[jr2]

Here is the post, quoted:

@Daz,

Just found the most interesting information EVAR!1


Well, at least it makes it less of a pain to get rid of OEM partitions:

http://jaredheinrichs.com/how-to-delete-oem-partition.html

Basically,

Start > Run

type

Code: [Select]

diskpart
You will see:

Code: [Select]

DISKPART>
type

Code: [Select]

list disk
You will get a list:

Code: [Select]

Microsoft DiskPart version 6.1.7600
Copyright (C) 1999-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: %COMPUTERNAME%

DISKPART> list disk

 Disk ###  Status                Size     Free         Dyn  Gpt
 Disk 0       Online                931 GB      0   B
 Disk 1       Online                596 GB  1024 KB
 Disk 2       Online                698 GB   698 GB
Whichever disk is the one containing the OEM partition, in this case, "Disk 2":

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DISKPART select disk 2

Disk 2 is now the selected disk.

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DISKPART> list partition

  Partition ###  Type                       Size            Offset
  Partition 1       OEM                          62 MB          31 KB

Whichever partition is the OEM partition, in this case "Partition 1":

Code: [Select]

DISKPART> select partition 1

Partition 1 is now the selected partition.

Then delete it:

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DISKPART> delete partition override

DiskPart successfully deleted the selected partition.

Then:

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DISKPART> exit

IDK, but I imagine at this point you could expand the Windows partition to the now-vacated OEM partition space.

Hope that helps someone, thanks to Jared Heinrichs for his awesome post!

[Herra Tohtori]

get linux livecd

shove disk in PC, boot from it

run gparted

???

PROFIT BENEFIT

[jr2]

I know that method.  Still, if you have 7 running, (not sure, diskpart might run on xp too if it does, sweet), then it's easier to use USB to SATA converter and do it this way.  The Linux way was how I was doing it in the past.  Now I don't have to re-boot from a CD. 

[Mongoose]

I've used Gparted in the past myself, and there was a free utility I used to remove a virus-infested recovery partition from my uncle's PC a while back, though I can't recall the name.  This seems like a handy way to ditch that last little bit.

[S-99]

I know that method.  Still, if you have 7 running, (not sure, diskpart might run on xp too if it does, sweet), then it's easier to use USB to SATA converter and do it this way.  The Linux way was how I was doing it in the past.  Now I don't have to re-boot from a CD. 

In the end i don't call it a fix unless i backup everything, and repartition the drive to get rid of those pesky OEM partitions. Of course i follow up with a reinstall.

2 reasons for why.
I don't trust data after a partition resize. And just simply deleting a partition is wasted hard drive capacity (i like all the space i can get in a hard drive for myself), and blech to big gaps in between partitions..

[jr2]

2 reasons for why.
I don't trust data after a partition resize. And just simply deleting a partition is wasted hard drive capacity (i like all the space i can get in a hard drive for myself), and blech to big gaps in between partitions..

Hmm, this isn't DOS 6.22 any more...

I've never seen a problem with a re-sized partition since the *nix-based resize utils finally got a handle on NTFS (they will tell you now if there's a problem and it's been years since I've seen one have a problem).

And, huge gaps between partitions?  What, half a Meg?    Yeah, I know.  I don't like it either.  But it's little fiddly bits. 

[Bobboau]

right click on 'my computer'
select 'manage'
go to disk management
delete offending partition
???
profit?

[jr2]

Doesn't work with certain types of OEM partitions - e.g., Dell Diagnostic partitions.  WinDOw$ will decide that it knows best and not let your delete it.

[Nuke]

removing partitions has been a non-issue for me for quite some time. i use a hodgepodge of different methods. most of the time i use a flash card with freedos, and i use xfdisk, which can kill most partitions. anything that wont kill il either use gparted from a linux livecd, or various windows tools. i can network boot and use diskpart from a remote winpe distro. since i mostly use ntfs partitions i usually just use disk management.

[Goober5000]

1) Use Windows 98
2) ???

[Mongoose]

Yeah, I'm not sure "Profit!" comes afterwards.

(Though to be fair, I'm still running XP on this, and I expect I will until the day comes when it's no longer actively supported, if not even longer.)

[Nuke]

i run 7 on anything that can, xp on anything that cant. but i haven't needed to use 98 in a very long time.

[Kopachris]

1. Build your own computer
2. Save money
3. ???
4. Profit

[S-99]

Hmm, this isn't DOS 6.22 any more...

I've never seen a problem with a re-sized partition since the *nix-based resize utils finally got a handle on NTFS (they will tell you now if there's a problem and it's been years since I've seen one have a problem).

