Multiboot Win7 + 2 XP created with Acronis Must elimiate System reserve partition

Two computers built and configured . Multiboot Win7 first partition Then Acronis installed to install 2 iterations of
XP. Alll 3 O/S on 1 physical HDD. First computer had no System Reserve partition created so just 3 Active partitions.
The HDD on which the O/S reside is 500GB. Each partition set @ 68 GB leaving ca. 275 GB of Unallocated space.
2nd Physical HDD holds all logical partitions D thru G.
NOW I Need to utilize the unallocated space on HDD #1 . Able to accomplish what I needed on computer #1
( without the system reserve). Tricky and difficult but Done.
Computer #2 : Acronis will not permit me to change any configuration on the O/S HDD because of a limit on the number of Active partitions (the system reserve tho 100Mg ). Acronis Tech no help here. . Can BCD be utilzed within the framework of an already existing bootloader like Acronis. Could consider total backup ( All backups have utilized Acronis Disk Director TIB format so must have it installed permanently even if temporarily uninstall Acronis and utilize Easy BCD. to eliminate the System Reserve.
End desire is to have 2 iterations of Win7 (1st and 2nd physical position) and XP as the 3rd. On the same HDD and to use its unallocated space to create a new "D" logical partition, thus shifting O/S labels and Partition designations on the 2nd physical drive.
Any thoughts or suggestions

As an aside I saw a thread suggesting installation of XP first and then Win 7.in multiboot situation. I think that is incorrect. With Windows the most recent O/S due to Bootloading instructions requires the more newest O/S on that first physical partition. Since new to the site and really not highly qualified here I hestated to Post.
 
No experience of your 3rd party bootloader, so don't know whether it has restrictions you mention in your last para, but MS bootmgr doesn't.
With XP already installed, an installation of W7 will put its BCD and other boot files in the "active" partition (In this case XP) and W7 is perfectly happy to be in another primary partition, not at the start of the HDD, or even in a logical drive on an extended partition.
The physical restrictions on the placement of boot files and OSs ceased with the introduction of XP, and only the MBR remained as a small remnant of those restriction. Even that goes with the introduction of UEFI/GPR systems.
That said, back to your problem. EasyBCD just manages the contents of the MS BCD (or can move or recreate it in its more advanced functions).
It's not in any way a partition manager, so can't help you overcome the restriction of 4 primary partitions on an MBR formatted disk.
It can be used to change the boot partition from "Sys Res" into W7
Changing the Boot Partition
which means you could get rid of that small partition and free up a primary, but it won't recover the space for you.
You'll need a bootable 3rd party partition manager if you want to achieve that.
Bootable Partition Manger | MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable Edition
is free.
You can of course have as many partitions as you want (within practical limits) on an MBR disk if you make the 4th physical partition an extended, and define logical drives within it.
As long as you're not going back to WME or earlier, all Windows OS partitions can be logical.
Only the boot files still need to be in the "active" (there can only be one per HDD) primary partition.
 
Wow I have a lot to learn and a lot to understand here.
With XP already installed, an installation of W7 will put its BCD and other boot files in the "active" partition (In this case XP) and W7 is perfectly happy to be in another primary partition, not at the start of the HDD, or even in a logical drive on an extended partition.>>>
1. XP can be the first installed Active partition and W7 can the a "second" O/S. I'm under some impression that the NTLDR of XP only reluctantly takes Booting
orders from Win 7 because Win7s Boot Loader is newer/more robust. Web info prior to my build. When I built the systems 4 yrs ago, I thought I first needed to install
Win7. Assume, this is Incorrect assumption? The "chatter was that it was possible but much more difficult have XP installed first. Past restorations of XP partition
in the multiboot environment with Win 7 frequently gives me "Black Screens w/ "MBR Error 3" with number reference to Boot ini of XP .
the MBR remained as a small remnant of those restriction. Even that goes with the introduction of UEFI/GPR systems.
2. Does each O/S of a Multiboot system have its own "personal" MBR? Is this data placed on the first 512 MgB of the O/S installation. And this Master Boot Record gives
the computer "macro style" instruction on how to "bootstrap up" the O/S. Please, understand, I'm asking these questions out of ignorance. Lack of clarity really.
3. It sounds like your saying that this MBR need not be "physically" positioned beside the O/S.
W7 is perfectly happy to be in another primary partition, not at the start of the HDD, or even in a logical drive on an extended partition.
W7 as an instance of a primary partition (how I've always understood it) BUT having the W7 O/S on a logical drive on an extended partition.....with the MBR somewhere else? So just the MBR is the Primary partition somehow "bootstrapping" the launching of the O/S place on some "other Logical " drive. Obviously "mindblowing" to me, but I'm really a novice here.
4. How and where does a Boot Manager take control of the process to allow multiple partition from which to boot...Years ago I used System Commander and now Acronis.
Outside assistance has allowed me to do this but, now its time for me to understand the process, so I can proceed on my own.
PERSONAL PROJECT: Eliminate the System Reserve
1. A search: TeraByte Unlimited Knowledge Base gave me some information for Command Line removal. I got thru half the commands and then "broke down @ Step 12 : To update the copied BCD file so it will boot correctly, run the following command:
bcdedit /store c:\boot\bcd /set {bootmgr} device partition=C: INVALID: dejected, defeated and quit.
Changing The Boot Partition: which means you could get rid of that small partition and free up a primary,
That was my hope. As I understood it. If the limit total of Active Partitions is 4....and (Initial Config) SysReserve/Win7/XP 1/XP 2 ...that is the 4. But with the System Reserve in place .I then deleted 1 of the XP partition. However, "Acronis" gave me a message about making the result unbootable. And it was. This is not a forum for Acronis,.....but to me it indicates another instance of "incompatibility" of the NTLDR and the Win7 BootLoader.
5. I then 'sent the machine" out for someone with higher paygrade. First time ever.
6. Seems there is big difference between Consumer Software and Enterprise software. But he emphasized that Removing the System reserve partition (which he would not
recommend) because of MS updating problems....I just had to take him at his word. He was able to Create Config w/ ...System Reserve: W7 : W7_2 and XP.
7. As both you and he said : 4 Active partitions on a HDD in the "older format".::::{non UEFI/GPR}, of which I have no knowledge.
8. How would EASY BCD been helpful in this case.? I DId install it...but was to "far gone" to attempt to employ it.
Really want to THANK YOU for the detailed response. If there is forthcoming info, I will be most grateful and a lot better informed.

Thanks Jason
 
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