What's on that 100MB partition? Can I delete it?

[michaeld]

I successfully installed W7_64 build 7100 and am really liking it; no issues so far. I'm just curious what's on that 100MB partition the installer creates? Also, Disk Management shows it as a 100MB NTFS partition but Windows Explorer doesn't see it. How can I see it? Can I delete it?

 

[Captain Zero]

No. It's reserved and MUST remain. MS says so.

Actually, it can be avoided entirely by pre-partitioning and pre-formatting your drive. Deleting it is a very bad idea because the partition does not use the standard sector zoning format. When deleted with the partition tool (which does not support non-standard partition type) the Partition Table will be corrupted.

In other words, if you don't want it there, don't let Win7 do it for you and it won't be created. If it is there, leave it alone.

 

[nate42nd]

It contains bootable files to boot your computer in recovery mode. I'm sure you could delete it but that ability would be lost.

Hope this helps.

 

[garysgold]

Hello michaeld,

Welcome to Seven Forums.

It contains boot files and recovery info. If you delete it you will no longer be able to boot you computer. If you want to see what's in there you need to go to Disk Management and give it a letter. It will then appear in explorer. This is for Vista, but it's the same if needed: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/114767-drive-letter-add-change-remove.html

Hope this helps.

Gary

 

[Quill]

As far as I can see, it's not essential. if you install from a DVD/Image on to a clean disk, it will create a 100mb partition for you. This will contain all the boot folder and associated files.

If you pre-partition your disk the the installation will install everything into you boot partition (usually C:\...)

 

[michaeld]

Thanks very much, everyone. I had no idea I could skip the creation of the partition entirely just by preformatting the drive. It's no biggie though...100MB is nothing these days..."a floppy disk", if you will.

I appreciate the detailed replies; this forum has a calm, professional demeanor about it.

 

[garysgold]

Your welcome, Michael. Enjoy.

Gary

 

[michaeld]

Thanks, Garysgold.

 

[carickw]

michaeld, 100 may be nothing, but using 1/4th of your primary partitions on this nonesense...
cancelling install and going into gparted to pre-partition. thanks for the info

 

[unawave]

This small partition contains the boot manager (file "bootmgr" and folder "/boot/") and these files are missing on the Windows 7 partition.

It is possible to delete this small partition. I boot with Linux, delete the partition and merge the free space to the Windows 7 partition. After this Windows 7 will not boot. But I boot from Windows 7 installation DVD and do a system repair. This installs the boot manager IN the Windows 7 partition and after this Windows 7 boots fine.

 

[quux]

How to delete it without Linux

I explain in text and video here:

Removing Windows 7 Recovery Partition | ITcookbook.net

 

[Barman58]

The use of a separate Boot/Recovery partition is the best possible practice if you are running or contemplating running multiple operating systems.

By having the boot system separate from the operating systems. A problem with one Operating System does not then bring down the whole system, just because the boot files happened to be on that particular partition.

There are far more help requests on SevenForums from those who remove an OS in a multi-boot and end up with a non operational system, than issues with the 100MB partition.

As for the argument that it uses one of four possible "Primary" partitions the big shock here is that the later Microsoft operating systems do not need to be on a primary partition.

The changes made with Vista mean that they can be installed into a logical drive on an extended partition. In fact for a long time during the Beta testing phase I ran Windows 7 on such a set-up without any adverse effects.

 

[The Apathetic]

When I was partitioning my HDD using the win7 dvd it also created that stupid 100MB partition which screwed me over cause it kept saying that I can only have 4 partitions and that 100MB partition was taking 1 of them while I wanted 4 active partitions (C,D,E,F) but I fixed it somehow, don't really remember how I did that.

Anyway the 100MB partition is still there in the disk management but I don't really care for it, it's just 100MB, who cares lol.

 

[quux]

The use of a separate Boot/Recovery partition is the best possible practice

I completely agree. While I have provided a recipe for deletion, I cam careful to say (in bold red text) that it's a recipe that shouldn't be used.

 

[Ztruker]

This little blurb was useful to me:

On a fresh installation of Windows 7, the installer will create the Bitlocker partition. If you do not intend to use Bitlocker, this partition can be subsequently removed.

The 100MB system/boot partition will be available for Ultimate, Business and Enterprise editions. Also, in addition to being used for BitLocker encryption, it holds the Recovery environment (WinRE) and boot files. Which are always useful for troubleshooting when no Disks are on hand.

Found it here: Can I delete the system reserved partition in a post by Debbie - Support Engineer

 

[kausikdatta]

IF someone is still reading this thread, my question is - when I am upgrading from Vista, will the Win7 installer still create its own system partition or will it merge with the existing one?

 

[gregrocker]

The 100mb System Reserved partition is valuable not only because it contains the MBR, but also makes the same Repair console on the Win7 DVD and Repair CD available by tapping F8 during Windows bootup.

If you want to get rid of it, delete and recover the space using a 3rd party partition manager like free Partition Wizard to Resize into the deleted space. Then Modify>Mark as Active the WIn7 partition.

Afterward you will need to boot into the Win7 DVD Repair console to http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105541-startup-repair-run-3-separate-times.html to write the MBR to the Windows 7 partition.

 

[kausikdatta]

That's a wonderful idea, Gregrocker. But I suppose it is not really necessary to do, right? It didn't seem that there would be any advantage in merging that partition with the system partition and having the MBR rewritten to the Win 7 partition (but I may be wrong).

 

[gregrocker]

That's a wonderful idea, Gregrocker. But I suppose it is not really necessary to do, right? It didn't seem that there would be any advantage in merging that partition with the system partition and having the MBR rewritten to the Win 7 partition (but I may be wrong).

No, not necessary at all. But some want to do it anyway so I always say why it is useful, then how to get rid of it if desired.

 

[whs]

Posted in the wrong place - sorry