My new HP laptop has a few extra partitions (do i need them?)

I got a new laptop HP Pavilion dv6 with 320GB HDD.

i am going to be using it for a Laptop DJ setup.

it came with 3 partitions:


C drive
D drive which is the recovery drive 30GB
E drive which has some HP utilities

I really only wanted 2 partitions

C: for OS
D: for music


I didn't get an install disk for Windows 7 (which is a bit annoying) I might ring HP.

I bought an external 500GB seagate and run a backup with Macrium Reflect Disk imaging software.

Do i really need the extra partitions?
What are they for?
Where can i get an install disk for windows 7?


I really want to make sure there is no scheduled service or pop up going to happen, because I am going to take the laptop live on stage.

also is this program any good

http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/features

 

In order to be absolutely certain that you'll be able to recover your pc, like you received it from the factory, you have to keep all the partitions. For sure C and D. I don't know about E.

HP customer service should be able to provide answers.

About doing your job without interruptions you should check the windows task scheduler and each additional software for scheduled tasks.

 

cheers for the extra info

I'll call HP this week


I'm testing out the setup at home before it goes out anywhere

so i wont get "Adobe acrobat needs to update" popping up all over some superb DJ mixing.

 

Mine's a G61 given to me gratis for signing an isp contract. I kept the recovery partition and also created (first thing I did) the set of 3 recovery dvd's (you're allowed one set). After flushing away all the HP crap utilities I nuked the utilities partition, shrunk the system partition, and created a new partition used for data storage. No problems. Once I got it all set up the way I liked, I used Macrium Reflect free to create an image.

Tools I used:

Partition Wizard boot cd
Macrium Refelct free

 

google88 I have contacted a friend. He performs live too and he told me that on the machine that brings on stage there is no extra software installed...no security software...no other 3rd party software. Just windows and the dj related software. He wiped the partitions and all the pre-installed software, but he had no intention to bring the machine any time in the future to the factory state ( it was not an HP machine anyway ).

 

It depends on how "geeky" you feel. I, personally, exorcize my new computers by deleting any partitions I will not use and increase the main partition size. However, if you have a service contract that requires you to have certain programs installed in order for techs to help (like citrix, etc.) it's wise to make an image of the restore partition and keep it offline in case it's needed. A good imaging program is essential not just for keeping the original partitions but for a security regimen of always having a clean up-to-date backup image in case there is a driver corruption or viral infection.

If you don't feel comfortable about deleting factory partitions, don't do it. If you feel a little geeky, try it AFTER you image them. Either way, use a partition imaging program (Acronis True Image, Macrium Reflect, Paragon ____ [fill in the blank], and many others) to ensure a good PC experience.

SourMilk out

 

cheers for the extra input guys

cheers how do i create recovery disks? What are they for?
why did you keep the recovery disk partition?
what do you mean flushing the HP crap utilities?

I macrium reflect backups to an external drive. So i dont need any other kind of backup.

But i may sell the laptop one day and it would be nice to have a way of resetting it, but there is no Win7 HP instal disk?. (but that's not too important right now)

 

Maybe your model doesn't have this option? See the screenshot. They are used to revert your pc's system back to its original state if necessary, if you are not able to boot off the h/drive to use the recovery partition.

BTW, hehe, I had forgotten about the Linux partitions I created as well I used GParted boot cd to create the Linux parts. You can see my new disk layout.

just in case something goes wrong with my customized backups, though this iis unlikely.

all the "bundled" gimmicky and useless (to me and most people) software that typically comes pre-installed with these name brand machines. Mine did, at least.

Should be okay.

Then I would recommend keep the recovery partition. it's probably not taking up much disk space (mine is < 14 GB).

 

Personally I did not need the recovery partition and I removed it on one HP desktop and one HP laptop. However, removing it can be tricky, and may render your computer unbootable if done incorrectly, so make a full backup of drive (all partitions - include the unused sectors too just to be safe).

As for HP tools, I had those on my C: partition, but removed them because they caused a huge slowdown in the speed of my laptop (the HP security software in particular). YMMV. Besides, the HP site makes that software available for download, at least for my laptop model, so I can always reinstall it if I want to...

 

Absolutely right. I would not recommend removing/resizing partitions before having at least a couple recovery methods in place first. Besides leaving the recovery part intact before messing with the h/drive, it's wise to create the recovery disks, if possible, and back up everything using either the built-in Win 7 backup utility or some 3rd party tool. Also ,I'd recommend creating a system repair disk before removing/resizing partitions. Just type "repair" in Win 7's find field to locate this funtionality.

 

thanks for the input everyone.

I'm creating them now cheers . Idid find an option in the create recovery section for removing the recovery drive. but i'll keep it in case i loose the disks

i looked in control panel and there are a lot of programs starting with
HP-bla-de-bla

I might have to think about stuff before i delete it. does any of the HP stuff matter? did you keep any HP stuff?

its like all HP stuff somehow leads to the HP shop in a few clicks

 

also I've put kaspersky on there, do i need windows defender?

 

thanks I'll turn the defender off.



