Can I Delete This Partition


  1. Steve C
    Posts : 7,901
    Windows 11 Pro 64 bit
       New #1

    Can I Delete This Partition


    I'm planning to tidy up the partitions on my desktop PC UEFI system disk. See the disk map below from Partition Wizard. I want to delete the old unused 300GB recovery partition at the start of the drive, move the FAT32 system partition to the start of the drive and extend the C: System NTFS partition to use up the spare space. I can't work out what the 128MB partition labelled Other is and whether it can be safely deleted? Note this partition doesn't appear under Disk Management.

    Attachment 175390
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  3. dalchina
    Posts : 42,963
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #2

    Win 10 creates 4 partitions in the case of an EFI installation. Do not delete it.
    UEFI/GPT-based hard drive partitions | Microsoft Docs

    See 'Partition Layout'.

    If you delete the Recovery partition you will lose:
    - restart to Advanced recovery options on a restart (Go back to previous build, System Image Recovery, command prompt, System Restore, Startup Repair)
    - automated repair on restart

    The space simply isn't worth saving.

    The partition you mention isn't visible in Disk Management for good reason- to try to protect it.
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  4. cereberus
    Posts : 15,480
    Windows10
       New #3

    That is the Microsoft Reserved Partition (MSR). As @dalchina says, it is part of the standard UEFI installation. Its function is apparently for future use with tools like bitlocker. Whilst not essential, and can be recreated, it is simpler just to leave it alone as it uses hardly any space.
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  6. Steve C
    Posts : 7,901
    Windows 11 Pro 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    cereberus said:
    That is the Microsoft Reserved Partition (MSR). As @dalchina says, it is part of the standard UEFI installation. Its function is apparently for future use with tools like bitlocker. Whilst not essential, and can be recreated, it is simpler just to leave it alone as it uses hardly any space.
    The recovery partition at the start of the drive is unused - there is another one at the end of the drive which is used. I'll leave the MSR alone.

    I just noticed my UEFI based laptop just has a 329MB FAT32 partition at the start of the drive, the main OS C: partition and a 924MB recovery partition at the end of the drive. It has no MSR but boots fine. How do I recreate the MSR as you suggest above?
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  7. NavyLCDR
    Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       New #5

    Steve C said:
    I just noticed my UEFI based laptop just has a 329MB FAT32 partition at the start of the drive, the main OS C: partition and a 924MB recovery partition at the end of the drive. It has no MSR but boots fine. How do I recreate the MSR as you suggest above?
    Why fix something that isn't broke? But if you really wanted to add the MSR partition you would have to use a partitioning program like MiniTool Partition Wizard to create free, unallocated space where you would want the MSR partition, and then the commands in a command prompt window would be:

    diskpart
    select disk 0 <- or change the number if it isn't the first and/or only drive in the system you are working on
    create part MSR
    exit
    exit

    But, as you noted already, the computer is running fine without it and I've seen many computers run fine without it.
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