Knowledge

System partition and boot partition

Source 📝

564: 226:
creates, by default, a separate system partition that is not given an identifier and therefore is hidden. The boot partition is still given "C:" as its identifier. This configuration is suitable for running
388: 187:(or system volume) is a primary partition that contains the boot loader, a piece of software responsible for booting the operating system. This partition holds the 492: 72:
that must exist and be properly configured for a computer to operate. There are two different definitions for these terms: the common definition and the
458: 293: 563: 550: 485: 1141: 1134: 430: 343: 318: 400: 1381: 359: 1199: 804: 534: 478: 259: 117: 658: 1229: 826: 527: 520: 254: 867: 693: 665: 136:. Despite Microsoft's radically different definition (see below), System Information, a utility app included in 1376: 543: 249: 219: 1074: 1040: 990: 860: 755: 672: 596: 589: 31: 1081: 1054: 885: 725: 679: 38: 1342: 1113: 1047: 336:
MCSA / MCSE: Windows Server 2003 Environment Management and Maintenance Study Guide: Exam 70-290
198:(or boot volume) is the disk partition that contains the operating system folder, known as the 1349: 1018: 1011: 797: 454: 426: 339: 314: 289: 97: 69: 1371: 1314: 1261: 1254: 840: 762: 109: 1190: 748: 603: 422: 65: 718: 176: 156: 61: 1365: 913: 906: 644: 264: 223: 218:, the system and boot partitions were, by default, the same and were given the "C:" 1168: 934: 686: 121: 1300: 1236: 899: 851: 371: 188: 101: 179:(the first version of Windows NT), Microsoft has defined the terms as follows: 163:
In Linux, a single partition can be both a boot and a system partition if both
1335: 1321: 1161: 833: 635: 232: 207: 147:
is the disk partition that contains the operating system folder, known as the
137: 17: 1307: 955: 790: 783: 739: 396: 367: 231:, which requires a separate unencrypted system partition for booting. As of 228: 215: 85: 73: 1328: 1293: 1127: 983: 920: 776: 769: 573: 501: 1222: 962: 941: 892: 732: 711: 505: 470: 105: 88:, the system partition and the boot partition are defined as follows: 1275: 1004: 969: 284:
Petersen, Richard (2009). "Chapter 21: Basic System Administration".
125: 235:, this nomenclature is still used by the "Disk Management" utility. 1268: 1120: 976: 948: 927: 244: 113: 1213: 1206: 1175: 997: 651: 628: 621: 129: 84:
In context of every operating system, except those developed by
474: 151:. By default, in Linux, operating system files are mounted at 449:
Russinovich, Mark E; Ionescu, Alex; Solomon, David A (2008).
140:
family of operating systems, refers to it as "boot device".
30:"System partition" redirects here. Not to be confused with 338:(2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. pp. 116–117. 37:"Boot partition" redirects here. Not to be confused with 1285: 1246: 1189: 1153: 1105: 1098: 1064: 1032: 877: 850: 818: 703: 613: 581: 571: 512: 167:and the root directory are in the same partition. 309:Andrews, Jean; Chellis, James (13 August 2012). 389:"Definitions for system volume and boot volume" 453:(5th ed.). Redmond, WA: Microsoft Press. 313:(6th ed.). Cengage Learning. p. 21. 