Whats the correct amount of partitions for Windows 8.1?

This is strange... I installed Windows 8.1 on two computers but got different partitioning on the SSDs...I would like to know which is the best/correct one, and should I tweak the one thats not setup properly?

DESKTOP--> 240SSD
Disk Management shows:

• C: 214.25GB NTFS Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)
• 18.63GB Unallocated

LAPTOP--> 120SSD
Disk Management shows:

• 300MB Healthy (Recovery Partition)
• 100MB Healthy (EFI System Partition)
• C: 118.73GB Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)

NOTE: I dont know if this is related but for the laptop (the one with the most partitions), I performed a Reset Windows 8.1 to fix a few things.

1. LAPTOP: Windows 8 was installed using UEFI instead of the legacy MBR. Your SSD is initialized as GPT disk. In addition, there's actually another 128MB unallocated partition that Disk Management did not show, if you use Diskpart then you can see it listed.
2. DESKTOP: W 8 was installed using legacy BIOS. With leagacy BIOS, normally it will create a 350MB reserved partition if you did not create & format the partition prior to W8 installation and put the boot manager, Recovercy, bitlocker feature in this 350MB partition. If you did create and format the partition prior to the installation then the installation will put everything in C: together with your Windows.

EDIT: Another case that Windows installation might put the Reserved partition in another HD if you did not set the SSD to be the first boot priority in the BIOS and you have the other disk set Active and I think your Desktop is in this case.

Wow topgun you are good! You guessed right about my desktop having set another disk as active.... dam, this explains why last night when I did the mirror (using FreeFileSync) it was showing me a folder called boot that i just couldnt see in my File Explorer. I was wondering what the heck that was and so I dont know what to do with it..except i dont want it there!

What can I do with it? I would really like for both systems to be setup with same partitions so that I get used to one system if ever i need to do a recovery.

Can you please advise...?

But about the laptop, my drive was formatted as MBR prior to install so Im not sure how it became GPT but according to Macrium you're right it is. Is this bad? Macrium also says that the 100MB partition is formatted using the FAT32 system (whereas the 300MB and the main one are NTFS). And the xtra partition which I could not see is unformatted. Can you please explain?

After reading Windows Setup: Installing using the MBR or GPT partition style Im under the impression that the laptop installation is the correct one. It probably did this because I booted with CSM disabled.

My thoughts are now on reinstalling Windows on the desktop so that I can convert it to a proper GPT install.
Your opinion?

If you turn on "shown hidden system files", you'll see those files that would normally be in the 350MB reserved partion for the legacy MBR. If you disconnect the disk containing these files, your system becomes unbootable.

But about the laptop, my drive was formatted as MBR prior to install so Im not sure that you'd be correct about saying its GPT

Click to expand...

Since you use Macrium. Here's the screen shot of the EFI type installtion, Windows Installation probably convert it without your knowledge, both MBR and GPT can be formatted with FAT32, NTFS ....:

My thoughts are now on reinstalling Windows on the desktop so that I can convert it to a proper GPT install.
Your opinion?

Click to expand...

The question is Does your desktop support EFI ? , old desktop only have MBR available. However, It does not really matter if you have MBR or GPT type as long as your HD is less than 2GB capacity as a boot drive.

With your Laptop, I think it is OK as is.

With Desktop, use this procedure to put the Boot manager back to the SSD where you have your Windows installed:
http://www.eightforums.com/installa...-partition-after-installation.html#post392105

Thanks topgun - the screenshot matches what ive got in Macrium. (what a relief!)

Does my desktop support EFI? I believe so...I built it less than 2 years ago intel i7 on Asus Z77 board. Is it worth changing to GPT - will this increase speeds or provide any other benefits, or should I simply use your guide to create the system reserved partition? (BTW, we are talking about a Samsung 840 Evo Pro 250GB SSD)

Oh, and how do you view System Hidden Files? The only thing I could find was View Hidden Items in the Windows 8 ribbon... but it didnt reveal the boot folder.

Oh, and how do you view System Hidden Files? The only thing I could find was View Hidden Items in the Windows 8 ribbon... but it didnt reveal the boot folder.

Click to expand...

There's no benefit except GPT disk type can support large capacity disk drive. I think you're OK, just use the procedure to move the Boot Manager.

This is very strange... i went to the Show Hidden Files, Folders, etc and it was already enabled. I dont see the Boot folder though, but when I launch FreeFileSync, its there!


BTW, your link to EasyBCD Portable keeps getting flagged by Chrome as mailicious when I try to download the program from MediFire and I cant get around it. Can you recommend another? Will EaseUS Partition Manager do?

This is very strange... i went to the Show Hidden Files, Folders, etc and it was already enabled. I dont see the Boot folder though, but when I launch FreeFileSync, its there!

Click to expand...

You need to also do:

BTW, your link to EasyBCD Portable keeps getting flagged by Chrome as mailicious

Click to expand...

Well, it is clean. Myself and other members downloaded it and I think it is false positive.

