Windows 7 didn't make100 mb. hidden partition during clean re-install

[brkkab123]

I did a clean re-install of Windows 7 the other day. Today when I looked in Disk Management I noticed a few problems. #1 I reformatted both my hard drives before the clean install and Windows didn't make the 100 mb. hidden system partition on this clean install. On every other clean install it has made that partition. Problem #2 Even though I installed Windows 7 on disk 0 (which is C Disk Management show it as Disk 1 and shows my 2nd hard drive (disk D in Disk Management. All updates are installed. M.S.E., SUPERAntiSpyware free and Malwarebytes free have all found no malware in regular or safe mode. sfc /scannow in safe mode found no problems. CheckDisk found no problems on either hard drive. Secunia PSI comes up as everything updated. Slim Drivers and Driver Agent both say my drivers are up to date. All usb cables other than my UPS were unhooked during install. Windows 7 SP1 and office Home & Student SP2 are both fully updated according to Microsoft/Windows Update.

 

[clifford_cooley]

If you want Windows to create the 100MB partition, you will need to install to an unallocated space on the drive. This is usually done by deleting the active partition and then installing to that empty space.

 

[brkkab123]

If I delete the Active Partition Windows 7 would be gone, as C: is the Active Partition and D: is all my personal files. If I have to do that I misewell either reinstall 7 or ditch 7 altogether and go back to Vista.

 

[Nibiru2012]

If I delete the Active Partition Windows 7 would be gone, as C: is the Active Partition and D: is all my personal files. If I have to do that I misewell either reinstall 7 or ditch 7 altogether and go back to Vista.

That's your decision. Anytime Windows 7 is installed to an existing partition, the 100MB System Reserved partition is not created.

You can go ahead and delete the C partition and install to that unallocated space leaving the D partition intact.

This is one of the reasons I always emphasize that users store their personal files and other important data on a separate hard drive; either an internal one or external one.

 

[draceena]

Personally I never use or have ever needed the extra 100MB partition and make sure it's not created on purpose when I install Win 7. It's a personal preferance to me and does not "break" Win 7 to not have it.

 

[yodap]

Personally I never use or have ever needed the extra 100MB partition and make sure it's not created on purpose when I install Win 7. It's a personal preferance to me and does not "break" Win 7 to not have it.

Exactly! Why is this seen as a problem brkkab123?

 

[catilley1092]

I ran Win 7 on my OEM drive w/o after deleting it, as I needed another primary for dual boot. After deletion, I did have to use my repair disc to repair & boot the OS's. but everything was fine afterwards.

Cat

 

[brkkab123]

SOLVED.I'll get my answer elsewhere. Installation was to a reformatted clean hard drive.

 

[Digerati]

and make sure it's not created on purpose when I install Win 7.

And how do you do that? I have not found a way to do that with a Win7 disk. So I always format and partition the drive with a Vista disk first, then install Windows 7.

 

[clifford_cooley]

And how do you do that? I have not found a way to do that with a Win7 disk. So I always format and partition the drive with a Vista disk first, then install Windows 7.

Draceena mentioned in another thread after Windows 7 creates both partitions, delete the main partition and expand the 100MB partition for installation.

 

[Digerati]

Draceena mentioned in another thread after Windows 7 creates both partitions, delete the main partition and expand the 100MB partition for installation.

Yeah, that's quite a bit different from making sure it is not created in the first place - which suggests some method during install from stopping it from happening during the install. The problem is, unless there is a method I'm not aware of, Windows 7 will put that 100Mb partition there, IF the drive has not already been partitioned.

So you can use an XP or Vista or Linux installation disks and pre-partition and format your drive, then swap in the Windows 7 installation disk and install Windows. But it would be nice if you had the choice with the Windows 7 install.

Note the primary function of that 100Mb partition is to support BitLocker encryption. If you will never use that, you don't need that partition.

 

[Super Sarge]

I do not have the partition nor do I want it. I use W7 Pro which does not have the bit locker as Ultimate is the version with Bit Locker. I have made 2 repair CD'S and I also keep a 3 week supply of weekly full backups using Macrium Reflect and I do a daily scheduled full backup using W7 each backup goes to a separate internal Hard Disc if needed

 

[clifford_cooley]

SOLVED.I'll get my answer elsewhere. Installation was to a reformatted clean hard drive.

You were given the answer and didn't like what you heard. Everyone here including myself has stated, the only way to get rid of this 100MB partition is to already have a partition created large enough to support Windows 7. Looking at the other end of the stick, the only way to get this 100MB partition is to let Windows create the partitions during installation. You stated you installed to a freshly formated partition. This is not allowing Windows to create the partitions.

 

[draceena]

Yeah, that's quite a bit different from making sure it is not created in the first place - which suggests some method during install from stopping it from happening during the install. The problem is, unless there is a method I'm not aware of, Windows 7 will put that 100Mb partition there, IF the drive has not already been partitioned.

So you can use an XP or Vista or Linux installation disks and pre-partition and format your drive, then swap in the Windows 7 installation disk and install Windows. But it would be nice if you had the choice with the Windows 7 install.

Note the primary function of that 100Mb partition is to support BitLocker encryption. If you will never use that, you don't need that partition.

Yes, sorry to confuse you, I do the "let windows 7 create both partitions, delete the large partition and expand the 100mb partition" trick and have not discovered a secrret way to stop windows 7 from creating it in the first place.

 

[TrainableMan]

I simply format ahead of time rather than go to the trouble of deleting and expanding. Any time you install to a formatted drive it does not create the 100mb partition.

I fail to understand Brkkab's animosity to the answer; you don't need it so why do you even want it? But if you want it then yes you must back up everything because you must install to an unallocated drive.