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This article shows <strong>how to setup your primary partition as active</strong> using the <strong>diskpart</strong> utility.

This how-to article applies for any of the following Windows versions: <strong>Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 or 8.1</strong>

[toc]

The following instructions are done through Command Prompt, which you can use if you can't boot into Windows to set the partition as active.

However, you can use Disk Management if you can boot into Windows and do the necessary changes to your partition:

<ol>
<li>Click Start</li>
<li>Click Control Panel</li>
<li>Click System and Security</li>
<li>Click Administrative Tools</li>
<li>Double-click <strong>Computer Management</strong></li>
<li>Click <strong>Disk Management</strong> under the <strong>Storage</strong> tab from the left

[caption id="attachment_3138" align="alignnone" width="200"]<img src="/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/02/storage-disk-management.jpg" alt="Select Disk Management from Storage" width="200" height="50" class="size-full wp-image-3138" /> Select Disk Management from Storage[/caption]
</li>
<li>Right-click on the partition you want to set as partition and click <strong>Mark Partition as Active</strong></li>
<li>Click <strong>Yes</strong></li>
</ol>

<h2>Use diskpart from Easy Recovery Essentials</h2>

You can use Command Prompt from Easy Recovery Essentials and run the diskpart utility to make the necessary modifications to a partition:

[partial name="partial_easyre_commandline"]

<h2>Set partition as active on Windows XP</h2>

In order to use diskpart and set your computer's primary partition as active again, use your Windows XP installation disc to start <strong>Recovery Console</strong>.

<p class="warning">If you don't the original Windows XP CD, go to <a href="#Use_diskpart_from_Easy_Recovery_Essentials">Use diskpart from Easy Recovery Essentials</a>.</p>

<ol>
<li>Insert the Windows XP installation CD</li>
<li>Restart the computer</li>
<li>Press any key at the "Press any key" screen</li>
<li>Press <kbd>R</kbd> at the <em>Welcome to Setup</em> screen

[caption id="attachment_1993" align="alignnone" width="636"]<img src="/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/05/windows-xp-r-recovery-console.jpg" alt="Windows XP Press R for Recovery Console" width="636" height="380" class="size-full wp-image-1993" /> Windows XP Press R for Recovery Console[/caption]
</li>
<li>Type <code>1</code> to log into your Windows Installation and press <kbd>Enter</kbd>

[caption id="attachment_2878" align="alignnone" width="980"]<img src="/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/12/window-xp-recovery-console.jpg" alt="Recovery Console on Windows XP" width="980" height="350" class="size-full wp-image-2878" /> Recovery Console on Windows XP[/caption]
</li>
<li>After Recovery Console logged into the Windows Installation, type <code>diskpart</code>. Hit <kbd>Enter</kbd> to load the diskpart utility.</li>
<li>Type <code>list partition</code>, press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
<li>Type <code>select partition X</code>, where <code>X</code> is your partition</li>
<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
<li>Type <code>active</code> and press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
<li>Restart your computer</li>
</ol>

<h2>Set partition as active on Windows Vista</h2>

Marking a partition as active on Windows Vista systems follows the same steps as the steps for <a href="#Set_partition_as_active_on_Windows_7">Windows 7</a> or <a href="#Set_partition_as_active_on_Windows_8">Windows 8</a>.

You need to use the original disc (Windows Vista install DVD) to access Command Prompt and run diskpart.

<p class="warning">If you don't the original Windows Vista DVD, go to <a href="#Use_diskpart_from_Easy_Recovery_Essentials">Use diskpart from Easy Recovery Essentials</a>.</p>

<ol>
<li>Insert the installation DVD and boot from it (press any key at the "Press any key" screen)</li>
<li>Select the language and keyboard method and click <strong>Next</strong>

[caption id="attachment_2109" align="alignnone" width="393"]<img src="/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/06/windows-vista-repair-your-computer.png" alt="Windows Vista Repair Your Computer Menu" width="393" height="277" class="size-full wp-image-2109" /> Windows Vista Repair Your Computer Menu[/caption]
</li>
<li>Click <strong>Repair your computer</strong>