486: 444: 442: 8: 1102: 1088: 874: 578: 493: 479: 471: 360:"Definition of System and Boot Partition" 417:Tulloch, Mitch; Tulloch, Ingrid (2002). 276: 288:. New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 473. 104:, a piece of software responsible for 7: 419:Microsoft Encyclopedia of Networking 412: 410: 383: 381: 27:Computing terms for disk partitions 370:. 20 February 2007. Archived from 25: 399:. 29 October 2009. Archived from 562: 112:. For example, in the standard 1: 1200:Preboot Execution Environment 805:Run-Time Abstraction Services 421:(2nd ed.). Redmond, WA: 286:Ubuntu The Complete Reference 260:Windows Vista startup process 118:Filesystem Hierarchy Standard 659:MultiProcessor Specification 222:. Since Windows 7, however, 1230:Remote Initial Program Load 827:Common Firmware Environment 120:), boot files (such as the 1398: 819:Hybrid firmware bootloader 560: 255:Windows NT startup process 60:) are computing terms for 36: 29: 868:Comparison of bootloaders 756:Phoenix SecureCore UEFI 250:Windows startup process 1382:Windows administration 334:Donald, Lisa (2008). 191:and is marked active. 1075:EFI system partition 1041:GUID Partition Table 991:Windows Boot Manager 861:Bootloader unlocking 673:Legacy Plug and Play 597:Open-source firmware 590:Proprietary firmware 311:A+ Guide to Software 171:Microsoft definition 32:EFI system partition 1082:BIOS boot partition 1055:Apple Partition Map 886:Acronis OS Selector 726:American Megatrends 52:(also known as the 39:BIOS boot partition 1343:Power-on self-test 1048:Master boot record 128:, and boot loader 116:directory layout ( 100:that contains the 1359: 1358: 1185: 1184: 1033:Partition layouts 1028: 1027: 1012:Plop Boot Manager 814: 813: 460:978-0-7356-2530-3 451:Windows Internals 374:on 13 March 2016. 295:978-0-07-164368-9 132:) are mounted at 98:primary partition 80:Common definition 70:solid-state drive 16:(Redirected from 1389: 1352: 1345: 1338: 1331: 1324: 1317: 1315:Execute in place 1310: 1303: 1296: 1278: 1271: 1264: 1257: 1239: 1232: 1225: 1216: 1209: 1202: 1178: 1171: 1164: 1144: 1137: 1130: 1123: 1116: 1103: 1091: 1084: 1077: 1057: 1050: 1043: 1021: 1014: 1007: 1000: 993: 986: 979: 972: 965: 958: 951: 944: 937: 930: 923: 916: 909: 902: 895: 888: 875: 870: 863: 843: 836: 829: 807: 800: 793: 786: 779: 772: 765: 763:TianoCore EDK II 758: 751: 742: 735: 728: 721: 714: 696: 689: 682: 675: 668: 661: 654: 647: 638: 631: 624: 606: 599: 592: 579: 566: 553: 546: 537: 530: 523: 495: 488: 481: 472: 465: 464: 446: 437: 436: 414: 405: 404: 385: 376: 375: 356: 350: 349: 331: 325: 324: 306: 300: 299: 281: 205: 185:system partition 166: 154: 145:system partition 135: 110:operating system 46:system partition 21: 1397: 1396: 1392: 1391: 1390: 1388: 1387: 1386: 1377:Disk partitions 1362: 1361: 1360: 1355: 1348: 1341: 1334: 1327: 1320: 1313: 1306: 1299: 1292: 1281: 1274: 1267: 1260: 1253: 1242: 1235: 1228: 1221: 1212: 1205: 1198: 1181: 1174: 1167: 1160: 1149: 1140: 1133: 1126: 1119: 1112: 1094: 1087: 1080: 1073: 1060: 1053: 1046: 1039: 1024: 1017: 1010: 1003: 996: 989: 982: 975: 968: 961: 954: 947: 940: 933: 926: 919: 912: 905: 898: 891: 884: 878:Implementations 873: 866: 859: 846: 839: 832: 825: 810: 803: 796: 789: 782: 775: 768: 761: 