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Thread ID: 108896	2010-04-15 23:50:00	Win7 MBR in separate partition?	Hokonui (8280)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
877046	2010-04-15 23:50:00	I've just added a different (not new but fully formated) hard drive and have reinstalled Win7. I find I now have 3 partitions on the drive according to Disk Management (in order, as they appear on the physical disk), D: 100 mb - Healthy (System, Active, Primary) Contains Boot folder, Sys Vol folder, bootmgr, bootsect C: 50 gb - Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary) Contains Windows7 directory, pagefile, autoexec, config, hiberfil E: 50 gb - Logical (as intended, for use as storage) I haven't seen this arrangement before, is it normal? I was expecting hidden MBR first on the disk then C: with Windows. Having Boot appearing as D: is a nuisance, can I get back to a more conventional layout without reinstalling?	Hokonui (8280)
877047	2010-04-16 00:01:00	When you install Win 7 it may create a 100 Mb partition. It can be removed.	Sweep (90)
877048	2010-04-16 00:30:00	If you have a clean formatted 1st Primary partition & you install to that partition there will only be one Primary as before. If you let W7 make the partition & format it, there will be 2 primaries, 100mb, and a larger one which holds the OS. It doesn't make any differenceto the user as the small partition is hidden in your file manager. If you make an Image of your system, be sure to include both partitions.	mzee (3324)
877049	2010-04-16 01:08:00	Mmmm, I have not been including the 100MB partition in my images. Is it really necessary??	linw (53)
877050	2010-04-16 01:11:00	Have just found deleting the 100mb Primary isn't an option as the system won't load Win7. Luckily I was able to restore it. The 100mb is showing in my file manager hence the nuisance. Am I able to set it as hidden as that would be a satisfactory solution.	Hokonui (8280)
877051	2010-04-16 01:12:00	You dont need the 100 mb partition. But you cant remove it easily either (if it gets created). Its for bitlocker. It can stop some systems from booting, because (I think), it tries to boot from it (after the first reboot / during install). You'll know if your system is affected. After the first reboot, it'll hang after detecting the hdd (on the post screen). And stop. I fixed it on the other system by making the partitions bigger (so the install couldnt create it). That was the only way Windows 7 was going to install	Speedy Gonzales (78)
877052	2010-04-16 02:29:00	I have two PC's with W7 on them. One has a 100mb partition and the other has not. One I let do its thing on installing, & the other I prepared the drive first, all partitioned & installed to the first primary. If you want to hide the 100mb partition go to computer management>disk management, and remove the letter, it will be hidden from your file manager etc.	mzee (3324)
877053	2010-04-16 02:55:00	Thanks Mzee and others. Hiding the drive letter is enough as it's not sufficiently irritating to warrant repartitioning the drive and reinstalling.	Hokonui (8280)
877054	2010-04-16 03:02:00	Mmmm, I have not been including the 100MB partition in my images. Is it really necessary??Some systems wont boot if that partition is not there, as it also contains the boot manager. To fix the PC if the partition is not there and there's problems, boot from the W7 DVD and tell it to fix the PC, this will re -write the MBR to the C drive and it will boot fine. Edited: My system was dual booting with Vista, took vista out and of course W7 wouldn't boot at all as the boot manager was in Vista - repairing as above fixed it - and no 100MB partition.	wainuitech (129)
877055	2010-04-16 06:08:00	I also had the same situation as you. Removed Vista but fixed the same way. In many cases restoring C: drive to the current drive will be OK as the drive will already have the 100MB partition. But, restoring to a new drive...... That's where the W7 DVD will sort it. OK, I am not so concerned now!	linw (53)
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