System partition and boot partition: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Computing terms for disk partitions}}

{{Redirect-distinguish|System partition|EFI system partition}}

{{Redirect-distinguish|Boot partition|BIOS boot partition}}

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==Common definition==

In context of every operating system, saveexcept those developed by [[Microsoft]], the system partition and the boot partition are defined as follows:

* The ''boot partition'' is a [[primary partition]] that contains the [[boot loader]], a piece of software responsible for [[booting]] the [[operating system]]. For example, in the standard [[Linux]] directory layout ([[Filesystem Hierarchy Standard]]), boot files (such as the [[Linux kernel|kernel]], [[initrd]], and boot loader [[GRUB]]) are mounted at <code>/boot/</code>.<ref>{{cite book|last=Petersen|first=Richard|title=Ubuntu The Complete Reference|year=2009|publisher=McGraw-Hill|___location=New York|isbn=978-0-07-164368-09|page=473|chapter=Chapter 21: Basic System Administration}}</ref> Despite Microsoft's radically different definition (see below), System Information, a utility app included in [[Windows NT]] family of operating systems, refers to it as "boot device".<ref>{{cite book |lastlast1=Andrews |firstfirst1=Jean |first2=James |last2=Chellis |title=A+ Guide to Software |date=13 August 2012 |publisher=Cengage Learning |isbn=9781285414980 |page=21 |edition=6th}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Donald |first=Lisa |title=MCSA / MCSE: Windows Server 2003 Environment Management and Maintenance Study Guide: Exam 70-290 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=9780470327616 |pages=116–117 |edition=2nd |date=2008}}</ref>

* The ''system partition'' is the disk partition that contains the operating system folder, known as the ''system root''. By default, in Linux, operating system files are mounted at <code>/</code> (the [[root directory]]).

In Linux, a single partition can be both a boot and a system partition if both <code>/boot/</code> and the root directory are in the same partition.

==Microsoft definition==

Since [[Windows NT 3.1]] (the first version of Windows NT),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/100525|title=Definition of System and Boot Partition|last=|first=|date=20 February 2007|website=Support|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313090403/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/100525|archive-date=13 March 2016|deadurl-url=yes|accessdatestatus=dead}}</ref> Microsoft has defined the terms as follows:

* The ''system partition'' (or system volume)<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/314470/definitions-for-system-volume-and-boot-volume|title=Definitions for system volume and boot volume|date=29 October 2009|website=Support|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913184351/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/314470/definitions-for-system-volume-and-boot-volume|archive-date=2017-09-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> is a primary partition that contains the boot loader, a piece of software responsible for booting the operating system.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|title=Microsoft Encyclopedia of Networking|last2=Tulloch|first2=Ingrid|publisher=[[Microsoft Press]]|year=2002|isbn=0-7356-1378-8|edition=2nd|___location=Redmond, WA|pages=|first1=Mitch|last1=Tulloch}}</ref>{{Rp|1087}} This partition holds the [[boot sector]] and is marked active.<ref name=winternals5>{{cite book|last1=Russinovich|first1=Mark E|last2=Ionescu|first2=Alex|last3=Solomon|first3=David A|title=Windows Internals|year=2008|publisher=Microsoft Press|___location=Redmond, WA|isbn=978-0-7356-2530-13|edition=5th}}</ref>{{rp|970}}

* The ''boot partition'' (or boot volume)<ref name=":1" /> is the disk partition that contains the operating system folder, known as the ''system root'' or <code>%systemroot%</code> in [[Windows NT]].<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|174}}

A single partition may be both a system and a boot partition. Ironically, however, in case they are separate, the boot partition does not contain the boot loader and the system partition does not have the system root.<ref name=winternals5 />{{rp|971}}

Before [[Windows 7]], the system and boot partitions were, by default, the same and were given the "C:" [[Drive letter assignment|drive letter]].<ref name=winternals5 />{{rp|971}} Since Windows 7, however, [[Windows Setup]] 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 [[BitLocker]], which requires a separate unencrypted system partition for booting. As of [[Windows 11]], this nomenclature is still used by the "Disk Management" utility.

The ''system volume'' and the ''boot volume'' are respectively equivalents of the aforementioned terms.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/314470/definitions-for-system-volume-and-boot-volume|title=Definitions for system volume and boot volume|last=|first=|date=29 October 2009|website=Support|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref>

Before [[Windows 7]], the system and boot partitions were, by default, the same and were given the "C:" [[Drive letter assignment|drive letter]]. Since Windows 7, however, [[Windows Setup]] 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 [[BitLocker]], which requires a separate unencrypted system partition for booting.

==See also==

* [[NTLDR]]

* [[Windows startup process]]

* [[Windows NT startup process]]

* [[Windows Vista startup process]]

* [[Windows To Go]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}{{Firmware and booting}}

[[Category:Booting]]

[[Category:Disk partitions]]