Win 7 Partition1 and Partition2 different offset

[DeJ]

Just installed Win 7, created new partitions and formated. I didn't see a way to delete the 100mb partition 1 so it created 2 partitions.

When I checked the offset Partition 1 100MB the offset is 1024mb, Partition 2 238MB has a 101MB offset...is this ok? Is the offset defined from partition1 1024mb?..not the 101mb offest?

Thnaks.

[nate42nd]

I just went through the same thing. The only ways to do this is to create a partition 1st or hit CTL-F10 at the first setup screen during install. This opens a command prompt and you can use diskpart to create the partition. I don't know how to align in diskpart so I just let Windows 7 do it's thing. I have the 100MB and the other one it created. The Torqx seems to be running fine although when I get the final Windows 7 I want to do this without the little partition. I think the only versions that will do this are the Ultimate and enterprise because it's for bitlocker.

[DeJ]

Actually I don't mind if there is a extra partition. I'm just woundering about the two different offset sizes.

[chrisdglong]

Actually I don't mind if there is a extra partition. I'm just woundering about the two different offset sizes.

I feel the same way. Why does it matter if there is two partitions or not?

[klickster68]

Just installed Win 7, created new partitions and formated. I didn't see a way to delete the 100mb partition 1 so it created 2 partitions.

When I checked the offset Partition 1 100MB the offset is 1024mb, Partition 2 238MB has a 101MB offset...is this ok? Is the offset defined from partition1 1024mb?..not the 101mb offest?

Thnaks.

I've got the released version of Win7 on my notebook with a 64GB Torqx. The 100MB partition is used for system recovery and diagnostics (it's the WinPE environment) - Vista had similar but was only put down by the PC manufacturer - now 7 does this by default (which is really nice and can be very useful).

The partition is a special type (OEM) but it should be removable if you need to - you have to boot from the Win7 DVD and press SHIFT+F10 at the first menu that appears *after* you pick "Install" from the first menu. From the command prompt you would type "DISKPART" and then:

SEL DIS 0
LIS PAR --- pick the number that matches the 100MB partition

SEL PAR "n" --- value from LIS PAR

SET ID=07 OVERRIDE (that's ZERO-SEVEN)

RESCAN

SEL DIS 0

SEL PAR 1

DEL PAR

EXIT --- exit's diskpart

EXIT --- exit's command prompt

However, this will leave a 100MB hole where that partition was and you cannot recover this space unless you wipe the drive completely...

SEL DIS 0

CLEAN <--- this will destroy *ALL* data on the disk

CRE PAR PRI ALIGN=(value) --- search forums for correct value here; seen varying reports on "correct" value...

ACT

ASSIGN LETTER C

FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="(whatever)" QUICK

EXIT -- closes diskpart

EXIT -- closes command prompt

Continue through the install procedure *but do not let windows format the disk* - just tell setup to install to "C:" - if it asks to format this partition answer no.

My system has the same setup as you - partition 1 (100MB) at 1024 offset and a 101MB offset (or somewhere there about) - in any case the second partition's offset is divisible by 2^N (e.g. 32, 64, 128, etc) so the offset should be fine for the SSD page boundary (which is what the whole align thing is all about). So it seems W7 does a good job of doing the alignment itself ;-)

My drive is working fine in this configuration and I have done numerous benchmarks (random/sequential read speed tests mostly) and performance is similar to a fresh drive. I think the main performance hit is related to writes but the last time I checked the benchmark for writes, the drive was heavily used and write performance was similar to benchmark reviews - meaning good.

HTH :)