I want to delete the system reserved partition

Ghot · 28 May 2020

Ok, on the 3rd install of Windows 10 Home (after many tweaking accidents on the first two installs), I ended up with a system reserved partition. :/

I want to remove it, to make my backup software happier. I really don't want to install Windows 10... again.

Here's a screen shot from EaseUS Partition Master 13.5 Technician...
It "looks" like the C: drive is bootable w/o the reserve partition, but I'm not 100% positive.

I have EaseUS Partition Master Technician Edition installed on Windows 10, and I have the good old Partition Wizard Boot CD as well.

IS it possible? What are my options?
Oh, I also have Macrium Reflect 7 (free) installed and have IT'S boot CD too.

The one problem I do have, is that this is my ONLY computer. I don't have a smart phone either. So I can't look things up online, while I'm doing this.

Windows 10 Home x64
OS Version 10.0.18363.836 (Win10 19H2 [1909] November 2019 Update)

/e I was trying to solve a video issue and reinstalled Windows 10 for the 4TH time! Once I discovered the issue was NOT a Windows problem, I restored from a Macrium backup. It didn't work the 1st time, so I used my old Partition EWizard boot CD to wipe everything on Disk 0. The restored again... it still wouldn't boot, so I loaded the Macrium Reflect boot CVDE again and used the option: "Fix booting problems", and I THINK it moved all the system/boot files to the actual C: drive???

- - - Updated - - -

It seems I accidentally solved this issue. Well Macrium Reflect 7 (free) solved it for me.

When I restored from a previous Macrium backup and it wouldn't boot... I loaded the macrium Boot CD again, and told it to: "Fix Booting Problems". For some reason, it moved the system/boot files from the Reserve Partition to my C: partition.

Just cause I'm obsessive, I decided to make a new backup tonight, so I clicked (in Windows) on Macriums: Make A Windows Image Backup.
Normally it auto checks the reserve partition and the C: partition. THIS time, it just checked the C: partition.

So, feeling brave, I restarted and booted from my Partition Wizard Boot CD and deleted the reserve partition. I figured I have a good backup anyway, so I was mostly safe.

The GOOD news... Win 10 booted w/o the Reserve partition.

Anyway, I'm gonna mark this as solved (by luck). Now, I have to resize my C: partition to take up the space that was being used by the System Reserve partition.

WARNING: I offer NO guarantees, that this will work for someone else. It MAY be a built in lifesaver thing in Macrium Reflect, I dunno.

zbook · 28 May 2020

It is possible to delete it.

The drive is 500GB.
The system reserved partition is < 1 GB.

What are you attempting to accomplish without it or with the ~500 MB?

Indicate whether drive encryption is or is not in use.

See this tutorial on how to widen columns to display characters within the parenthesis:

Open disk management > by default some columns are compressed > widen each Status and Volume > make sure the contents within the parenthesis are in full view and that none of the characters are cutoff > view disk 0 > widen this row as needed so that all of the characters are in full view > post an image into the thread
Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of

dalchina · 28 May 2020

See:
What Is the System Reserved Partition and Can You Delete It?

The way not to have one is to arrange that when installing Win 10.

Disk imaging software is perfectly capable of imaging that- if you wish to image Windows, you should image all partitions comprising your Windows O/S - that is, those created when you installed Windows.

Ghot · 28 May 2020

Btw, if a pic is too wide... just right click it and choose: view image.

EDIT...

I know how to install Win 10 w/o a reserve partition. I did it the 1st time I installed Win 10 about 7-8 days ago. The, I spent the next 4-5 days and 2 more clean installs of Win 10, battling with all the stuff they put in Win 10, and with Western Digital Edition of Acronis True Image 2016 (free).

The Acronis program ran three services and 6 processes, and is very hard to uninstall. Even using their removal tool. It broke Windows twice, which is the reason for the 2nd and 3rd clean install of Windows 10.

Then tonight, I noticed a weird issue with my new vid card, it's drives and my desktop. Even got EVGA on the phone and no joy. SO, I decided to do a 4TH install of Win 10 to rule IT out as the cause. Well, it wasn't the cause, so I restored from my latest Macrium backup. The rest of the story is in the original post.

AddRAM · 28 May 2020

If you want to install W10 without a System Reserved partition, then you have to do it the same way I`ve always setup my OS partition.

