Windows 7 Windows 7 200mb Partition - With Recovery Partitions Already In Place

[mjw92]

Hey,
I'm thinking of installing the RC of Windows 7 when it is released tomorrow. But there is one thing that is worrying me. When I go to install 7, i have read that it creates a 200mb partition. On my Acer laptop, there are already 4 paritions, a 9.76GB which does not show up as a drive, a 69.77GB which is labeled as 'ACER', a 66.27GB which is labeled 'DATA' and then a 3.24GB partition which again does not show up as a drive.

I know that there is a recovery partition built in, will this 200mb parition affect them? I will be installing (using the upgrade) on to 69.77 Partition, or will it just spilt the 69.77 partition into two?

Sorry if it doesnt make much sence, im not exactly admazing at computers.

Thanks For Your Help!!

 

[cmn]

Hey,
I'm thinking of installing the RC of Windows 7 when it is released tomorrow. But there is one thing that is worrying me. When I go to install 7, i have read that it creates a 200mb partition. On my Acer laptop, there are already 4 paritions, a 9.76GB which does not show up as a drive, a 69.77GB which is labeled as 'ACER', a 66.27GB which is labeled 'DATA' and then a 3.24GB partition which again does not show up as a drive.

I know that there is a recovery partition built in, will this 200mb parition affect them? I will be installing (using the upgrade) on to 69.77 Partition, or will it just spilt the 69.77 partition into two?

Sorry if it doesnt make much sence, im not exactly admazing at computers.

Thanks For Your Help!!

what is the current Operating system on your Acer Laptop? It will be a lot better if you can post the exact Product Line & Product Model [Example Acer Note book TravelMate TM 7730G] so that we can find out its SPECS from Acer Support site. If you could also post the link to Acer Support that would be splendid and will make it easer to get all info much faster

Yes , Win 7 uses the 200mb carved out of an unalloted partition to create its SYSTEM VOLUME to securely hide the hardware specific files and the rest of the real estate to build Boot Volume that contains Windows Folder and Windows\System32 and other Folder/File system for the Operating System.

You need to have that 200MB for the sytsem to work or you may need to do a lot of tweaks discussed in a few sites in the Internet. I doubt Windows 7 will alter the recovery partition but I hope others with better knowledge on Laptop systems with Vista or XP will comment on that. All your questions are very valid before embarking on this additional new Beta or RC installation.

 

[mjw92]

Im running Vista HP on an Acer Aspire 5920 laptop. And does that mean I have to make the partition before I install 7 or does the installer do it itself?

 

[cmn]

Im running Vista HP on an Acer Aspire 5920 laptop. And does that mean I have to make the partition before I install 7 or does the installer do it itself?

Win 7 does everything for you with your consent
A very sketchy way to show the sequence:

1. Insert the properly burned corruption free Win 7 7100 Image containing DVD in the DVD -ROM or DVD-RW drive
2. Restart PC
3. Access BIOS setup with the appropriate key hit
4. In Boot order or Boot Sequence Menu /sub-menu,make the DVD device to boot BEFORE the HDD
5. Save settings and reboot
6. Watch the screen anticipating and ready to hit any key when screen displays" Press any key to boot from CD"
7. Watch ..... Agree to License.... language selection etc.......
8. Setup 2 options .Choose the Custom install
9. Partition selection> Point to the Desired empty unallocated space
10. Just watch for your inputs like CD key [Product key from MS],Your login name Password, Admin Password, Computer Name, etc

Enjoy the new system but follow the warning/caution about back up during the setup.

 

[Radenight]

You need to have that 200MB for the sytsem to work or you may need to do a lot of tweaks discussed in a few sites in the Internet. I doubt Windows 7 will alter the recovery partition but I hope others with better knowledge on Laptop systems with Vista or XP will comment on that. All your questions are very valid before embarking on this additional new Beta or RC installation.

Sorry but that is not entirely true.. Windows 7 only creates this 200mb partition IF the OS is installed on a Hard Disk with a Single Partition Scheme OR unallocated space on the hard drisk...

Meaning it can be avoided quite easily.. Some ways to do this would be:

1- Do not install Windows 7 to a HDD that has not yet been partitioned OR to unallocated space.. (When you install Windows 7 to unallocated space there is no pop up warning given.. the setup will directly create the 200mb 'hidden' partition..)

2-If possible, try to create all necessary partitions and format them prior to the Windows 7 installation.

3- If you’re installing Windows 7 to a new HDD, or a blank HDD with no partition(s), or if you must delete all existing partitions to start fresh, chose Drive options (advanced). Delete (if applicable) unwanted partitions. Then, click New to create the single partition or multiple partitions according to your own preference.

When prompted with the dialogue saying "To ensure that all Windows features work correctly, Windows might create additional partitions for system files", click on Cancel button. Optionally, just to double check and make sure it will work, Format the partition before selecting it to install Windows 7.

- If you follow these steps and don't end up with the infamous 200mb partition (which is ideal) than the
Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) will be stored in a folder in the root of the Windows 7 installation drive.. So for example: If you installed Win 7 to a partition labeled C:, the WinRe will be located in C:Recovery.

This 200mb partition is only created as a place to hold the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).. It is NOT necessary for Windows 7 to function properly as like I said if you don't end up with it it doesn't mean that the WinRE isn't installed, it just gets put in a different place and you end up not having that stupid 200mb partition..

I hope that clears things up a bit..

 

[cmn]

Sorry but that is not entirely true.. Windows 7 only creates this 200mb partition IF the OS is installed on a Hard Disk with a Single Partition Scheme OR unallocated space on the hard drisk...

