Windows 7 Reformat Question

[cgrim29588]

In Disk Management it show my hard drive disk 0 as No Name (OEM Partition), Recovery, and OS (C, so my question is how do I format my hard drive, so that I do not have the recovery partion since I have the recovery disk, so I can get more disk space and reinstall windows? The reason I want to reformat is because I want to get rid of the Recovery Partion and when I bought my computer from Dell they had some programs installed I do not use and want to install and when I go to Programs and Features and try to uninstall them and when I do they don't uninstall.

Link Removed

 

[cgrim29588]

I need some help!

 

[TorrentG]

I can show you how to do this. It involves quite a few steps because we will have to move your boot files off the recovery partition. Your system uses that to boot currently.

You will also need a 3rd party utility to resize C: to claim the recovery partition space. It's called a merge.

For this, I recommend the newest version of Acronis Disk Director Suite.

If you'd still like detailed instructions, let me know once you're ready.

 

[cgrim29588]

I'm ready!

 

[TorrentG]

Cool. I'd read the process and make sure you understand how to do everything before beginning. You will not have to reinstall Windows.

1) In Disk Management, assign a drive letter to the recovery partition. Make it R: (Leave Disk Management open.)

2) Ensure hidden folders/files and system files are visible in Windows Explorer.

3) Copy the bootmgr file from R: to C:

4) Copy the Boot folder from R: to C:, ignoring the warning about how it can not copy bcd or bcd.log. Tell it to skip these files when it asks.

5) Open an elevated command prompt. Copy and paste this command to it then hit enter:

bcdedit /export C:\Boot\bcd

Make sure and double check that bootmgr file and Boot folder are now at C: root and bcd file is inside Boot.

6) If it went well, go to disk management and set the C: partition as the active partition.

7) Reboot.

8) Format R: in the normal way. Quick format is fine. Then use Acronis to merge R: and C: together.

Let us know how it goes for you or if you need further help. Good luck. Post a screenshot of Disk Management after if you'd like to.

 

[cgrim29588]

I assigned the recovery partition the R: now it is visible in My computer and when I double click on it to open it I get this:

DELL
Recovery Partition
Warning!

This area of your hard drive
(or partition) contains files used
for Datasafe Recovery process.

Do not delete or alter these files.

Any change to this partition could
prevent any recovery later.

and I see now way to access the files

 

[TorrentG]

Yeah, hrrmmm. I never saw a machine with the system boot files on the actual recovery partition.

In this case, you can Google for how to make the partition's contents visible in Windows Explorer. If you find anything, then proceed.

Maybe someone else that knows how to make the contents visible could say.

 

[cgrim29588]

I don't think the system boot files are on the recovery partition just files for the Dell DataSafe program

On OS (C there is
ATI (Graphics Card)
Drivers
PerfLogs
Program Files
Program Files (x86)
ProgramData
Temp
Users
Windows (system/System32)
dell.sdr
fzshellext_64.dll
msdia80.dll

 

[TorrentG]

They are. That's what the "system" means in Disk Management screen listed for that partition.

 

[cgrim29588]

I know but there are folders names system and System32 in the Windows folder on OS which is the C drive.