I tried to create a new partition but it said i already had 4!

there is a small hidden partition in front of C: is this important?


also i found this artice on HP about partioning making restores not work

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Operat...ioning-C-Drive/m-p/63627/highlight/true#M8768

I think i need a bit of rest

 

Yes, you can have only four partitions. My linux partitions reside within an extended partition, a sort of container that counts as only one partition even though it contains several partitions within it.

That System partition is probably the 100 mb boot partition that Win 7 boots from. If you delete it - as I did - Windows will not boot. However, not to fear, this is where you boot off your system startup repair disk that you should create before hand, and it will fix the bootloader. There is a thread here where some people think it's the end of the world when it's deleted. All I can say is it's only a routine procedure using the startup repair disk to fix the startup, at least the few times I've done this. But WARNING do so only if you are comfortable with it and please have your backups at hand and be 100% sure they work. See if you can possibly create the recovery disk set (3 disks) if possible. If you are not comfortable with partition removing/creation/resizing then maybe don't go through with it. It's not something to embark upon unless you are fully covered with known dependable backups. Practicing on a second h/drive is likely your best bet.

 

ok i might leave the system partition.....I've got the fear

I would like to put another partition on the drive

I could re-size the HP utilities drive and reformat it

there are a few files on it

What programs access the HP utilities drive/files? so i can uninstall them.

also will formatting and renaming it stop HP programs writing stuff to the partition. or would changing the drive letter help?

what's the best solution for claiming the HP utilities partition?

 

I hate for you to fear anything, only that you have safeguards in place like your backups and original factory recovery options before embarking on this. What I would recommend you do first is:

1. Ensure your h/drive is imaged using your imaging utility (Macrium I guess in your case)
2. Create, if possible, the Recovery Disk set of optical media
3. Please post a screenshot of your current hdd layout

 

Hi

The hard drive comes with 4 partitions, so i can't have any more.




so i thought I'd remove one, and use it for my data. HP tools is the best option.



the partitions are

1. system
2. main
3. HP tools
4. recovery

'system' is something to do with a boot menu to restore
'recovery' is to restore the laptop to default 'master reset' hand if i sell it. I made some recovery disks based on the advice in some of the posts here.
'main' is the main OS

so it leaves HP tools

it has a folder system Diags.



I'm not too bothered about HP utilities, not I'm not sure which ones this partition is using. i looked in Control panel and there are lots of HP programs.

How do i stop HP software using this drive, so there are no complications, or error messages. Format change the name and drive letter?

what HP tools access this information i could just uninstal them. or is it another HP utility that accesses these..


.... all i want is a partition for my data and music. I still cant believe the laptop doesn't ship with an OS disk. they must have saved 10p by not doing that.

anyway...how can i safely claim the HP utilities partition. will re size rename and change drive letter make HP forget it, or will some unknown HP utility crash or create an error message

 

I believe what you could safely do is:

1. Shrink the Main part to somewhere between 70 - 100 GB max
2. Expand the HP Tools part to take up the space by the shrinking of the Main part.
3. Move all the HP Utilities into its own directory and use the rest of the free part space for your personal data

If it were up to me I'd be a little more adventurous by removing the tiny System part, booting off the startup repair disk to fix the boot problem created by the first step, shrinking the main part, then creating another separate part in the free space for my personal data. I'd probably get rid of the HP Utilities, but then again you could reasonably keep them because it's not taking up too much real estate.

I've highlighted in your screen shot the minimum of what I think are candidates for removal (uninstalling through Programs and Features menu).

Just a word of caution again, if you are going to reorganize the partitions, do make very sure you are committing the operation on the correct partition. I'd really feel better in your situation if you could create the recovery CD set (mine totaled 3 disks) before you do anything with the partitions.

 

cheers

I did a full backup off all the partitions with Macrium reflect. (in case of 'F up')
and a backup of just the Hp utilities drive. (to keep just in case)

then i deleted the hp utilities partition.
resized the main one to 70GB
and created a partition.

I may uninstall the HP programs later. but I've got your list of 'ones for the chop'. so first sign of any HP buggy message and out it goes

Thanks again for your help guys



i left the empty space at the end and didn't really worry about it because it was 100mb

 

Nice Sometimes those unallocated spaces occur for whatever reason, but no big deal.

 

can the recovery partition get infected with virus,worm,rootkit,etc?

 

If running as limited user then I doubt it, because that partition should not have write permissions for limited users.

 

create the recovery disks just in case (see above) takes hours needs 4 DVD.

also
and buy a portable HD

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/portable-external-hard-drives/720_7064_70069_xx_xx/xx-criteria.html

portable = no power wires or any thing messy. just a USB cable to connect

i got a 500GB seagate from PC world

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/seagate-expansion-portable-hard-drive-500gb-03972887-pdt.html

and used code "10drives" to get 10% off drives

get macrium reflect (i have a paid version) but there is a Free version


connect the drive with the usb cable

do a backup to it (often)

A root kit cant hurt you

 

Make sure you back up your recovery partition before you go messing with anything. If you wipe it you lose your copy of Windows if no CD's and maybe service from HP if it is missing.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/fiesta/
Never mind it is for linux.

You should check out this guy, Scott Moultan. http://www.myharddrivedied.com/presentations.html
All modern HDD have wiping built in, so it is easy to clean the drive, even if frozen or password protected.
You can rid yourself of all partitions, make backups first though.