Unwanted partitioning with Windows 7

Hello,
I have recently purchased a Toshiba laptop with Windows Vista installed from the shop. Additionaly I got a Windows7 upgrade on DVD incuded.
I upgraded to Windows 7 (which works nicely) but I have the follwing issues:

As mentioned in many other threads, Windows 7 divides the HDD into three partitions by default: A tiny WinRE partition and two partitions of about equal size (in my case approx 2 x 180 GB) which obviously does not fit every user.

I managed to merge both great partitions into one (removing one -E:- and then extending the other -C:-), but I would like to get rid of the WinRE partition. As mentioned in another thread this is difficult but possible while running the installation DVD. WinRE is than (according to that thread) - much more convenient - placed into C:.

As I upgraded from an already installed Vista, I have no Window7 installation DVD. Obviously I created image discs of both Vista and Windows 7 as well as a bootable recovery disc.
But these images (obviously) only restore the system including the (unwanted) partitions.

So...
- is it possible to create a Window7 installation DVD from the Windows 7 system installed on the computer?
- if not: can the content of the WinRE-partition be moved into C:, and the WinRE partition subsequently be removed / merged with C: without risk?



Another relted question: Originally, Toshibas own recovery system is placed on the E: partition. I removed that while merging C: and E:.
Would there be any use for an extra recovery system aditionally to WinRE? Which?


Thanks in advance!

Um, I installed Windows 7 and it didn't "divide" my disc in to three partitions. After a clean install, I only had two, one around 200mb, and one with the rest of my HHD's space. I am to understand that the one with 200 mb is done so by default, and I am unaware of how not to do it like that.


And you said you upgraded from a Vista system, but don't have a Windows 7 disc or upgrade disc, so how did you upgrade?

Where is the DVD that you mentioned at the beginning of your post? If you don't have it, you better hang on to your image discs.

If you got the Windows 7 Upgrade DVD you can do a full clean install with it. It's been done many times so far.

Windows 7 automatically creates that 200MB partition when it install the OS. Just leave it alone and don't worry about it. It's there for a reason.

Well, I maybe was a little unclear.
I HAVE got an UPDATE disc. This means, I can update from an existing Vista. I cannot install Windows 7 "from scratch".

I haven't any Vista installation disc either, as the computer came with Vista already installed (thus, all I have are image discs).

Thanks anyway for your answer.

Well, my update discs just makes an update from Vista to Windows 7. No real installation from scratch.

Maybe the partioning into three partitions is a Toshiba-thing, but Windows 7 anyway creates a 200 MB partition with unclear purpose (and I don't like Windows doing things I can't control).

I there's someone having a solution for safely getting rid of that one, please let me know.....

If you use a third party partitioning software to create the partition before installing Windows 7, all the files normally placed in this small partition are placed in a folder on C:\. This small partition is created if you use Windows 7 to do the partitioning.

As Nibiru pointed out to me earlier there is a purpose behind this small drive. If I was following things correctly, BitLocker (an encryption feature of Windows 7) is the only reason behind the small partition.

You CAN do a clean install of Windows 7 from the upgrade disc. The disc has the same install files as a full retail or OEM disc. It's the key that is the difference.

Many people have used the "Upgrade" discs to do a clean, fresh install of Windows 7.

Go here to Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows to find out how to do it: Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media

I have personally done 4 installs for friends using their upgrade discs for a clean or custom install as MS calls it.

You can download a free copy of Partition Wizard CD ISO image file to burn onto a CD to do a boot partitioning. Excellent software by the way. Download Bootable CD It's a 38MB download and the burn the ISO to a CD with an image burning program like ImgBurn, which is free too.

As C_C stated, IF you create the partition for the Windows 7 install first, with a program like Partition Wizard, then Windows won't make that 200MB partition. It's really no big deal though. Since it's apparent you don't like it then do the partitioning first before doing the install.