Will it use the same system reserved partition or create a new one?

Can anyone answer the following question?

Matthew Wai said:

If I simply delete both partitions, will they automatically merge into a single unallocated space, into which Windows will be installed?

Matthew Wai said:

Can anyone answer the following question?

Yes. Which is the answer to both questions. If you delete two partitions located next to each other, it will result (merge) in just 1 unallocated space. If the partition containing your D: drive data is at the end of the disk like it should be, then to do a clean install you delete all the partitions except the D: drive partition. All the partitions deleted will become 1 big unallocated space. You pick that unallocated space to install Windows to and let Windows setup create the partitions it wants inside the unallocated space.

You don't need to use any third party software like Linux and GPARTED. All you have to do is select the custom install option during setup. The next screen will show you a list of hard drives and partitions on your computer. On that screen you can delete all the partitions on the hard drive you are installing to EXCEPT your D: drive data partition.

NavyLCDR said:

On that screen you can delete all the partitions on the hard drive you are installing to EXCEPT your D: drive data partition.

In the past, the partition screen shown by Windows 7 setup showed the newly created system reserved partition.
Last week when I clean-installed 1607, the partition screen did not show it. I think this is because Microsoft does not want users to delete it.

NavyLCDR said:

You don't need to use any third party software like Linux and GPARTED.

I will use GPARTED on my Linux Live DVD only when something untoward happens.

NavyLCDR said:

the partition containing your D: drive data is at the end of the disk

That is the case on my hard disk.