How to remove all Windows files without formatting?

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MC_K7

MC_K7

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Hello guys,

I just got a 256GB SSD that I will install soon. Of course I will do a "clean" Windows 7 install and I know how to install a SSD I've done it many times before.

The question is concerning my current WD 1TB Black that I would like to keep using as a secondary drive. It is currently partitioned this way:

C: (OS)
D: (Games)
E: (Data)

What I was planning to do is delete the C: and D: partitions and just merge everything into one huge Data partition. Now my question is very simple, I know that deleting the C: partition will destroy all files, but I was just wondering if there were system files left elsewhere on the disk? Like a hidden boot manager or partition or some other hidden system files at the root or something? Is there anything else I need to wipe out? It's Windows 7.

Thank you!

MC_K7
 
Solution
S
You can view all of your partitions (including hidden partitions) in Disk Management. Go to Desktop, right click at My Computer, click at Manage, click at Disk Management and all of your partitions are here
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MC_K7

MC_K7

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Yes I know that everything inside the partition will go away, my question wasn't about the C: partition. Is there any other hidden system partition that Windows is creating on the disk? I'm using Windows 7 Ultimate and I heard that Bitlocker is creating a hidden system partition. I was also wondering if there was another hidden boot manager partition created by Windows or something else hidden on the drive?

 
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Shostakovich Teddy

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You can view all of your partitions (including hidden partitions) in Disk Management. Go to Desktop, right click at My Computer, click at Manage, click at Disk Management and all of your partitions are here
 
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MC_K7

MC_K7

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OK thanks. I might scan the disk with a third-party software like Acronis Disk Director, just in case that Windows Disk Management is not showing everything, for some reasons I don't trust it, lol.
 
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MC_K7

MC_K7

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Yeah I know that these partitions are usually very small. Still I wanted to remove everything except the data. But you're probably right that I shouldn't bother with it. Thanks.

 
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