System partition and boot partition: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:59, 24 May 2017

Revision as of 07:15, 24 May 2017

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

'''System partition''' and '''boot partition''' (also known as '''system volume''' and '''boot volume''') are computing terms for [[disk partition]]s of a [[hard disk drive]] or [[solid-state drive]] that must exist and be properly configured for a systemcomputer to operate correctly. There are two different definitions for these terms: [[Microsoft]]the common definition (usedand bythe [[WindowsMicrosoft]]) and the common definition used by every other operating system.

==Common definition==

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==Microsoft definition==

Since [[Windows NT 3.1]] (the first version of Windows NT),<ref>{{cite web |title=Definition of System and Boot Partition |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]] |accessdate=18 February 2016 |dead-url=yes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313090403/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/100525 |archive-date=13 March 2016|dead-url=yes|accessdate=}}</ref> Microsoft has defined the terms as follows:

*The ''system partition'' is a primary partition that contains the boot loader, a piece of software responsible for booting the OS.<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=0-7356-2530-1|edition=5th}}</ref>{{rp|970}}

*The ''boot partition'' is the disk partition that contains the operating system folder, known as ''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. In case they are separate, however, the boot partition does not contain the boot softwareloader and the system partition does not have the system root.<ref name=winternals5 />{{rp|971}}

The terms ''system volume'' and ''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 identifier "C:". 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]].

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==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

*[http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314470 Definition of System Partition and Boot Partition (XP and Vista)]

[[Category:Booting]]