Understanding hidden Vista partitions

When i have a new problem, it opens new questions.

This laptop [Asus G50vt] came with three partitions on the HD.
Hidden [called RECOVERY] about 11 gb
Visat-64, about 150 gb
Data, about 200gb

Upon trying to solve another problem, I used partition manager to boot and look at the partitions.

What is the purpose of the hidden partition? Other than using PM, I would not even know it's there.

It's about 90% full, so it has something, but what, and how can I use it? Or do I? It's title is RECOVERY, but, ah, recover what?

It's most likely an OS image. Full of all the bloatware that came with
your system when new.Usually you also have a program somewhere
that lets you make a series of recovery disks from that partition.
Some vendors will allow you to delete this partition after you make said
disks.

Thanks.

The interesting thing is that Partition Manager [that disk boots to PM] shows that hidden partition as ACTIVE, but not the others.

I suspect some kind of bootloading files are there.

Hello Robert,

Yes, these hidden partitions are your OEM Vista recovery and OEM Applications and Drivers recovery. The one that is showing as active does contain a boot file since you are able to boot to the Vista recovery partition in order to do a factory restoration of Vista with it. The other one is a hidden EISA partition used by the Vista recovery partition to reinstall your OEM applications and drivers that came with your computer.