And, huge gaps between partitions?  What, half a Meg?    Yeah, I know.  I don't like it either.  But it's little fiddly bits. 

I know what you mean. I've had to pull a partition resize every now and again (what a breeze with gparted livecd). I don't care that partition resizing takes forever. It usually works fine, but i think of it as one hell of delicate disk operation to be going on that is something you do not want to interrupt. I don't have much trust in the integrity of the data after the mass exodus of gigabytes from one end of the partition to the other. I mainly feel this way toward it because i don't consider magnetic and flash storage to be dependable, let alone current file systems. So, i just don't do it, unless absolutely necessary

When i meant gaps, i mean actual noticeable gaps. Stuff like 10gb and 100mb gaps. A 1mb ass crack is no problem of course , but forgetting about something like a 10gb gap or maybe bigger of unformatted hard drive space is pretty significant. 10gb's of reclaimed hard drive is pretty useful when it can be used. That, and leaving behind such big portions of unformatted hard drive space around is sloppy because it's a half done job.

In my mind, getting rid of the oem recovery partitions fixes one problem, and then presents you with one more problem to take care of

[jr2]

Yeah, stuff like that usually you need the Linux Live CD for (like GParted) - it can move / resize those.  And hard disks have ECC built into their read/write routines and cache, so that's not usually an issue.

http://www.datarecoverytools.co.uk/2009/06/08/learn-more-about-hard-disk-ecc-error/

All modern hard disk drives are ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) compliant.  Part of this compliancy means that drives must have the cbility to detect errors while reading data from individual sectors on the drive.  This is to prevent corrupted data from being propagated through to the operating system which would lead to system crashes.

In order to accomplish this, every sector has a built in checksum and error correction code that is written at the time data is written to the sector.  Upon reading the sector, the drive recalculates the checksum and compares it to the one previously written.  If it does not match, the error correction code will attempt to correct the data.  Every sector has a standard 512 bytes of user data.  A typical ECC is capable of correcting between 10 and 12 bytes.  If repairing the corruption is beyond the capability of the ECC, the data will not be returned to the operating system.  The drive will then return an error.  This is typically a UNC (uncorrectable) error.

These types of errors occur when data is written to the sector improperly or inadvertently.  Additionally, these errorscan be due to read instability in the drive where the data itself is not actually corrupted but the drive is incapable of reading it correctly.  This can be due to factors such as minute mechanical wear of the parts inside the head disk assembly.

[AtomicClucker]

I recommend Parted Magic, like the UBCD, but a live super-distro that handles everything from partitioning to wiping disks (they even include a forked version of dban!)

For advanced users, I'd recommend firing up the internal secure erase command from hdparm and not only scrubbing the system, essentially smacking a hard-wired reset switch that resets almost everything.

[Nuke]

1. Build your own computer
2. Save money
3. ???
4. Profit

this kinda thing is easy if you want a desktop. but if you want something a little more portable, the proprietary route is the only way to go, and of course that means oem partitions. of course the first thing i do when i get such a machine, is repartition and format the drives. in a perfect world there would be standardized notebook form factors and interfaces. you could take a mobo out of notebook a and stick it in notebook b, you could change screens with relative ease, you could upgrade the video chipset. now there have been attempts to do some of these things, but none of them have caught on.

[S-99]

I recommend Parted Magic, like the UBCD, but a live super-distro that handles everything from partitioning to wiping disks (they even include a forked version of dban!)

I highly recommend making your own livecd like i did. The program remastersys lets you do this easily with debian and ubuntu (remastersys is pretty darn easy to use). Of course, there's usually an equivalent program for non debian/ubuntu distributions. Just make your own livecd out of your favorite distribution with all the programs you need.

[Klaustrophobia]

this kinda thing is easy if you want a desktop. but if you want something a little more portable, the proprietary route is the only way to go, and of course that means oem partitions. of course the first thing i do when i get such a machine, is repartition and format the drives. in a perfect world there would be standardized notebook form factors and interfaces. you could take a mobo out of notebook a and stick it in notebook b, you could change screens with relative ease, you could upgrade the video chipset. now there have been attempts to do some of these things, but none of them have caught on.

i imagine laptop manufacturers' profits would take a substantial hit if they became user-buildable like desktops.  i don't think they're gonna try very hard to make it so.  hell, mine requires so many proprietary drivers and software to run the damn thing i don't even feel safe reformatting and installing a fresh XP on it.

[jr2]

www.driverpacks.net