Could the Recovery Partition be deleted the following way?

If you just right-click on HP_RECOVERY(D and choose Format, but before that you change the File System to NTFS?
Would i be able to delete it that way, or would the so-called Recovery protection thingy prevent me from doing that?

 

Has anyone ever tried that method?

 

There was some program from HP in my computer that let you remove the recovery partition... I forgot where though. Just explore your SWSetup folder and recovery partition, and stuff.

 

HP's way of removing it is if you go to System Recovery and from there you choose PC Recovery. You then restart the machine and it then takes you to an option that lets you delete the partition, but it seems to me that it then deletes the whole thing and wants to reinstall your windows with it from the discs or something.
Has anyone actually ever used that above desbribed HP method of deleting the Rec. partition?

 

There is a process running that protects the partion, maybe stopping that would allow you some maneuverability.

 

Yes, it's called RecGuard.exe, which is located in C:\WINDOWS\SMINST
Easy to disable in Msconfig and delete from SMINST folder though.

 

Hmmmm, don't remember having to reinstall windows after getting rid of the recovery partition... Than again, I do have the business series...

 

Ok, i just tested it on my laptop. What i did was:
I disabled RecGuard.exe in Msconfig, then went to My Computer and made a right-click on HP_RECOVERY(D) and chose Format.
But before i hit Start, i changed the File System to NTFS.
I now have an empty 11.5GB partition i can use for something more useful than that carbage-filled Windows XP MCE.

 

That's the impression i got. After i hit Advanced, and Delete Recovery partition, it warned me that all my applications and programs would be lost afterwards.

 

So you didn't delete the partition but rather cleaned it up and cleared all the content from it.

 

partition magic can merge the D: with the C: thats what i did. its pretty easy with partition magic 8.0

 

Well no, i didn't merge it with the C: I will do it when the time comes to reinstall Windows, but this time from a clean XP disk.
I also read that reinstalling windows from the recovery disks takes THREE hours. That's crazy.
I then went to Windows folder and deleted folders CREATOR and SMINST, which contain the launch applications for the Recovery Partition.

 

This is HP's way of doing it:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...03&docname=c00608578#c00608578_BeforeReformat
Removing the recovery partition
One recovery option available, but not recommended, is removing the recovery partition from the hard drive. While this action will free up storage space, the only restore or recovery option available is a compete, destructive reformatting of the hard drive using the set of recovery disks. The options to recover individual drivers or applications, and to reinstall the operating system no longer exist.
Do the following actions to remove the recovery partition from the hard drive.WARNING: The drive will be reformatted and all user data erased. This action is not recommended. Be sure to create a set of recovery disks BEFORE performing this action.

Connect PC to the AC power adapter.
Close all programs.
Click Start, click All Programs, select System Recovery, and click PC Recovery.
When the recovery options are presented, select the option to perform the PC Recovery and click Next.
The PC will restart.
When the Welcome to PC Recovery message displays, click OK to continue.
On the System Recovery panel, click Advanced Options.
On the Advanced Options panel, select the option to Delete Recovery Partition, and click Next.
The partition is removed to provide additional disk space and disk is formatted. An operating system and programs must now be installed on the hard drive.