What is System Reserved partition for?

Borrowing from Karan's great answer:

In 2010 they explained what the partition was for in a TechNet blog post, and recently in this website; that partition is used to implement BitLocker (which in Windows 8 is available in Pro and Enterprise versions):

The partition has two main functions. First, it stores the Boot Manager code and the Boot Configuration Database. The second thing it does is store the startup files needed by BitLocker Drive Encryption. If you end up using BitLocker to encrypt your entire hard drive, you don’t have to repartition your system to enable it.

In Windows 7 the size reserved for it was 100MiB, in Windows 8 it was increased to 350MiB. I believe the main reason is that now the recovery image (WinRE, a small environment with tools to help diagnose and recover from errors) is stored there too, which is 191MiB. In Windows 7 it was 161MiB and resided in the main partition (system hidden directory named Recovery).

Or from nonsensical101's answer:

Prior to Win7, a clean install of Windows would, by default, create a single C: volume that was both the System volume and the Boot volume. In Win7, this changed to facilitate enabling BitLocker as the boot manager can't be encrypted or you wouldn't be able to run it. So in Win7, a separate 100 MB System partition is created for BitLocker while the rest of the disk is used for the OS volume.

Though, as it appears it may take 200MB. Also, if I'm not mistaken having this partition around enables you to get into Advanced Boot Options screen with F8. Otherwise, you need Windows installation disc.

x-yuri

Posted 2014-04-19T10:10:05.777

Reputation: 225

@Ramhound I answered it from the start, and now I just added a link to the source of the quote. And I believe, it's user experience that matters, not who borrowed from whom, don't you think? People searching for answers to my question "deserve" to find exact match and not some-other-question-with-an-answer-buried-deeply-inside. Am I wrong? Do you really think the questions are identical? – x-yuri – 2014-04-19T22:10:27.560

What do you mean by "probably"? And what are the criteria for one question being better then the other? Also, I appear to not understand what duplicates are. Would you explain?

– x-yuri – 2014-04-19T22:23:19.147

I licks me how come they are identical to you :) Putting that aside, I must admit I was in a hurry. But anyway, you've got the other option. Instead of criticizing you can contribute to answers, can't you? ;) – x-yuri – 2014-04-20T00:44:12.710

1The only thing I do is contribute answers to this website I am not sure why you took offense to my comment. I was nice enough to explain my downvote. Most people don't even do that. I also had nothing to do with this question being closed. – Ramhound – 2014-04-20T00:46:20.793

Well, I can't say this duplicates issue didn't sting me. Sorry, if I was rude or something. I didn't mean it. I'm trying to understand what I'm doing wrong. – x-yuri – 2014-04-20T00:55:08.477

Before you ask a question make sure it does not already exist. I will be honest you have asked 3 duplicate questions. If you continue to ask questions that already exist, people will vote indicating they didn't find the question useful, and you won't like the results. – Ramhound – 2014-04-20T00:59:02.813

There's no reason for me to continue asking question which community considers as duplicates. The only option is to make community review its notion of duplicates :D – x-yuri – 2014-04-20T01:53:04.970

You are indeed correct in the fact you should not ask questions that have already been asked. In other words ask better questions. If you don't based on this rate, you will be prevented from asking questions, and if that happens there isn't anyone can do because the only questions you have asked are duplicates and a couple questions that are average at best. – Ramhound – 2014-04-20T02:04:24.330

What is System Reserved partition for?

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