[caption id="attachment_2110" align="alignnone" width="340"]<img src="/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/06/windows-vista-system-recovery-options.jpg" alt="Windows Vista System Recovery Options" width="340" height="255" class="size-full wp-image-2110" /> Windows Vista System Recovery Options[/caption]
</li>
<li>Click <strong>Command Prompt</strong></li>
<li>Once Command Prompt has loaded, type the following commands and press <kbd>Enter</kbd> after each:
<pre>diskpart
list disk
select disk 0</pre>
Where <code>0</code> is the disk listed by the <code>list disk</code> command.
</li>
<li>Type:
<pre>list partition</pre>
</li>
<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
<li>Type:
<pre>select partition 1</pre>
Where <code>1</code> is your partition.
</li>
<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
<li>Type:
<pre>active</pre>
</li>
<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
</ol>

<h2>Set partition as active on Windows 7</h2>

To set the primary partition to be active on your Windows 7 computer, follow these steps:

<p class="warning">If you don't the original Windows 7 DVD, go to <a href="#Use_diskpart_from_Easy_Recovery_Essentials">Use diskpart from Easy Recovery Essentials</a>.</p>

<ol>
<li>Insert the Windows 7 DVD</li>
<li>Restart your computer</li>
<li>Press any key to boot from the DVD</li>
<li>At the <em>Install Windows</em> screen, either click <strong>Next</strong> and then <strong>Repair your computer</strong> or press the <kbd>Shift</kbd> and <kbd>F10</kbd> keys to open <strong>Command Prompt</strong>.

[caption id="attachment_1972" align="alignnone" width="485"]<img src="/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/05/windows-7-system-recovery-options-screen.jpg" alt="Windows 7 System Recovery Options Screen" width="485" height="362" class="size-full wp-image-1972" /> Windows 7 System Recovery Options Screen[/caption]
</li>
<li>Once in Command Prompt, type these commands and press <kbd>Enter</kbd> after each:
<pre>diskpart
list disk</pre>
</li>
<li>Type <code>select disk 0</code>, where <code>0</code> is your computer's disk that has the partition.
</li>
<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
<li>Type <code>list partition</code> to have diskpart list all partition on the select disk and hit <kbd>Enter</kbd> to run the command</li>
<li>Type <code>select partition 1</code>, where <code>1</code> is the number of the partition you want to set as active. Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
<li>Type <code>active</code> to mark the partition as active. Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
<li>Your partition is now active. Type <code>exit</code>, hit <kbd>Enter</kbd> and restart your computer.</li>
</ol>

<h2>Set partition as active on Windows 8</h2>

To set a primary partition as active on a Windows 8 system, follow these steps:

<p class="warning">If you don't the original Windows 8 DVD/USB, go to <a href="#Use_diskpart_from_Easy_Recovery_Essentials">Use diskpart from Easy Recovery Essentials</a>.</p>

<ol>
<li>Insert the Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 USB and boot form the media</li>
<li>Click <strong>Repair your computer</strong>

[caption id="attachment_2111" align="alignnone" width="610"]<img src="/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/06/windows-8-repair-your-computer-screen.png" alt="Windows 8 Repair Your Computer Menu" width="610" height="430" class="size-full wp-image-2111" /> Windows 8 Repair Your Computer Menu[/caption]
</li>
<li>Click <strong>Troubleshoot</strong></li>
<li>Click <strong>Command Prompt</strong></li>
<li>When at Command Prompt, type these commands:
<pre>diskpart
list disk</pre>
</li>
<li>Type <code>select disk 0</code>, replace <code>0</code> with your computer's primary disk</li>
<li>Type <code>list partition</code></li>
<li>Type <code>select partition 1</code>, replace <code>1</code> with the partition's letter that you want to set as active</li>
<li>Type <code>active</code></li>
<li>Type <code>exit</code></li>
<li>You can restart your computer now</li>
</ol>

<h2>More Information</h2>

<h3>Linked Entries</h3>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/diskpart/">diskpart</a></li>
</ul>

[partial name="partial_moreinfo" versions="xp,vista,7,8"]