What can I do now? (partitions)

[3bbb7]

I want to dual boot Linux Mint with my Windows 8.1 installation right now.

What I didn't realize is you can't install an OS on a logical partition. I have the three partitions already for primary. I can copy my steam partition and back it up and make it a logical partition but I really don't want to do that again. I already backed it up just to extend it about a week ago and it took a really long time and I'd rather not do it again.

So I have 3 primary partitions and 50gb unallocated space that I would be using for Mint.
Is it safe to remove the System Reserved drive? What exactly does that contain?
I am using legacy boot (in my BIOS settings I changed it to that, and it's been like that since before I installed Windows 8 on it) so it's not UEFI.

What are my options to get a freed primary partition to use for mint?

 

[Mark McDonut]

I wouldn't mess with system reserved, a lot of your boot/recovery info is in there and even if you can get around it to delete it, it'll nuke your win8 install.

Have you thought about running mint live from an external usb drive?

 

[3bbb7]

I wouldn't mess with system reserved, a lot of your boot/recovery info is in there and even if you can get around it to delete it, it'll nuke your win8 install.

Have you thought about running mint live from an external usb drive?

I have thought about that but I really would rather not as I'm on a laptop and I don't want to lug around my external hdd whenever I want to boot Mint.
The only reason I keep Windows is for gaming, I want Mint to be my main OS and Windows the side OS for gaming.

I'll probably just copy all the info on the steam one and make it a logical partition, but that will take a few hours, oh well..

 

[Mark McDonut]

I have thought about that but I really would rather not as I'm on a laptop and I don't want to lug around my external hdd whenever I want to boot Mint.
The only reason I keep Windows is for gaming, I want Mint to be my main OS and Windows the side OS for gaming.

I'll probably just copy all the info on the steam one and make it a logical partition, but that will take a few hours, oh well..

well, they do make small 16-64 GB usb sticks that are the size of a wireless mouse/keyboard/bluetooth dongle which can help with the form factor, but that requires an additional purchase in exchange for your time and an available usb port.

 

[3bbb7]

I ended up backing up D: and deleting it, and making it a logical one. Then installed Mint on the unallocated space