754: 747: 738: 731: 724: 717: 710: 704:Implementations 699: 692: 685: 678: 671: 664: 657: 650: 643: 634: 627: 620: 609: 604:Custom firmware 602: 595: 588: 567: 558: 549: 542: 533: 526: 519: 508: 499: 469: 468: 461: 448: 447: 440: 433: 423:Microsoft Press 416: 415: 408: 387: 386: 379: 358: 357: 353: 346: 333: 332: 328: 321: 308: 307: 303: 296: 283: 282: 278: 273: 241: 203: 173: 164: 152: 133: 82: 66:hard disk drive 62:disk partitions 42: 35: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1395: 1393: 1385: 1384: 1379: 1374: 1364: 1363: 1357: 1356: 1354: 1353: 1346: 1339: 1332: 1325: 1318: 1311: 1304: 1297: 1289: 1287: 1283: 1282: 1280: 1279: 1272: 1265: 1258: 1250: 1248: 1244: 1243: 1241: 1240: 1233: 1226: 1219: 1218: 1217: 1210: 1195: 1193: 1187: 1186: 1183: 1182: 1180: 1179: 1172: 1165: 1157: 1155: 1151: 1150: 1148: 1147: 1146: 1145: 1131: 1124: 1117: 1109: 1107: 1100: 1096: 1095: 1093: 1092: 1085: 1078: 1070: 1068: 1062: 1061: 1059: 1058: 1051: 1044: 1036: 1034: 1030: 1029: 1026: 1025: 1023: 1022: 1015: 1008: 1001: 994: 987: 980: 973: 966: 959: 952: 945: 938: 931: 924: 917: 910: 903: 896: 889: 881: 879: 872: 871: 864: 856: 854: 848: 847: 845: 844: 837: 830: 822: 820: 816: 815: 812: 811: 809: 808: 801: 794: 787: 780: 773: 766: 759: 752: 745: 744: 743: 736: 722: 715: 707: 705: 701: 700: 698: 697: 690: 683: 676: 669: 662: 655: 648: 641: 640: 639: 625: 617: 615: 611: 610: 608: 607: 600: 593: 585: 583: 576: 569: 568: 561: 559: 557: 556: 555: 554: 540: 539: 538: 531: 516: 514: 510: 509: 500: 498: 497: 490: 483: 475: 467: 466: 459: 438: 431: 406: 403:on 2017-09-13. 377: 351: 344: 326: 319: 301: 294: 275: 274: 272: 269: 268: 267: 262: 257: 252: 247: 240: 237: 212: 211: 196:boot partition 192: 177:Windows NT 3.1 172: 169: 161: 160: 157:root directory 141: 94:boot partition 81: 78: 50:boot partition 26: 24: 18:Boot partition 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1394: 1383: 1380: 1378: 1375: 1373: 1370: 1369: 1367: 1351: 1347: 1344: 1340: 1337: 1333: 1330: 1326: 1323: 1319: 1316: 1312: 1309: 1305: 1302: 1298: 1295: 1291: 1290: 1288: 1284: 1277: 1273: 1270: 1266: 1263: 1259: 1256: 1252: 1251: 1249: 1245: 1238: 1234: 1231: 1227: 1224: 1220: 1215: 1211: 1208: 1204: 1203: 1201: 1197: 1196: 1194: 1192: 1188: 1177: 1173: 1170: 1166: 1163: 1159: 1158: 1156: 1152: 1143: 1139: 1138: 1136: 1132: 1129: 1125: 1122: 1118: 1115: 1111: 1110: 1108: 1104: 1101: 1097: 1090: 1086: 1083: 1079: 1076: 1072: 1071: 1069: 1067: 1063: 1056: 1052: 1049: 1045: 1042: 1038: 1037: 1035: 1031: 1020: 1016: 1013: 1009: 1006: 1002: 999: 995: 992: 988: 985: 981: 978: 974: 971: 967: 964: 960: 957: 953: 950: 946: 943: 939: 936: 932: 929: 925: 922: 918: 915: 914:BootX (Linux) 911: 908: 907:BootX (Apple) 904: 901: 897: 894: 890: 887: 883: 882: 880: 876: 869: 865: 862: 858: 857: 855: 853: 849: 842: 838: 835: 831: 828: 824: 823: 821: 817: 806: 802: 799: 795: 792: 788: 785: 781: 778: 774: 771: 767: 764: 760: 757: 753: 750: 746: 741: 737: 734: 730: 729: 727: 723: 720: 716: 713: 709: 708: 706: 702: 695: 691: 688: 684: 681: 677: 674: 670: 667: 663: 660: 656: 653: 649: 646: 645:Open Firmware 642: 637: 633: 632: 630: 626: 623: 619: 618: 616: 612: 605: 601: 598: 594: 591: 