is on the second drive(e:\) whereas windows7 is on the first drive( c:\)
Now I wonder What would happen if I exchange my second HDD? As far as I know "system reserved" contains files which are used during boot. So could I face a disaster while booting the computer after having removed the first HDD?

Absolutely correct. system reserved (and the hidden boot) needs to be left where they were installed

Ken

 

[Saltgrass]

So could I face a disaster while booting the computer after having removed the first HDD?

Yes....But you can recover...

Did you load Win 7 on the system?

Can you attach a snipping tool picture of your disk management window?

 

[gregrocker]

The Win7 System MBR can be recovered into Win7 after removing the 100mb System Reserved partition. Here's how:

Mark Win7 partition active using Diskpart from Repair CD/Win7 DVD, or 3rd party Partition manager.

Boot into Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots to write the MBR to Win7 partition.

 

[albert1234]

Thankyou for helping me. I have a attached a picture of my system.There are two HDDs. The partition on Disc on disc 2(which does not exist physically) is for bitlocker purposes.
A last question: Why shall I perform the repair procedure three times?

 

[woebetide]

Absolutely correct. system reserved (and the hidden boot) needs to be left where they were installed

Why?
You can move the files to the 1st disk!

Copy bootmgr, bootsect.bak and boot-directory’s files from d: to c:

bcdedit /export c:\Boot\BCD
bcdedit /store c:\Boot\BCD /set {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795} device partition=c:
bcdedit /store c:\Boot\BCD /set {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d} device partition=c:
"  bcdedit /store c:\Boot\BCD /set {466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c} device partition=c:  '

Windows 7 DVD:\BOOT\BOOTSECT /NT60 c: /FORCE

DISKPART
  select disk 0
  select partition 1
  active

Reboot

{466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c} = the GUID for NTLDR.
{b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d} = the GUID for Diagnostic Tools
{9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795} = the GUID for the Boot Manager

So the {466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c} is not needed ( only for xp )

BUT gregrocker's method is easier I think

 

[Saltgrass]

I have no experience with bitlocker and how it works. I heard once the System Reserve partition was used in conjunction with that. If you currently have your drives set up to use it, I would have to do some extra research and testing.

Maybe someone else would know for sure.

 

[albert1234]

Boot into Win7 DVD Repair console or Repair CD, click through to Recovery Tools list to run Startup Repair up to 3 separate times with reboots to write the MBR to Win7 partition.

Does this work if the system partition is encrypted?

 

[gregrocker]

I believe System Reserved partition supports Bitlocker. If you are using Bitlocker then I would leave it in place or try moving it to DISK0 after making a Win7 backup image so you have a path back.

The way I would move it is to use free Partition Wizard bootable CD. Rightclick Win7>Resize then slide border over to make space for SysReserved partition, OK.

Now rightclick SysReserved>Copy to new space created for it, OK. Then delete original SysReserved partition, OK, Apply all Steps.

If necessary, boot Win7 DVD repair console, click through to Startup Repair to run up to 3 separate times with reboots to repair or rewrite the MBR onto DISK0.

 

[albert1234]

Thankyou guys,

I think I should have managed this before I encrypted drives(!6hrs). So I will first take action when I have to do this for another reason.