unwanted partition

[NTom]

I've just started using nLite and its great since I can slipstream SP3 into my OEM disk and saved me a lots of time. Installing XP now I get two partitions instead of one. I suspect it might be a recovery partition that it created. How can I not have that extra partition around even though I turned that "System Restore Service" feature off. Thanks.

[spacesurfer]

How big is the other partition? What drive letter is it assigned? Can you see it in My Computer? What file system is it? What kind of data is stored in this partition?

[IcemanND]

Just XP with SP3 will not create another partition on its own.

[NTom]

It shows up during XP setup, under partition where I've deleted all partitions but then a ~ 10% small partition is always there which I can't get rid off. Now I have two partitons which I really just want one complete partition. I think it has something to do with the unattended option which I have selected but don't know how to select one partition install only.

[Volatus]

Haha... that doesn't sound like a partition, that sounds like the irritating 8mb "I don't feel like really doing what you asked me to do" "dead space" at the end of your drive. It happens on every standard Windows installation on every computer Windows is installed on, unless the drive was partitioned with something other than the textmode installer (like Partition Magic). Most people just live with it (and don't even know it was there), but some go the extra mile to expand it to the full size using, well, Partition Magic.

Am I correct in assuming that it's just empty space at the end of the main partition, about 8mb?

[Ponch]

Haha... that doesn't sound like a partition, that sounds like the irritating 8mb "I don't feel like really doing what you asked me to do" "dead space" at the end of your drive.

Either it's a partition or it is not ("unpartitionned space" ?) but not both.

And either it's 10% or 8MB, but not both. Unless the drive is 100MB.

If the space is first on the drive, it must be a remaining (hidden) recovery partition that you can get rid of with 3rd party (and free) partitionning tools.

[spacesurfer]

To get rid of it, delete all partitions, then do not create any partitions. Just say you want to install windows in the unpartitioned space. Then it will not show that 8 mb space.

Or, if you want to partition, then create your first partition (c:), then leave the rest as unpartitioned. After windows is installed, then partition the rest in windows disk management console.