System Reserved Partition - Delete

How to Remove the 100MB "System Reserved" Partition in Windows 7​

   Information

The 100 MB System Reserved partition is included when doing a clean install of Windows 7 on an unallocated disk. The System Reserved partition serves two functions. First, it holds the Boot Manager code and the Boot Configuration Database. Second, it reserves space for the startup files required by the BitLocker Drive Encryption feature. If you ever decide to encrypt your system drive using BitLocker, you won’t have to repartition your system drive to make it possible.

This tutorial will show you how to delete the 100MB System Reserved partition created during the installation of Windows 7.

   Warning

This involves deleting the boot partition, then repairing. Failure to follow these instructions exactly may leave your computer in a non-bootable state.

   Note

• Make sure the C drive is a Primary partition before you begin. Type diskmgmt.msc into the start menu to access the above window.
• You must have a Windows 7 Installation or Repair disc to do this. If you do not have a DVD, you can create a Repair Disc.

EXAMPLE: 100 MB System Reserved Partition


Here's How:

   Note

Press enter between each of these commands.

1. Boot from your installation or repair disc.

2. When you get to the language screen, press Shift+F10.

3. Enter diskpart, then list disk after diskpart is loaded.

4. Enter select disk [Windows disk number].

5. Enter list partition, followed by select partition [100MB partition number].

6. Enter delete partition override.

7. Enter select partition [Windows partition from step 5], then enter active.

8. Close the command prompt.
We have deleted the partition, and Windows will be unable to boot at this point. Now it is time to write a new boot loader and BCD to the Windows partition.
9. Follow the instructions in Brink's tutorial for running a startup repair.
That should do it! If you have any problems, feel free to ask for help below.

Related Tutorials

---

• Create the System Reserved for Dual Boot use
• How to Create the Windows 7 System Reserved Partition after Installation

 

[Brink]

Correct.

 

[greshoff]

I will have a go at removing the 100mg system partition later on today. I hope it goes OK. Thanks

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. Please let us know how it went, or if you have any problems.

 

[greshoff]

You're welcome. Please let us know how it went, or if you have any problems.

Following the clear instructions I have successfully deleted the 100mb system partition repaired startup,booted back to windows and reclaimed the unallocated space. Many thanks

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome. I'm happy to hear it all went well.

 

[Nosferath]

I have a problem. I followed all the steps on the guide, but after using the Recovery Tool, I checked and the System partition was re-created by the Recovery. How do I get rid of it?

 

[jhill150]

no fixed disks

Hello,
Once I have gotten to the language screen, shift-F10 does not work, so I hit next until I get to a screen that is supposed to list all of my installed windows, but it does not list anything (I should add that my system works fine). So then I choose the upper choice and hit NExt, and choose the Command Prompt.
When I enter diskpart and then "list disk", it says there are no fixed disks to show. this is very strange since obviously I have a perfectly fine working hard disk.
Can you help me? what is going on?
thanks,
jhill

 

[Scoop]

Shawn,

I have a question about deleting the 100mb "System Reserved" partition on an external USB HDD that I use for daily incremental external backups (no OS or boot files are included in my daily backups).

Can I use the above procedure, starting at Step 3 after I'm at the CMD prompt, and delete the Sys Reserved partition without affecting my other partition on the same HDD?

Currently, the 100 mb partition is present on my USB HDD along with my main partition which contains some of my backup data.

The "F" partition is the 100 mb Sys Reserved partition and the "H" partition is my main backup partition.

 

[Brink]

Hello Scoop,

Please go ahead and post a screenshot showing all if your Disk Management with the external connected first.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html

 

[Scoop]

Here's my Disk Mgmt screencap. The USB HDD is Disk 2.

 

[Brink]

Well, since it is on an external HDD, and not a boot drive, you could just simply delete it.

Since your C: drive has plenty of space on it, you might just copy the contents of H to a folder on C, format disk 2, then copy the contents back to the now formatted H.

 

[Scoop]

Well, since it is on an external HDD, and not a boot drive, you could just simply delete it.
Since your C: drive has plenty of space on it, you might just copy the contents of H to a folder on C, format disk 2, then copy the contents back to the now formatted H.

Shawn,

Thanks for the info. Prior to using this HDD for backups, I formatted the USB HDD with "Gparted", a HDD Utility tool that I use to format HDD's outside of Windows.

I had previously loaded a full disk backup on that USB HDD months earlier so that's when I assume Windows created the 100 mb partition on that drive.

If I understand the steps at cmd prompt, here's what I read from the 1st page tutorial:

1. <Cmd>
2. diskpart
3. list disk
4. select disk (#)
5. list partition
6. select partition (#)
7. delete partition override

Will this work while leaving partition "H" unaffected and accessible after I delete the 100 mb partition?

 

[Brink]

What did you use to create the backup with to make sure that it doesn't need that 100MB partition?

If Windows Backup or System Image features from Windows, then you'll be fine to copy to C, format, etc.. to not have to worry about having a blank or small 100MB partition still in front of H. Just be sure that the drive letter is still H afterwards.

 

[Scoop]

What did you use to create the backup with to make sure that it doesn't need that 100MB partition?

If Windows Backup or System Image features from Windows, then you'll be fine to copy to C, format, etc.. to not have to worry about having a blank or small 100MB partition still in front of H. Just be sure that the drive letter is still H afterwards.

Shawn,

The Backup tool that I'm using with the HDD is Acronis 2011. I'm using an incremental backup for specific files that I frequently edit and data files that are changed daily (Outlook *.PST and Quicken data file, etc).

I formatted the drive beforehand with Gparted but didn't delete the 100 mb partition at that time, forgot to try that within Gparted at the time.

After formatting with Gparted, I set up my daily incremental backups within Acronis with the target HDD set to "H" drive so I'm thinking all will be ok since Arconis will only look for the "H" partition on the USB HDD when performing its backups.

I'll give the cmd / delete partition a try and see how it works on that drive. I have my other partition's files backup up on my cloned HDD and my Laptop so no chance of losing anything on the USB HDD "H" partition.

Thanks for your info

 

[Brink]

You're welcome. Please let us know how it went.

 

[Scoop]

Shawn,

I just did it and it worked like a champ Now, "F" partition only displays in the Disk Mgmt as an unallocated partition and is removed from other places ("My Computer", and removed from the top listing in Mgmt).

Thanks again. I'm amazed at what can be done from cmd mode....as long as one's careful

That's the great thing about having backup HDD's. I can learn things like this without jeopardy of losing any info on a drive.

This is another tutorial that's been added to a notepad file about cmd functions.

Recently, "Gregrocker" helped me out with another cmd tutorial when I had 2 HDD's marked as "active". I didn't know that this can cause boot problems since Win will look for active drives at bootup.

 

[Brink]

Great news.

 

[jaybird216]

system reserve on then wrong HD

Would this still work if somehow had my OS on my C: drive but my reserved partition on my E:? Not really sure how I got there but it is. I am trying to repurpose my E: drive anyway, so I am thinking I could just skip all these steps, remove the HD and try the system repair.

Thoughts?

 

[Brink]

Hello Jaybird, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Since E: is on a different hard drive, it would be easier to remove it and do the startup repair.

 

[jaybird216]

Thanks brink. I actually did just remove the hd and tried to recover 4 times and still no luck. I followed your guide, but before I get to the system recovery screen I am prompted to choose my language and then another screen to either recover or restore. Also asks me to load drivers if my hd don't show up. I've been clicking the recovery and ignoring the drivers. I then get to the recovery page and follow the instructions. It takes about 30 seconds and says it's finished. The log states that it repaired the partition but still won't boot.

Ideas?