Do I need this partition?

Hi All,
I bought my computer a few years ago with Windows 7 preinstalled.
The drive was partitioned into "C" and a small recovery partition "E".
I did a clean install of Windows 10.
Do I still need the "E" partition???
Is it some sort of boot drive?
The recovery folder is empty.

Here's a closer look at the "E" drive

Victek said:

Have you checked how much of the space in ( E: ) is used? The recovery partition typically contains the factory image of the software that originally came on the PC (in your instance Windows 7). In the event of an OS failure it makes it possible to reinstall. Do you have separate System Recovery media? (DVDs or flash drive) If not be aware that if you delete the recovery partition the option to reinstall "7" will be gone.

I've got a Windows 7 disk if I need to go back, but I want to stay with Windows 10.
I'm worried that if I delete "E" will Windows 10 load up?

Cornishman said:

I've got a Windows 7 disk if I need to go back, but I want to stay with Windows 10.
I'm worried that if I delete "E" will Windows 10 load up?

I've used Disk Management to delete the factory restore partition on a couple of Notebooks without harm, just means I can't return those to their as-shipped condition without having the discs I was prompted to make when first setting up the computers. One was a Win7 and the other was a Win8.1.

Well I made an image of "C" and "E" using Acronis, just in case, then I deleted the files in "E"
Windows 10 started up OK!!!
But how do I delete the "E" partition???
Windows wont let me format it???

First, I notice that your E: drive partition is marked as Active. That means it probably has the boot files on it. Have you enabled the option in Windows explorer to view system protected hidden files and looked at E: drive again? If so, I'll bet you see the boot files remaining on it. Delete E: partition now and more than likely your computer will not boot.

In order to delete it, you would use MiniTool Partition Wizard Free. Delete the partition and then expand the C: drive system partition into the remaining free space. But, again, without establishing the boot files on C: drive and making the C: drive partition the active partition, deleting the E: drive partition will likely result in no boot files.

Word Man said:

Yep, looks like there are still 758 MB of content on E: and this is MBR structured disk.

What does that mean please?

NavyLCDR said:

First, I notice that your E: drive partition is marked as Active. That means it probably has the boot files on it. Have you enabled the option in Windows explorer to view system protected hidden files and looked at E: drive again? If so, I'll bet you see the boot files remaining on it. Delete E: partition now and more than likely your computer will not boot.

In order to delete it, you would use MiniTool Partition Wizard Free. Delete the partition and then expand the C: drive system partition into the remaining free space. But, again, without establishing the boot files on C: drive and making the C: drive partition the active partition, deleting the E: drive partition will likely result in no boot files.

There is a boot file in the "E" drive sources folder