Can you recommend another? Will EaseUS Partition Manager do?

Click to expand...

I'd to only use the portable without installing it since I only use it once. You can also download the installer version from the official site:
EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies
it is free for home user.

EDIT: Is your Macrium a free version or Pro version ? If you have Pro, you can move partitions around with ease using drag and drop, no need to use any partition Manager.

Thanks - I see the files now!
Yes Macrium is free version... do you think the paid version is worth getting?

When creating the 350MB System Reserved partition, do i create it as Logical or Primary?
File System NTFS?

What do I do with the 18GB remaining that was unallocated? Merge it with the main C: partition?

Thanks - I see the files now!
Yes Macrium is free version... do you think the paid version is worth getting?

Click to expand...

There are additional features with pro version, you can selectively back up folders, set up to boot without using USB, copy partitions and moving them around etc... while the free only allow you to backup/clone the whole disk.

What do I do with the 18GB remaining that was unallocated? Merge it with the main C: partition?

Click to expand...

Yes merge it first. then shink by the amount shown in my post in the other thread. That will give you exactly 350MB unallocated, initiallize it as simple and assign to letter Z:, quick format

When creating the 350MB System Reserved partition, do i create it as Logical or Primary?
File System NTFS?

Click to expand...

When you create a partition and assign a letter to it, it is logical and yes set it to primary. Later on, we just remove the drive letter to make it hidden.

Thanks TopGun! Just in case I do have to reinstall Windows in the future, I'll convert to GPT at that time. So I'll take notes now on how to do that. In order for Windows to create the identical structure as my laptop, I'm guessing I need to disable CSM mode in the ASUS UEFI bios? Are you able to provide further guidance or is this now outside your area of expertise?

orlando1974 said:

Thanks TopGun! Just in case I do have to reinstall Windows in the future, I'll convert to GPT at that time. So I'll take notes now on how to do that. In order for Windows to create the identical structure as my laptop, I'm guessing I need to disable CSM mode in the ASUS UEFI bios? Are you able to provide further guidance or is this now outside your area of expertise?

Click to expand...

It really depends on how you boot up your Windows Installation, on DVD/USB Windows installation, from the boot screen if you select UEFI, then Windows will try to install with EFI provided if you set the BIOS correctly then Windows will initialize the SSD (in your case) to GPT. If you did not set correctly, Windows Installation might complaint that it cannot install etc... See screenshot

Each MB manufactuter use different BIOS (Phoenix, Megatrends ....). Mine is from Megatrends and it has an option to use: EFI or EFI+BIOS so if I set to EFI+BIOS in the BIOS, The Windows installation will be determined by how I boot the Installation Disk with.

I need to disable CSM mode

Click to expand...

Yes then it will be stricly in UEFI Mode.

Hope this helps.

The CSM disable mode if basically for the Windows 8 Secure Boot environment. You can install in UEFI with it enabled, you just have to boot to the UEFI version of the install media.

A GPT configured drive does allow more primary partitions, as topgundcp mentions, but it also allows the Windows 8 secure boot, if you ever want that. Possibly also the Fast Startup, but not sure.

A system reserved partition on a legacy install is normally the system partition and must be active if used to hold the boot files, so no logical partitions allowed. MBR configured hard drives can handle 4 primary partitions or 3 primary and one extended partition, which contains the logical partitions.

There are 3 basic types of installs. One is the Windows 8 Secure Boot, which requires a UEFI install. The next is a UEFI install that does not support Secure Boot (CSM enabled) and the last is the Other OS or Legacy installs.

Windows 8, and some Linux versions can be installed with Secure Boot. Windows 7 can be installed as UEFI, but does not support Secure Boot. Windows 8, Windows 7 and other OSes can also be installed as Legacy.

@Salgrass: Well said.

And since we mention about the secure boot, let explain a little more:
Secure Boot is a feature on UEFI-based PCs that helps increase the security of a PC by preventing unauthorized software from running on a PC during the boot sequence. It checks that each piece of software has a valid signature, including the operating system that will be loaded.

So once Windows 8.1 is reinstalled, are the following settings what I should have in my American Megatrends BIOS:

Secure Boot -->enabled
Fast Boot -->enabled
Launch CSM Mode -->disabled

Is this optimal?


(BIOS seems to have become alot simpler than 10-20 years ago.)

Oh another question.... the 1st drive on my laptop (for the OS and programs) is GPT.... if I add a 2nd HDD, should I initialize is as GPT too, or just MBR?

EFI is much more complicated and limiting.

GPT is fine. Just a partitioning style. You can use gpt style with bios or efi firmware.

The confusion arises because of windows peculiarity. Windows will only boot from a gpt partitioned disk if you are also using efi ..

So once Windows 8.1 is reinstalled, are the following settings what I should have in my American Megatrends BIOS:

Secure Boot -->enabled
Fast Boot -->enabled
Launch CSM Mode -->disabled

Is this optimal?