Meaning it can be avoided quite easily.. Some ways to do this would be:

1- Do not install Windows 7 to a HDD that has not yet been partitioned OR to unallocated space.. (When you install Windows 7 to unallocated space there is no pop up warning given.. the setup will directly create the 200mb 'hidden' partition..)

2-If possible, try to create all necessary partitions and format them prior to the Windows 7 installation.

3- If you’re installing Windows 7 to a new HDD, or a blank HDD with no partition(s), or if you must delete all existing partitions to start fresh, chose Drive options (advanced). Delete (if applicable) unwanted partitions. Then, click New to create the single partition or multiple partitions according to your own preference.

When prompted with the dialogue saying "To ensure that all Windows features work correctly, Windows might create additional partitions for system files", click on Cancel button. Optionally, just to double check and make sure it will work, Format the partition before selecting it to install Windows 7.

- If you follow these steps and don't end up with the infamous 200mb partition (which is ideal) than the
Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) will be stored in a folder in the root of the Windows 7 installation drive.. So for example: If you installed Win 7 to a partition labeled C:, the WinRe will be located in C:Recovery.

This 200mb partition is only created as a place to hold the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).. It is NOT necessary for Windows 7 to function properly as like I said if you don't end up with it it doesn't mean that the WinRE isn't installed, it just gets put in a different place and you end up not having that stupid 200mb partition..

I hope that clears things up a bit..

Adding my 2¢ to elaboarate on things left vague in my earlier post and not to create a long controversial thread

It is true that if you create partitions in your Hard disk through the Disk Management Snap-in tool of VISTA or XP, Win7 won't create the100- 200MB ( 100MB in RC 7100) partition. In the same way you can also stop Win 7's attempt to create the partition by the way Radenight has said .This HIDDEN PARTITION stores not only important boot files it also stores BitLocker a drive Encryption software to protect your data from the disk should your computer gets into the wrong hands. Since Laptops have a greater chance to be stolen , I guess that may be important to some owners. As stated by Radenight, even if Win 7 is not allowed to create this 100MB hidden partition, Windows can still save the Boot data on the same partition as Windows Operating system and support files are stored. But, adding BitLocker later could be problematic. However, if you don't need Bitlocker for your system, you are right to question the justification for the creation of a 100MB hidden partition during setup. But there is another side to this. Having boot files in the root partition has its own risk. If Windows system in the root partition suffers significant filesystem damage, recovery troubleshoot may be harder. Because of all these pros and cons I left the part intentionally vague by saying there are methods to avoid creating the 100-200MB System partition. described in many Internet sites.

Since this is a new Operating System and has just reached the RC stage in its development, I personally like to follow the Microsoft recommended methods intially and the tricks and tweaks when confronting problems or later in its use.

 

[whoosh]

Adding my 2¢ to elaboarate on things left vague in my earlier post and not to create a long controversial thread

It is true that if you create partitions in your Hard disk through the Disk Management Snap-in tool of VISTA or XP, Win7 won't create the100- 200MB ( 100MB in RC 7100) partition. In the same way you can also stop Win 7's attempt to create the partition by the way Radenight has said .This HIDDEN PARTITION stores not only important boot files it also stores BitLocker a drive Encryption software to protect your data from the disk should your computer gets into the wrong hands. Since Laptops have a greater chance to be stolen , I guess that may be important to some owners. As stated by Radenight, even if Win 7 is not allowed to create this 100MB hidden partition, Windows can still save the Boot data on the same partition as Windows Operating system and support files are stored. But, adding BitLocker later could be problematic. However, if you don't need Bitlocker for your system, you are right to question the justification for the creation of a 100MB hidden partition during setup. But there is another side to this. Having boot files in the root partition has its own risk. If Windows system in the root partition suffers significant filesystem damage, recovery troubleshoot may be harder. Because of all these pros and cons I left the part intentionally vague by saying there are methods to avoid creating the 100-200MB System partition. described in many Internet sites.

Since this is a new Operating System and has just reached the RC stage in its development, I personally like to follow the Microsoft recommended methods intially and the tricks and tweaks when confronting problems or later in its use.

I do the same go along for now with MS recommended settings Will play with it at a later date

 

[jk3]

Adding my 2¢ to elaboarate on things left vague in my earlier post and not to create a long controversial thread

It is true that if you create partitions in your Hard disk through the Disk Management Snap-in tool of VISTA or XP, Win7 won't create the100- 200MB ( 100MB in RC 7100) partition. In the same way you can also stop Win 7's attempt to create the partition by the way Radenight has said .This HIDDEN PARTITION stores not only important boot files it also stores BitLocker a drive Encryption software to protect your data from the disk should your computer gets into the wrong hands. Since Laptops have a greater chance to be stolen , I guess that may be important to some owners. As stated by Radenight, even if Win 7 is not allowed to create this 100MB hidden partition, Windows can still save the Boot data on the same partition as Windows Operating system and support files are stored. But, adding BitLocker later could be problematic. However, if you don't need Bitlocker for your system, you are right to question the justification for the creation of a 100MB hidden partition during setup. But there is another side to this. Having boot files in the root partition has its own risk. If Windows system in the root partition suffers significant filesystem damage, recovery troubleshoot may be harder. Because of all these pros and cons I left the part intentionally vague by saying there are methods to avoid creating the 100-200MB System partition. described in many Internet sites.

Since this is a new Operating System and has just reached the RC stage in its development, I personally like to follow the Microsoft recommended methods intially and the tricks and tweaks when confronting problems or later in its use.

Ok I am working on an hp z400 and The WIN 7 install disks DO install the 200mb part REGARDLESS of whether or not you format the HDD before hand. I've tried every way I've read about on here and nothing has worked to remove the 200mb partition so far. So if you guys have any other suggestions of what might work please share.