Windows must be installed on GPT disks for EFI Sytems. Can I delete the "OEM Reserved" without consequences?

PCBuildingNoob27

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When trying to install Windows 7 to my new computer I get a not uncommon problem.
The SSD is already partitioned into one Big Normal Partition and one OEM reserved for around 150MB. The following problem is, that the disk works with the MBR Partition Table which Windows 7 doesn't seem to like. It wans me to format the Disk to GPT.
Since formatting a partition of the disk gives me an error code, I got to follow the instructions of Microsoft and delete the partitions.
Do I really need to delete both of these partitions? And if yes, what happens if the OEM Reserved Partition is deleted?
 
Solution
http://www.howtogeek.com/56958/ for differences in bios and uefi

the boot partition just holds info on how to boot and that blue screen recovery environment, if you remove the partitions and leave the drive without partitions, the install will create what it needs. windows install media usually have an efi folder which is empty, but you can make it use efi by copying files

www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html

uefi might be a little faster, and more secure than MBR and if you boot off a 3TB or greater single drive 'single' (not counting boot or efi partitions that the install will make) partition system you have to use EUFI and GPT

and then the install...

kraelic

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Feb 12, 2006
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150 MB is the boot partition. 10+GB would be a recovery partition. Sounds like your install media is made for UEFI installs, not a standard windows 7 install. You could remove the partitions and let the install remake the drive as needed, but this will lose all data.
 

PCBuildingNoob27

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The question for me is "Do I need this data? Do I have any disadvantage deleting it?". Since this is a newly built PC I don't have any configurations I would want to keep.

What's the difference between an UEFI install and a standard install? Aren't all installs nothing else than booting from your Installation DVD and let the setup happen?

 

kraelic

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Feb 12, 2006
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http://www.howtogeek.com/56958/ for differences in bios and uefi

the boot partition just holds info on how to boot and that blue screen recovery environment, if you remove the partitions and leave the drive without partitions, the install will create what it needs. windows install media usually have an efi folder which is empty, but you can make it use efi by copying files

www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html

uefi might be a little faster, and more secure than MBR and if you boot off a 3TB or greater single drive 'single' (not counting boot or efi partitions that the install will make) partition system you have to use EUFI and GPT

and then the install

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/186875-uefi-unified-extensible-firmware-interface-install-windows-7-a.html
 
Solution