I personally use a Partition Wizard Boot CD, to Create the Install Partition, mark it Active, Align it, and format it NTFS. If you don`t Mark it Active, that`s when the installer will create the System Reserved partition.

That way, during the install you will see just one already created Partition to install Windows on, you can create other Partitions on the same drive if you want to, after you have installed Windows.

Make sure the OS Drive you want to install Windows on is the only Drive powered on, pull the Sata power cables from any other drives hoked up to the motherboard. If you have your Sata data cables setup properly, there is no need to touch them.

I haven`t had to do a Clean Install of Windows 10 in a very long time.

It can also be done with DiskPart, I have just gotten used to setting the Partition up with the Partition Wizard Boot CD, it`s super easy so I stick with it.

And of course you`ll have to install windows in Legacy mode on a MBR Disk/Drive.

It also makes it very simple to create Disk Images should you have to Re Image windows. One simple partition to Image

dalchina · 28 May 2020

The 'Howtogeek' article I cited shows how to install Windows without that partition.

Once a disk imaging backup job is created, and you've ticked all the partitions you want to include, there's nothing to think about. Selecting the partitions is a second's work checking boxes.

Using Macrium Reflect (free) e.g. thereafter all you have to do is make sure your backup disk or storage is connected or accessible, rt click the job, click differential, and make coffee.

AddRAM · 28 May 2020

I also see you put the Page File on your E Partition, if you did that on purpose, that`s fine. But it should be kept with C.

You won`t see a Page File in my shots, with 32GB of memory, I don`t need one.

Ghot · 28 May 2020

Yeah, you helped me with that a while back.

NOW... I'm in love with Macrium Reflect 7 (free version), backup software. This is one awesome program. I used this program to get rid of the System reserve partition... AFTER the SR partition was already ON Disk 0.

Macrium is also a much "cleaner", less bloated program than Acronis.

On a side note, I too have the Partition Wizard Boot CD v9.1. It's getting old. But it's still awesome. I can't even count how many times I've used that boot CD. Pretty sure I've been using that since the XP days. It has some serious staying power.

I've pretty much gotten Windows 10, beaten senseless. I only have one issue, and it's not Windows 10's fault.
But it's gonna have to wait for another day.

Lastly, I'm hooked on the WinAero Tweaker. It's definitely better than the Microsoft version. First thing I did was make a rule for myself... "no changing any of the more dangerous settings, until I've thought about it for 3 days minimum".
And not w/o a fresh backup as well.

/edit

AddRAM said:

I also see you put the Page File on your E Partition, if you did that on purpose, that`s fine. But it should be kept with C.

You won`t see a Page File in my shots, with 32GB of memory, I don`t need one.

Yeah, I put it there on purpose. I probably don't need one either with 16GB of RAM, and I still have to find the registry tweaks (for the PF in Win 10). Atm, I don't even remember what they were for. It had something to due with "which" things were stored in the PF.

From what I've been reading, I think I'm gonna relax with the tweaking until I deal or don't deal with this "2004" feature update.
Windows 10 version 2004 is here, and it has lots of issues - gHacks Tech News

AddRAM · 28 May 2020

Ya, you were able to do that because for some reason, your System, and Boot files were already on C and it was marked Active.

From now on, should you have to reinstall Windows, you don`t have to delete your install partition, just format it and click next

You can change the size of the Page File here.

Personally, I won`t even think about installing the new Feature Update for another 6 months, 1909 works great, so no reason to change it.

Ghot · 28 May 2020

AddRAM said:

Ya, you were able to do that because for some reason, your System, and Boot files were already on C and it was marked Active.

From now on, should you have to reinstall Windows, you don`t have to delete your install partition, just format it and click next

Negatory good buddy. The System and Boot files WERE on the SR partition. Here's an excerpt from the original post of what happened...

I was trying to solve a video issue and reinstalled Windows 10 for the 4TH time! Once I discovered the issue was NOT a Windows problem, I restored from a Macrium backup. It didn't work the 1st time (wouldn't boot), so I used my old Partition Wizard boot CD to wipe everything on Disk 0. Then restored again... it still wouldn't boot, so I loaded the Macrium Reflect boot CD again and used the option: "Fix booting problems", and I THINK it moved all the system/boot files to the actual C: drive???

I know for a FACT that initially, the system/boot files were NOT on the C: partition. They were definitely on the SR partition.