How to Install Windows Server 2022/2019/2016 without Recovery Partition

Target: Build Windows Server 2022/2019/2016 without recovery partition for new OS installation.

The key: The disk shall have only one partition.

Solution: Create one partition during Windows Server installation using diskpart.

Others: Recovery partition already installed? You may go to this guide: how to delete recovery partition.

Solution: Create one partition during installing Windows Server 2022 without recovery partition

When Windows Server 2022 users do not want a recovery partition installed on their disk, the first method is to create the disk with only one partition during the Windows installation with the following steps.

Step1. Start the installation by connecting the installation dvd, cd, or bootable usb to your machine, input a key if you have or install the evaluation version and continue.

Step2. Set up the language, time, keyboard settings in the following window. And then click NEXT to continue.

Step3. Confirm the installation by clicking INSTALL NOW to start the journey.

Step4. Select the proper Windows Server 2022 edition per your need, and then click NEXT to go ahead.

Step5. Accept the license terms and click NEXT.

Step6. Select which type of installation you want:

A new server: Choose Custom: Install Microsoft Server Operating System only (The first time you install server OS)

Alread have a Windows Server OS installed: Choose Upgrade option to upgrade the old server to Server 2022 with this option

Step7. Here at this step "Where do you want to install the operating system", there is much to do and which is the key to generate the server OS without recovery partition.

Press Shift+ F10 to open Command Prompt window and then execute the following commands:

•diskpart

•list disk

•select disk # :choose the disk in which you will install the Server 2022

•clean

•create partition primary

This will remove all partitions on the selected disk and create only a single primary partition, the one and the whole partitions. Then type "exit" command to close the window.

Once the primary partition is created, you can select it to install the OS and then click on "Next" to continue.

Video: how to use SHIFT+F10 to enter cmd during installing Windows

Note: In the following video, it will create partition primary size=5000, which you should use 'create partition primary' without adding size=5000, and then the disk will be formatted to one partition.

Once the installer finishs the installing, the OS will reboot.

Step8. Check the disk by going to Disk Management to see there is no recovery partition installed.

To open Disk Management in Windows Server 2022, you can follow these steps:

Method 1: Using the Start Menu

1. Click on the "Start" button or press the "Windows" key on your keyboard.
2. In the search bar, type "Disk Management" and wait for the results to appear.
3. Click on the "Create and format hard disk partitions" option from the search results. This should open the Disk Management window.

Method 2: Using the Run Command

1. Press the "Windows" key + "R" on your keyboard to open the Run command.
2. In the Run dialog box, type "diskmgmt.msc" and press Enter or click "OK." This will open the Disk Management window.