# [SOLVED] 350MB System Reserved Partition on old OS drive



## HomicidalBunny (May 22, 2013)

Hey y'all, it's a been a while.

For Christmas I received an SSD (yay me), so, naturally, I decided to install windows on my new shiny. I unplugged my old main drive (which contained Windows) and installed Windows 8.1 on my SSD. When I logged in I noticed a 350MB partition named "System Reserved". After some quick searches I found that this partition contains necessary recovery files and other witchcraft I know nothing about yet.

My question is, is it safe to delete this partition? Im assuming its the reserved partition placed on the old OS drive and is now obsolete, is this correct?

EDIT: Is it also safe to download all the old Windows files on my old drive, just keeping the documents and programs?

Thanks,
Ronan


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

*Re: 350MB System Reserved Partition on old OS drive*

imo, you need to leave it alone. You may need it one day - besides, your bootloader may be located there so if you delete it, you may not be able to boot.


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## HomicidalBunny (May 22, 2013)

*Re: 350MB System Reserved Partition on old OS drive*

Is there a way I can hide the partition from explorer?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

*Re: 350MB System Reserved Partition on old OS drive*

Go to Search and type *diskmgmt.msc*, Right click the *diskmgmt* results and *Run As Administrator*. In the Elevated *Disk Management *window, you should see your SSD with your partitions. Windows installs a Hidden System Reserved Partition, which includes the Boot file, (so don't delete it) this should not be viewable in Explorer. If the System Reserved partition has a Drive Letter, you can right click it and choose _No Drive Letter_ so it will not show up in Explorer.


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## HomicidalBunny (May 22, 2013)

*Re: 350MB System Reserved Partition on old OS drive*

I think either spunk.funk, or both of you have misunderstood my question. The system reserved partition is the reserved partition from my OLD boot drive, which was a WD 1TB Black. Since I have now reinstalled Windows onto my SSD, the HDD's system reserved partition is showing up in explorer. My "new" bootloader should be in the reserved partition in my *SSD*, should it not? If this is the case, it should be safe to remove the HDD's partition without risking the OS, correct?

As a side note, thanks for letting me know how to make the partition no longer show in explorer, I'll do that until I hear back.


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

*Re: 350MB System Reserved Partition on old OS drive*



HomicidalBunny said:


> I think either spunk.funk, or both of you have misunderstood my question. The system reserved partition is the reserved partition from my OLD boot drive, which was a WD 1TB Black. Since I have now reinstalled Windows onto my SSD, the HDD's system reserved partition is showing up in explorer. My "new" bootloader should be in the reserved partition in my *SSD*, should it not? If this is the case, it should be safe to remove the HDD's partition without risking the OS, correct?
> 
> As a side note, thanks for letting me know how to make the partition no longer show in explorer, I'll do that until I hear back.


did you remove the old drive or unplugged the cable to it before installing the os in the new drive??? if not, then there is a good chance that it saw the old reserved partitionand used it. that is why it is usually recommended to remove the old drive before installing the the os in the new, even if planning to reuse it.

IMO just let it be. It is only 350 megs next to nothing in todays storage and file sizes.


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## HomicidalBunny (May 22, 2013)

*Re: 350MB System Reserved Partition on old OS drive*

Yes I removed SATA power and data cables from the old drive and then installed on the new SSD. It's probably only showing up since it is now obsolete. I'll just leave it be now that it's no longer visible. Marked as solved, thanks for all your help.


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