587: 586: 584: 580: 577: 575: 570: 565: 552: 548: 547: 545: 541: 536: 532: 529: 525: 524: 522: 518: 517: 515: 511: 507: 503: 496: 491: 489: 484: 482: 477: 476: 473: 462: 456: 452: 445: 443: 439: 434: 432:0-7356-1378-8 428: 424: 420: 413: 411: 407: 402: 398: 394: 390: 384: 382: 378: 373: 369: 365: 361: 355: 352: 347: 345:9780470327616 341: 337: 330: 327: 322: 320:9781285414980 316: 312: 305: 302: 297: 291: 287: 280: 277: 270: 266: 265:Windows To Go 263: 261: 258: 256: 253: 251: 248: 246: 243: 242: 238: 236: 234: 230: 225: 224:Windows Setup 221: 217: 209: 201: 197: 193: 190: 186: 182: 181: 180: 178: 170: 168: 158: 150: 146: 142: 139: 131: 127: 123: 119: 115: 111: 107: 103: 99: 95: 91: 90: 89: 87: 79: 77: 75: 71: 67: 63: 59: 55: 54:system volume 51: 47: 40: 33: 19: 1247:ROM variants 1191:Network boot 1169:Raspberry Pi 1065: 935:systemd-boot 450: 418: 401:the original 392: 372:the original 363: 354: 335: 329: 310: 304: 285: 279: 220:drive letter 213: 204:%systemroot% 199: 195: 184: 174: 162: 148: 144: 93: 83: 76:definition. 57: 53: 49: 45: 43: 1301:ROM hacking 1237:Wake-on-LAN 900:BootManager 852:Bootloaders 200:system root 189:boot sector 149:system root 102:boot loader 58:boot volume 1366:Categories 1336:Instant-on 1322:Devicetree 1162:Bus Pirate 1066:Partitions 834:Das U-Boot 719:Award BIOS 636:Video BIOS 614:Interfaces 271:References 233:Windows 11 208:Windows NT 138:Windows NT 1308:ROM image 1099:Utilities 956:OpeniBoot 798:Kickstart 791:LinuxBoot 784:Libreboot 749:InsydeH2O 740:AMI Aptio 680:AlphaBIOS 513:Processes 397:Microsoft 368:Microsoft 229:BitLocker 216:Windows 7 86:Microsoft 74:Microsoft 1350:EDL mode 1329:Fastboot 1294:Boot ROM 1154:Hardware 1142:Heimdall 1128:UEFITool 1114:flashrom 1106:Software 984:SYSLINUX 921:GNU GRUB 777:Coreboot 770:OpenBIOS 574:firmware 572:Booting 502:Firmware 239:See also 56:and the 48:and the 1372:Booting 1286:Related 1223:NetBoot 963:RedBoot 942:loadlin 893:Barebox 733:AMIBIOS 712:SeaBIOS 551:Android 521:Windows 506:booting 393:Support 364:Support 214:Before 106:booting 1276:EEPROM 1176:ft2232 1089:/boot/ 1005:Yaboot 970:rEFInd 457:  429:  342:  317:  292:  175:Since 165:/boot/ 134:/boot/ 126:initrd 122:kernel 1269:EPROM 1121:fwupd 977:rEFIt 949:NTLDR 928:iBoot 582:Types 544:Linux 245:NTLDR 155:(the 114:Linux 96:is a 64:of a 1262:PROM 1214:iPXE 1207:gPXE 1135:Odin 1019:MILO 998:xOSL 841:ARCS 652:ACPI 629:BIOS 622:UEFI 504:and 455:ISBN 427:ISBN 340:ISBN 315:ISBN 290:ISBN 194:The 183:The 143:The 130:GRUB 108:the 92:The 44:The 1255:ROM 694:SFI 687:SRM 666:APM 206:in 202:or 68:or 1368:: 535:NT 528:9x 441:^ 425:. 409:^ 395:. 391:. 380:^ 366:. 362:. 159:). 124:, 494:e 487:t 480:v 463:. 435:. 348:. 323:. 298:. 210:. 153:/ 41:. 34:. 20:)

Index

Boot partition
EFI system partition
BIOS boot partition
disk partitions
hard disk drive
solid-state drive
Microsoft
Microsoft
primary partition
boot loader
booting
operating system
Linux
Filesystem Hierarchy Standard
kernel
initrd
GRUB
Windows NT
root directory
Windows NT 3.1
boot sector
Windows NT
Windows 7
drive letter
Windows Setup
BitLocker
Windows 11
NTLDR
Windows startup process
Windows NT startup process

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.