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Windows Vista/7 200MB partition fiasco

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chawks2

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Location
OG, CT
Recently, I was stumped by a W7/Vista cloning issue (unaware), messing up my images. Windows 7 first introduced me to the 200MB "Bitlocker/hidden/boot" partition. Did not realize this could also happen in Vista, but the easiest way to avoid it, is to create a new NTFS partition BEFORE installation of the OS. Thus not getting severely frustrated with the below.:mad:

If you did not create the partition before and need to get yourself out of a bind, so you DONT REBUILD THE MACHINE, follow the below instructions(this is prolly old news, but felt the need to rant).

Terms
BCD = boot.ini in legacy windows versions
fubar = @%%!# machine
source = trusty _working_ machine
diskpart = much improved fdisk

This guide is fantastic, and makes for some good reading. :D

Make sure you have a good boot directory from the OS you're installing (this includes the BCD & MS memcrapz tst), also have a copy of "bootmgr" (hidden in systemroot - may need to use attrib).

1. %source%\c$\boot\xcopy *.* /s %fubar%\c$\boot
2. %source%\c$\attrib -r -h -s %source%\c$\bootmgr
3. copy %source%\c$\bootmgr %fubar%\c$
4. Run the following commands from a winpe prompt/usbpe/alternate OS(XP,2003 etc.)


bcdedit /store c:\boot\bcd /set {default} osdevice partition=c:
bcdedit /store c:\boot\bcd /set {default} device partition=c:
bcdedit /store c:\boot\bcd /set {bootmgr} device partition=c:
bcdedit /store c:\boot\bcd /set {memdiag} device partition=c:

5. You will need a DVD iso/physical to run the command or you may have a better sneakaroo way of just getting the utility. :thup:


Vista/W7 DVD\BOOT\BOOTSECT /NT60 C: /FORCE

6. In a cmd prompt, use DISKPART to make partition active - ie



list disk
select disk %#%
select partition 1
active


Can someone explain how this overcomplicated process makes things easier? I know the whole bcdedit /store blah blah commands should be run BEFORE you image, but lets get real here MS.:mad:


THAT'S ALL FOLKS!!! Thanks for reading. :thup:
 
dd_rescue clones 7/vista without a problem. Vista doesn't even realize it was cloned.
 
dd_rescue clones 7/vista without a problem. Vista doesn't even realize it was cloned.

I didnt realize this was an issue until Windows 7 RC doesnt allow you to easily create an OS without adding the dum 200MB partition. Of course there are tools out there, but my point was to shed some light on the bcd/bootloader process.

So for all you guys trying to get rid of the 200MB partition, either prepare your HDD with an NTFS partition (and you dont have to worry about it) OR you can do the following:


1. Upon selecting a drive, W7 RC will claim it needs to create this dum partition
2. DELETE THE 200MB partition
3. Install W7 to the other partition
4. Boot into PE/Other OS
5. Use diskpart to extend the drive to claim the extra 200MB MS stole from you (cmd => diskpart => select disk 0 => select partition 1 => extend)

6. Follow the procedures above and now you have 1 single partition and a re-specialized bcd ready for cloning.
 
I'll concur, the best thing to do is to just partition (and format) the drive
before Win7 setup has a chance to mess with it. Do I see pre-partitioned,
pre-formatted drives in our future? :)
 
Bump, cuz W7 RTM requires the 200MB partition.:mad:

...AND these procs can get you out of a jam. :beer:
 
Bump, cuz W7 RTM requires the 200MB partition.:mad:

...AND these procs can get you out of a jam. :beer:
Nope. I stopped it from happening by pre formatting the partition NTFS beforehand.

Then I had an another serious issue where it put the boot files on another windows partition on the first drive set to boot in BIOS. However I copied the win7 boot files from the wrong partition to the one I wanted it to boot from. Then I used a GUI BCDedit program to set the boot files on my desired partion (same one OS installed to) so it would boot. Then I had to do a repair session using the install DVD to correct things to were win7 would actually boot when that hard drive was changed to the first HD boot order.

Next time I'll make sure the installing hard drive is set to boot 1st in BIOS beforehand. :rolleyes:

Otherwise you won't be able to boot if you take out the HD with the boot files on it. If you install the boot files to the hard drive the OS is on, it will boot when you take out or reformat any other drives.

PITA to fix later but not too bad if you out think MS n00bish install process (little to no input from any power users) beforehand :mad:
 
What free partitioning software will allow me to create my custom NTFS6.0 so I can partition the drive to my own personal preference without the need to use another computer.Something that I can boot from a USB drive or CD,push comes to shove a floppy.
 
