Can I Remove This "Recovery Partition?"

Since I started using my own computer, there's been the Windows Partition, and this other partition that the Boot Manager refers to as "System Restore." Loading it would take me to a screen telling me that I should press the green button to revert my system back its original Windows XP installation. Obviously I don't want that so I push the red one. The original XP installation was on a Dell manufactured machine, "Precision Workstation 390."

This partition has been around for years because I've cloned my disk to upgrade it in various ways such as capacity and now to an SSD. Even though I've only had one Windows version on here at a time, it always brought up the Boot Manager with "Windows ____" and "System Restore." I just removed it from Boot Manager through msconfig since I don't need it. However, the partition I assume that it's on still remains visible in Disk Management.



I want to remove this partition from the SSD to take advantage of the extra 400 megabytes, but don't want to mess something up and prevent Windows from booting. Since it says "Recovery," I halfway think that it's what the Recovery Environment is stored on, but also that it's for the "Revert to XP" menu. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

If you remove the recovery partition, you won't be able to use Windows' built-in recovery partition boot-up and boot repair facilities. That's OK, though -- as long as you maintain a current, working bootable USB flash drive (or similar device) to use for emergency repairs instead. If you do that, you can use a tool such as MiniTool Partition Wizard (Free) to add the extra space to your OS partition. Do not mess with EFI (usually 100 MB) or MSR (16 MB) partitions, though -- they are absolutely necessary to boot, and your PC won't start properly without them.
HTH,
--Ed--

I do think I'll keep the partition in that case, rather than search for some of my flash drives that seemed to have vanished without a trace. My next step would probably be a larger SSD if I want more space. Wow, unintentional rhyme. Thanks for the response Ed, I will keep it in mind if I do decide to remove it. :)

EdTittel said:

If you remove the recovery partition, you won't be able to use Windows' built-in recovery partition boot-up and boot repair facilities. That's OK, though -- as long as you maintain a current, working bootable USB flash drive (or similar device) to use for emergency repairs instead. If you do that, you can use a tool such as MiniTool Partition Wizard (Free) to add the extra space to your OS partition. Do not mess with EFI (usually 100 MB) or MSR (16 MB) partitions, though -- they are absolutely necessary to boot, and your PC won't start properly without them.
HTH,
--Ed--

Actually only the EFI partition is essential. The MSR partition is for future requirements rather vaguely specified by MS.
If you google web on MSR, you cannot get a definitive reason for its existence, or any specific example of it being used now. Some allege it is to handle bitlocker needs, but I have never found any evidence to support that assertion.

In the end, it is so small, deleting it is rather pointless. However, even tools like minitool have difficulty in moving it, making space reclamation harder. There are ways but hassle. On my tablet, I delete it so I can maximise space (unallocated space before it) for C drive.

In the end, leave it alone unless you need space, but deleting it does not cause any issues (yet).