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Pastimes : Computer Learning -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: PMS Witch who wrote (76389)	8/6/2011 10:15:28 PM
From: stock bull	Respond to of 110631

I'll just thank you for the detail info. I agree, if in doubt, do nothing. Thanks again, Stock Bull

To: PMS Witch who wrote (76389)	8/7/2011 9:21:49 AM
From: PMS Witch	1 Recommendation Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 110631

Windows 7 Hidden System Partition. . . I installed a spare disk in my system, and wiped it clean. I installed Windows 7 on this disk. Windows 7 Install created a 100 MB partition at the beginning of the disk, a partition containing Windows 7, and left 2 MB unallocated at the end. Using DiskMgmt.MSC, I was able to assign a drive letter to the Hidden System Partition. Now that I was able to examine its contents, I discovered that it had 25 MB of data and 74 MB free. The data consisted of booting files: BootMgr and the folder Boot (Boot has Sub-Folders as well.) I created a \Boot folder in my Windows partition and copied the boot files to it using /H to include hidden files. Windows kicks up a real fuss when I tried this, (Sharing violation,) so I booted from my installation DVD and opened a Command Prompt. My Hidden System Partition was assigned the drive letter I: by default. Xcopy I:\Boot\. C:\Boot\. /E/Y/H I copied BootMgr Xcopy I:\BootMgr C:\BootMgr /H Note: Xcopy will ask if this is a file or folder. It's a file. I set my Windows partition as active using DiskPart. DiskPart DiskPart> List Disk DiskPart> Select Disk 0 DiskPart> List Partition DiskPart> Select Partition 2 DiskPart> Active I deleted my Hidden System Partition using DiskPart. DiskPart DiskPart> List Disk DiskPart> Select Disk 0 DiskPart> List Partition DiskPart> Select Partition 1 DiskPart> Delete Partition DiskPart> Exit I expected the Boot Configuration Database (BCD) would need changing. I was surprised that no alterations were needed. Windows 7 booted normally. Windows 7 DiskMgmt.MSC was unable to recover the unallocated disk space left after the Hidden System partition was deleted. I booted from a CD and used Acronis Disk Director to expand the Windows partition without difficulty. When I finished, I had one Windows partition and no unallocated disk space. Windows 7 DiskMgmt.MSC reported my resized Windows Partition Status as . . . Healthy (System, Page File, Active, Crash Dump, Primary Partition) Conclusion: Since I successfully removed the Hidden System partition from a Windows 7 installation and reclaimed the disk space, it can be done. Cheers, PW. P.S. Since the Hidden System partition contains the Boot Configuration Database, I'd strongly recommend this partition be included in all backup images. Problems with the BCD will prevent a system from booting. Some software installers alter the BCD. This combination could prove disasterous at some point. Since the Hidden Partition is mostly empty, including it should take minimal storage, making this policy cheap insurance. P.P.S. Windows installs boot files for multiple languages. I've removed the languages I don't use. This has left my boot files at 816 KB, a tiny fraction of the default 25 MB.