Partition "Active" but not System or Boot

On a Windows 2000 Server, how can a partition that's not a System Partition
be active? And what effect does it have? Is it OK to delete the partition?

I think this may have once been the System Partition. The only folder on it
is WINNT. Which only contains "SYSVOL" which appears to be from a previous
domain. Can I delete the partition?

If you do not need to use that partition, just delete it. It is active if
you are able to access that partition.

--
Jabez Gan [MVP]
Microsoft MVP: Windows Server System
http://www.blizhosting.com
MSBLOG: http://www.msblog.org
Contact me via email for consultancy: mingteikg [ a t] mvps . org


"OscarVogel" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On a Windows 2000 Server, how can a partition that's not a System
> Partition be active? And what effect does it have? Is it OK to delete the
> partition?
>
> I think this may have once been the System Partition. The only folder on
> it is WINNT. Which only contains "SYSVOL" which appears to be from a
> previous domain. Can I delete the partition?
>

If it's the Active Partition for the current installation the files
Ntdetect.com, ntldr and Boot.ini should be on the root. If the files
are not there I would say it's a safe bet that your thinking is right
and the partition can be safely deleted. You can use the SET command to
find out and confirm which is the System drive on the server. You can
also get a third party partition tool like BootItNG and toggle/remove
the active flag from the partition and see what happens.

John

OscarVogel wrote:

> On a Windows 2000 Server, how can a partition that's not a System Partition
> be active? And what effect does it have? Is it OK to delete the partition?
>
> I think this may have once been the System Partition. The only folder on it
> is WINNT. Which only contains "SYSVOL" which appears to be from a previous
> domain. Can I delete the partition?
>
>

But don't confuse %systemdrive% with the system partition. Unfortunately the
%systemdrive% is always the boot partition but can also be the system
partition.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"John John" wrote:
| If it's the Active Partition for the current installation the files
| Ntdetect.com, ntldr and Boot.ini should be on the root. If the files
| are not there I would say it's a safe bet that your thinking is right
| and the partition can be safely deleted. You can use the SET command to
| find out and confirm which is the System drive on the server. You can
| also get a third party partition tool like BootItNG and toggle/remove
| the active flag from the partition and see what happens.
|
| John

On Thu, 8 Jun 2006 11:44:59 -0500, "OscarVogel"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On a Windows 2000 Server, how can a partition that's not a System Partition
>be active?
When it's an active primary partition on a disk that the OS wasn't
booted from.

> And what effect does it have?
Nothing.

> Is it OK to delete the partition?
Yes
>
>I think this may have once been the System Partition. The only folder on it
>is WINNT. Which only contains "SYSVOL" which appears to be from a previous
>domain. Can I delete the partition?
>