Sonny, I found out the hard way to only use 2009 updated new partition software. I wrote this in my notes about Partition Magic for example:


This program may not work with 1TB+ hard drives / newer chipsets / Windows Vista partitions. Partition table errors may result even if this program gets around Error 4444 on NTFS and Windows Vista partitions which can be done by scanning the Vista partition using chkdsk FROM Windows XP. [NTFS has a hidden file called $UPCASE which maps lowercase and uppercase Unicode characters. When you run Windows XP's version of chkdsk, it corrects the $UPCASE table on the Vista partition (makes it the same as XP's). The change doesn't affect Vista's operation but it allows DriveImage and PartitionMagic to work. However, unexpected partition table errors still appear later.]

Use of this program is recommended with Windows XP (and earlier versions of Windows) ONLY and hard drives smaller than 1TB.
 
chawks2, can you clear something up for me, if we partition the hard drive however we please before installing anything on it, are we good?

Is this only about Win Vista/7 installs on unpartitioned hard drives?
 
chawks2, can you clear something up for me, if we partition the hard drive however we please before installing anything on it, are we good?

Is this only about Win Vista/7 installs on unpartitioned hard drives?

I'm a little late on responding to this c6, but will explain my experience with RTM W7. The 200M partition WOULD install regardless if partitioned first w/RTM setup. If I remember correctly, I allowed it to create the partition, but deleted it once it was created and pointed the installation to the 2nd partition. After the installation, I figured I could just go back in and extend the partition to reclaim the 200M space. However, there was a problem. Now the 200M partition, was not "continguous" space, and could not be reclaimed.

I did an image backup with Acronis and reapplied the image to the drive. VIOLA, no EFI/200M/DUM partition.

AGAIN, most ppl dont care about the configuration of Vista/W7 so this doesnt matter for them. I just dont care for 2 partitions on my drive and would prefer MS leave this up to the consumer.
 
I very much care. Partitions are central to my computer use.

But I have not experienced any of this so are you sure it was caused by Win7 itself.


I partitioned my hard drive into four partitions last year and left my C: partition empty to wait for WIn7. I installed XP on second, Vista on fourth and used the third one for large Program Files folders for all OS.


I can tell you that Win7 RTM installed on my C: without making any partition changes... I haven't heard anyone here say otherwise either...
 
Mine certainly made changes (Win7 Pro RTM). I had a formatted drive, single partition and did not tell W7 to format the drive. Somehow ended up with the 200M partition anyway.
 
But I have not experienced any of this so are you sure it was caused by Win7 itself.

I can tell you that Win7 RTM installed on my C: without making any partition changes... I haven't heard anyone here say otherwise either...

It most certainly creates the 200M partition AND defaults to C:. BOO. Im not sure how it reacts to a different physical drive. However, based on the thread I wrote way back when, regardless what partition/drive it exists it can be changed, unfortunately not easily.

Remember the 200M partition is hidden to the system, it does not show up as a standard partition.
 
W7 startup said:
"boot\bcd 0x000000e error"

Please use the Windows 7 startup disk or select repair etc.

My FBR has 2 configs, one RAID and a single Raptor on the ICHR10 I use for benching/oc'ing. OC Gear allows you to save/load BIOS settings to configure each OS independently.

Upon going back to WXP for some more oc'ing madness I received the above error, after I restored my RAID W7 config.

+1 for procs, once again preventing HUGE headache :thup:
 
These procedures still work with W7 SP1, however, I did run into a snag which I never saw before.

I kept getting the following error during setup when installing to my Intel RAID setup:

W7 SP1 setup said:

Setup was unable to format the partition. The disk may be damaged.
Make sure your drive is switched on and properly connected to your
computer. If the disk is a SCSI disk, make sure your SCSI devices are
properly terminated. Consult your computer manual or SCSI adapter
documentation for more information.

Turns out, I was UNABLE to install Windoze 7 without first loading the drivers for my ARECA card AND on top of that it installed the dum 200MB partition on the ARECA RAID drive. Hmph. :bang head
 
The way I found to not create the 200MB partition is at the option to install win7 select recovery options, then command prompt and use diskpart to create, align, format and assign (etc etc etc) the partition for installation. Then restart and install to the aforementioned partition with no other drives attached (I've had it where it gets created on another drive).
 
I had that part problem once but used the advanced disk option to delete the parts, recreate it whole, and this then forces the disk to install to the entire drive unpartitioned.
Unless it's linux, there's no good reason to partition the OS drive in windows imho.
 
My FBR has 2 configs, one RAID and a single Raptor on the ICHR10 I use for benching/oc'ing. OC Gear allows you to save/load BIOS settings to configure each OS independently.

Sorry if I missed something. :chair:Can you give me a URL to OC Gear.

Thanks.
 
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