SYSTEM_DRV partition - what is it? what does it do?

My new T420s came with windows 7 installed.

There are three partitions on the drive. The windows one, the lenovo recovery one, and there's another, the first one on the drive, that is called "SYSTEM_DRV". This is 1.17 GB of which 400mb are used, and it is NTFS formatted.

This is a hidden partition (no drive letter) so inaccessible from windows at least. It also has the 'system' and 'active flags. (the windows partition has the 'boot' flag).

I imagine this is the so called UEFI partition, because this laptop ships with UEFI bios.

But, as I can understand, the whole thing uses the normal MBR partitioning, not GPT partitioning.

So, why is this UEFI partition there? What does it do? What does it contain? Should I delete it? Is it necessary? Maybe I don't quite understand how this UEFI thing works yet, but since MBR is used and not GPT why would this partition exist?

EDIT: My guess that this SYSTEM_DRV partition is the UEFI partition may be completely wrong of course, looking into that.. It may be something else, something lenovo-related like the recovery partition. If someone knows more about this partition, please say so...

 

So I opened the SYSTEM_DRV partition using a linux boot cd, and there are several files inside.
On the root of the drive there's a file 'sdrive' which has this as content:

"Lenovo Service Partition Version 1.0.0.2009"

There are also boot folders, it has a windows boot manager. What's going on?

I'm starting to thing this is a separate windows installation that is booting when you press the ThinkVantage button. I still don't know how this is related to the "Lenovo Recovery" partition (if it is).

 

The SYSTEM_DRV Partition is for booting to the recovery partition as I understand it. If you have a burned copy of recovery discs then you really do not need the partition.

 

I don't think that fully accurate. Windows 7 always installs a 100 MB hidden partition to start recovery services. Lenovo extends this partition for their additional services. If you delete it you will run into trouble. Just leave it be.

Edit: and it has nothing to do with UEFI.

 

Yes guys thank you. It has nothing to do with UEFI indeed. Thinkpads still use MBR bootstrapping, not GPT etc, they don't have EFI partitions.

The SYSTEM_DRV as I understand is the thinkvantage windows installation (a second windows-like environment).

I will probably not delete it after all. I just have to be carefull while installing ubuntu not ot mess with the the MBR of the disk and the boot managers on both partitions. I'll probably have to edit the boot manager on the windows partition to add an entry to point to grub, which will be installed on the ubuntu boot partition.

edit: So, that last part was not needed at all. Thankfully, the R&R boot manager (that is installed on the MBR of the disk) recognizes the 'active' bit - so all I had to do was just to create a primary partition, install ubuntu, and set it to active. Now the after boot GRUB2 loads, which has an entry to boot windows if needed. Even the ThinkVantage button works during power-on, it gets you to the R&R partition.

 

The "SYSTEM_DRV" partition is the bootable partition with the ThinkVantage recovery environment. When you make your recovery disk set, information from it is copied to the bootable CD. The "Lenovo" partition is one with the actual data files for recovery that are copied to the two DVDs when you make your recovery disk set.

Provided you made your recovery disks and don't need the functionality of the ThinkVantage button on boot, then it is safe to wipe out both the "SYSTEM_DRV" and "Lenovo" partitions. I did so with my reformat from Vista to W7, with no problems.

 

It's alright to delete System_DRV partition? I've only heard of people deleting it then not being able to boot, ha.

Maybe I'll try deleting it on my HDD clone and try booting to the HDD, if it doesn't work I'll just clone my mSata drive over again.