Windows 10: Clean install of 1703 - no system reserved partition created?!?

Hi Guys,

I don't think this is a big issue, rather an oddity?...

I've just performed a clean install of Win 10 Pro 64-bit 1703 on a new PC.

Single hard-disk, newlly partitioned as follows:

Partition 1: 40GB, set to "Primary, Active) - This is where Windows was installed.
Partition 2: 460GB, set to "Logical" - This is where all data is stored (Doc, D/L, Music, Pics, Vids all mapped here)

After partition, I boot from my Win 10 installation media and proceed as normal with the install. When it comes to the point where I choose the installation location, I select the 40GB partition and continue.

Now, in the past, at this point a warning message would pop up informing me that additional partitions may be created for system files - the 500MB "System Reserved" partition that I get all the other times I've installed Win 10 (1503, 1607, etc).

But, for some reason, I didn't get this message. The install continued without issue and everything seems fine, however there is no system reserved partition on my system and the "Boot" directory and associated files, that are usually put on the system reserved partition are now in the root directory of my 40GB partition.

What I'd like to know is:

1: Is this normal for 1703? (Why would it happen?)
2: Is it likely to cause issues?

Cheers,

Mike.

:)

 

How Many System Reserved Partitions for Dual Boot Windows 10 System

I've upgraded a dual-boot Windows 7 x64 Pro computer to Windows 10 dual-boot. The first system has a system reserved partition. The second system does not have a system reserve partition. So I repeated the clean install for the second system. Still no System
Reserve Partition.

What can I do to get the System Reserved Partition on this second system? I'm perfectly willing to complete the clean install again, but I don't think that will help since I've already completed the clean install twice.

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Reset this PC function In Recovery

Hi Janeane,

Thanks for your reply. My device was clean installed with 1703 installation media on 5-4-17. Everything is great! Loving Windows 10 1703 and looking forward to 1709 soon.

My question is, if and when I were to perform a Reset This PC, where does Windows get the 1703 Reset copy from? I don't have a Windows.old folder. I clean installed in May

I think a Reset this PC uses the System Reserved partition to Reset this PC...but not sure.

Thanks

Wayne

 

It did that because you already had the partition marked as Active before you installed Windows to it. It could cause problems with future major updates, like the fall Creator's Update coming up in September.

 

Only 40 GB for Windows is really not enough - I recommend at least 100 GB.

You should shrink logical partition or better still convert to primary partition, and expand space for windows, using minitool partition wizard (not sure if free version can convert logical to primary without data loss). You would have to move data partition to right as well.

If you convert logical to primary as described, then during w10 install (if you did it again), delete all partitions except data partition, and it will create a system reserved partition.

 

Thanks guys, I guess that makes sense.

I'll leave it as-is for now. If I run into issues I might have to do something. I've previously (on Win 8 & 8.1) removed the system partition, as I liked the idea of keeping the entire OS on a single partition, but I guess the system reserved partition is there for a reason.
@cereberus, Nope 40GB is more than enough . A basic Win install (after cleanup) only takes around 14GB, once I install my apps (I have a fairly simple setup - no games, no massively bloats apps, just office 2003, Paintshop Pro 10 and Firefox) it takes up around 18GB.

If I ever go over 20GB, I do a DISM cleanup, which brings things back down. I can't imagine ever filling up the 40GB

Cheers,

Mike.

 

Sure you can manage 40GB. Problem is when you get build upgrades creating windows.old.

Still if low storage needs fine.

Having boot files on OS drive is a legacy throwback to early days of Windows. Having a separate partition is better as you can easily recreate it if boot files get corrupted, can more easily install dual boot etc.

No real need to change but you could get in a tangle with future build upgrades.

 

Yep, 40 GB is way too small, you should just dedicate an entire SSD to Windows, in your case even a 120/128GB ssd will suffice.

I don`t do SR partitions either. *Smile

 

How many times have you been able to reinstall office 2003 without problems?
Weren't there a limited number of un-installations and re-installations allowed?
Hasn't support vanished?
If you ran into installation problems how did you fix them so that you could reinstall(even with a product key)?

 

You guys have far too much crap installed!
@AddRAM - I like your style - ever hit any issues with no SR partition?

I have a trusty old installer for Office 2003 CE (Corporate Edition). As far as I know there are no limits on re-installs. I've probably installed it on 4 different machines about 3 times each over the past few years.

For me, Office 2003 hit the sweet-spot for functionality/easy of use/compatibility.

There's an Office 2007 Compatibility upgrade that lets it use the 'newer' file formats and functions of later versions of Office.

Not sure about support (I only used Word and Excel), but when I run Windows Update (in Win 10) I do get a bunch of recommended updates each time I reinstall.

I don't use any of the 'clever' stuff (web components, VBA, etc)

Cheers,

Mike.

 

I always ran 20GB for Windows but was having that problem with upgrades so increased it to 32GB - seems OK for me now - like the OP I pretty much only have Office installed and almost no data on C volume.

I haven't. You need one if you want to enable bitlocker otherwise I don't believe it is required.

 

Nope never an issue, and with 32 GB of Ram, I don`t even use a page file.

My install is only 27 GB *Smile

My Windows folder is only 15.8 GB