Removing recovery partition using PowerShell

[dn007]

Hi,

We have 500 MB as recovery partition. We would like to remove that partition from all of our VMs. Is there any powershell script which can do that. 

[scott28tt]

Thread reported so moderators know it should be moved to the area for PowerCLI.

[LucD]

Assuming you are talking about a Windows Guest OS, you could try the Remove-Partition cmdlet.

[dn007]

Yes, you are correct. This is required from all Win 10 VDIs.

[dn007]

This is what I wrote so far but does not work yet

$File = Get-Filename
$csv = Import-Csv "$file"

foreach($item in $csv)
{
Get-VM -Name $($item.name) | Stop-VM -confirm:$false

Remove-Partition -DiskNumber ((Get-Disk).Number) -PartitionNumber ((Get-Partition -DiskNumber ((Get-Disk).Number) | Where-Object {$_.Type -eq 'Recovery'}).PartitionNumber) -PassThru -Confirm:$false | Start-VM
}

} 

[LucD]

Not sure what the Get-FileName is supposed to do.

Is the Get-Partition actually returning a Recovery partition?

[dn007]

Sorry, pasted only half of the script. 

Function Get-FileName($InitialDirectory)
{
[System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("System.windows.forms") | Out-Null

$OpenFileDialog = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog
$OpenFileDialog.initialDirectory = $initialDirectory
$OpenFileDialog.filter = "CSV (*.csv) | *.csv"
$OpenFileDialog.ShowDialog() | Out-Null
$OpenFileDialog.FileName
}

[LucD]

And is Get-Partition returning a Recovery partition?

[dn007]

This gives the recovery partition details. Need to use this in the remove-partition line

Get-Partition | Where-Object -FilterScript {$_.Type -eq 'Recovery'}

[LucD]

And this does not work?

Get-Partition | Where-Object -FilterScript {$_.Type -eq 'Recovery'} |
Remove-Partition 

Note that this has to be executed from an elevated PS prompt

[dn007]

I used these two lines but it did not remove it. It is shutting down the VM but does not remove

Get-VM -Name $($item.name) | Stop-VM -confirm:$false

Get-Partition | Where-Object -FilterScript {$_.Type -eq 'Recovery'} | Remove-Partition -PassThru -Confirm:$false | Start-VM

[LucD]

I'm confused, you stop the VM, and then want the Guest OS to remove a partition?
Are you running the Get-Partition and Remove-Partition from an elevated PS prompt inside the Guest OS?

[dn007]

Sorry for not being clear.

I will have a csv file with VM names. The script will power off the VMs and then go one by one and remove the partition and then power them on. does it make sense?

[LucD]

Did you actually read my last reply?
You have to run those cmdlets inside the Guest OS running on that VM.
And that is not possible when you stop the VM

[dn007]

Oh I missed that. My bad. 

I will test using SCCM to push this script to run remotely when the VM is running 

[wetnose88]

I tested the scripts, it works.

BTW, there is no Type of "Recovery", it is "Unknown", the "Unknown" is the "Recovery Partition from Windows Disk manager.

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Get-Partition

DiskPath: \\?\scsi#disk&ven_vmware&prod_virtual_disk#5&35015fb0&0&000000#{53f56307-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}

PartitionNumber DriveLetter Offset Size Type
--------------- ----------- ------ ---- ----
1 1048576 350 MB IFS
2 C 368050176 74.22 GB IFS
3 80056680448 450 MB Unknown

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Get-Partition | Where-Object -FilterScript {$_.Type -eq 'Unknown'}

DiskPath: \\?\scsi#disk&ven_vmware&prod_virtual_disk#5&35015fb0&0&000000#{53f56307-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}

PartitionNumber DriveLetter Offset Size Type
--------------- ----------- ------ ---- ----
3 80056680448 450 MB Unknown

S C:\WINDOWS\system32> Get-Partition | Where-Object -FilterScript {$_.Type -eq 'Unknown'} | Remove-Partition -PassThru -Confirm:$false

DiskPath: \\?\scsi#disk&ven_vmware&prod_virtual_disk#5&35015fb0&0&000000#{53f56307-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b}

PartitionNumber DriveLetter Offset Size Type
--------------- ----------- ------ ---- ----
3 80056680448 450 MB Unknown

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Get-Partition | Where-Object -FilterScript {$_.Type -eq 'Unknown'}

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>

[wetnose88]

I did the same thing from my other Windows 2019 server, ONLY within disk manager or disk part, it is called "Recovery", from Get-Partition  it is "Unknown" under the Type column

You do not need to Power of a VM in order to do it, it can be done online without impact anything

Disk manager after I deleted the "Unknown" partition using 

Get-Partition | Where-Object -FilterScript {$_.Type -eq 'Unknown'}| Remove-Partition -PassThru -Confirm:$false | ft -AutoSize

The same can be done within diskpart as well.

[wetnose88]

The following is the screen log I did on one of the Windows server 2019 using diskpart

#############################################################################################

C:\>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.17763.1911

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: egncn6

DISKPART> list disk              

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 170 GB 20 GB
Disk 1 Online 100 GB 1024 KB

DISKPART> select disk

The arguments specified for this command are not valid.
For more information on the command type: HELP SELECT DISK

There is no disk selected.

DISKPART> select disk 0

Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> list disk

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ------------- ------- ------- --- ---
* Disk 0 Online 170 GB 20 GB
Disk 1 Online 100 GB 1024 KB

DISKPART> list partition

Partition ### Type Size Offset
------------- ---------------- ------- -------
Partition 1 Primary 500 MB 1024 KB
Partition 2 Primary 149 GB 501 MB
Partition 3 Recovery 501 MB 149 GB

DISKPART> select partition 3

Partition 3 is now the selected partition.

DISKPART> delete partition override

DiskPart successfully deleted the selected partition.

DISKPART> exit

Leaving DiskPart...

[zonamx]

Please verify the label of the Partition because some time has the "Unknown" label name and the system can not found the name if you are using "Recovery" when you want remove  it