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20 August 2024  Jennifer Thatcher  Technology Manager of Test Dept.
 

Summary
The article discusses the importance of the System Reserved Partition in Windows, which is essential for functions like Boot Manager, Boot Configuration Data, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and facilitating conversions to GPT for secure boot and upgrades. It addresses the potential issues that arise from deleting this partition and provides a detailed guide on how to recreate or restore it using Command Prompt from Windows installation media.



Table of contents

table iconImportance of the System Reserved Partition
table iconSteps to Recreate the System Reserved Partition
table iconTroubleshooting Common Issues
table iconSummary
You might have deleted the System Reserved Partition to reclaim space, merging everything under one partition. However, this can lead to issues(such as: Windows boot failed), especially when you need to convert to GPT, enable secure boot, or upgrade to Windows 11. This article provides a step-by-step guide to recreate or restore the deleted System Reserved Partition.
If your cloned SSD won’y boot, please refer to “Cloned SSD Won’t Boot? Discover the Fixes“

Importance of the System Reserved Partition

The System Reserved Partition is crucial for several reasons:
- It holds the Boot Manager and Boot Configuration Data.
- It is required for BitLocker Drive Encryption.
- It facilitates the conversion to GPT, enabling secure boot and upgrades to newer Windows versions.

Steps to Recreate the System Reserved Partition

Using Command Prompt from Windows Installation Media

If you can not enter your Windows system, you may utilize the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) in Windows Installation Media to fix it for you.
Create Installation Media:
1. Download the Windows installation media from the official Microsoft website.
Windows 10: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Windows 11: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11
2. Create a bootable USB drive.
Boot from Installation Media:
1. Insert the installation media and reboot your computer.
2. Select your language preferences and click “Next.”
3. Click on “Repair your computer.”
windows installation repair your computer
Access Command Prompt:
Select “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced options” > “Command Prompt.”
command prompt
Recreate the System Reserved Partition:
  1. Type diskpart and press Enter.
  2. List all disks using list disk and identify your C drive.
  3. Select the appropriate disk using select disk X (replace X with the disk number).
  4. Create a new partition: create partition primary size=200
  5. Format the partition: format fs=ntfs quick
  6. Make it active: active
  7. Assign a drive letter: assign letter=S
  8. Exit diskpart using exit.
Repair the Boot Configuration:
1. Type the following commands:

bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: /f ALL bootrec /fixmbr bootrec /fixboot bootrec /rebuildbcd

2. Restart your computer and remove the installation media.

Using Third-Party Software to rescue data

If you prefer a more user-friendly tool to rescue important data before fixing your Windows system, you can use Renee PassNow. This software is designed to help you transfer or recover data when your Windows system fails to start due to issues like a blue screen. Here’s a brief introduction and usage steps for Renee PassNow: Renee PassNow is a powerful tool that helps you create a bootable disk to recover or transfer data from a non-bootable Windows system. Follow these steps to use Renee PassNow:
Renee Passnow – Professional Windows Password Remover

Remove Windows Login Password 3 steps for whole password remove process.

Enable/Create Administrator One click for creating new administrator and enable the disabled account.

Widely Use New version supports UEFI boot model, which can be used on more computers, laptops and even surfaces.

Multifuctional Data transfer, data recovery, bootable problem recovery can be run without system.

Highly compatible Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista.

Remove Login Password 3 steps for whole password remove process.

Enable/Create Administrator One click for creating new administrator and enable the disabled account.

Easy to use No need of any professional knowledge or password reset disk.

Free TrialFree TrialNow 2000 people have downloaded!
Step 1: Install Renee PassNow on a working computer. Connect a USB drive, launch the software, and select “Create a Live USB”. This process will erase the USB contents.
Step 2: Select the system type (x64 or x86), download the ISO file, create the USB, and eject it.
use renee passnow to create usb to reset passnword
Step 3: Insert the boot device into the target computer, access the BIOS settings, set the USB drive as the primary boot device, save changes, and reboot.
select boot order
Step 4: Once Renee PassNow loads, select Data Transfer or Data Backup.
data transfer
Step 5: Verify files on each disk drive and transfer them to an external disk. Use the ‘Copy’ button for transfer and ‘Delete’ button to remove files.
transfer data interface
Step 6: If data is missing, use the Undeleter option and click Run.
data recovery function in Renee PassNow
Step 7: Select Whole Disk Scan to scan the target hard disk.
scan the whole partition with renee passnow recovery function to reinstall windows 7
Step 8: After scanning, select files for recovery and click Recover. Save recovered files on a different external disk and safely eject the USB disk.
preview before recovery

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Element Not Found: This error during bootrec commands usually indicates a missing or corrupted System Reserved Partition.
Windows Cannot Be Installed on GPT Drive: Ensure you are booting in UEFI mode and the drive is properly formatted.
MBR2GPT Error

Summary

Recreating the System Reserved Partition is essential for maintaining system stability and enabling future upgrades. By following the steps outlined above, you can effectively restore this partition and resolve related issues. Always ensure you have a backup before making significant changes to your disk partitions.
Renee Passnow – Professional Windows Password Remover

Remove Windows Login Password 3 steps for whole password remove process.

Enable/Create Administrator One click for creating new administrator and enable the disabled account.

Widely Use New version supports UEFI boot model, which can be used on more computers, laptops and even surfaces.

Multifuctional Data transfer, data recovery, bootable problem recovery can be run without system.

Highly compatible Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista.

Remove Login Password 3 steps for whole password remove process.

Enable/Create Administrator One click for creating new administrator and enable the disabled account.

Easy to use No need of any professional knowledge or password reset disk.

Free TrialFree TrialNow 2000 people have downloaded!