HDD partitioning with Windows 7

[Rojlani]

Hi,

When installing Windows 7, when i create a new HDD partition, the System creates the one i want and also one, that is "System" type - 100MB. What is this thing? Do i need it? Should i delete it or should i keep it?

(my max number of partitions is 4, and with that "System" one i cant create my last planned partition)

Thanks

 

[Groveling_Wyrm]

That partition has bootable and system files for a restore inside, and should not be messed with.

 

[Rojlani]

ok, then why havent i seen any PC with a partition of 100MB - is it hidden or does ist get deleted all the time ... or something else?

 

[neieus]

That partition will be "hidden" for the most part but as suggested you don't want to mess with it really. Here's is a bit of an explanation taken from Microsoft Technet:

This “stub” of a partition, which is new in Windows 7, 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.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/gg441289.aspx

 

[dalaran]

From what I understand you want 4 partitions, but windows creates ones which means you'd end up with 5 partitions in total

What you should do to go around the limitation of 4 primary partitions is create an extended partition

So keep the system partition and windows OS partition (primary) as is

Then create one extended partition to fill the rest of the disk and split it according to your needs

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... Typically by default... "View hidden files" /folders/DIR is not enabled in a WIndows OS install, and thus not be visible.
There is a method to install WIN 7 without creating the 100 meg Partition, if so inclined.

 

[Rojlani]

ok - a last question - what is the differance between an extended partition and a normal one?

i need my partitions in case one fails to have the others running. I think that with the extended, if one of them fails, fail all the other in the group (which begins with the first extended partition followed by any of its extensions) - am i right?

 

[dalaran]

Primary partition :
- 4 primary partition maximum
- For windows the operating systems can be located on (almost) any partition, but the boot files (io.sys, bootmgr, ntldr, etc.) must reside on a primary partition.

Extended partiion
- 1 extended partition at most (and when used it means that only 3 primary partitions can be created IIRC)
- the extended partition can be subdivided into multiple logical partitions. Unique drive letters can then be assigned to each logical partition.

So mainly, any partition that contains an OS or system files should usually be a primary partition
Data can be place in the extended partition

And yes, if your master boot records (MBR) gets corrupted somehow and you damage the extended partition you will likely lose access to all the subpartitions, but that's unlikely what's much more likely is the whole drive failing and losing everything

So please take note that creating multiple partitions is not the way to go if you want to backup your data, for that you should really copy your data on external media, because if your drive fail you lose everything whether or not you used partitions in that situation is irrelevant

If you just want to be able to rebuild your system quickly should it break for some reason you could consider using a disk/partition cloning software

 

[Rojlani]

Well thanks - but say,

Because every disc starts with (C: ), either (A: ) or (B: ) is the one, that is displayed when installing Win7 and than is hidden - but what is the other one and is there actually such a thing (A: B: )?

 

[dalaran]

A: B: are usually for floppy disk, it's mostly a remnant of the old DOS days.
Today those are rarely used because of their low capacity (1.44MB), speed and reliability