Definition of System and Boot Partition (100525)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server
This article was previously published under Q100525 For a Microsoft Windows XP version of this article, see 314470.
SUMMARY
The names commonly used for the partitions containing Windows
startup and operating system files
are for the system and boot partitions, respectively.
MORE INFORMATIONSystem Partition
The system partition refers to the disk volume containing hardware
specific files needed to boot Windows (NTLDR, BOOT.INI, and so on).
On Intel x86-based machines, it must be a primary partition that has
been marked active. On x86 machines, this is always drive 0, the drive
the system BIOS searches during system boot for the operating system.
Boot Partition
The boot partition contains the Windows operating system files
(usually \WINNT) and it support files (usually \WINNT\SYSTEM32). It
can be the same partition as the system partition.
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 5/6/2003 |
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| Keywords: | kbinfo kbother KB100525 |
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