Definition of System and Boot Partition

ID: Q100525

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0

The names commonly used for the partitions containing Windows NT startup and operating system files, however unintuitive they may seem, are for the system and boot partitions, respectively.

System Partition

The system partition refers to the disk volume containing hardware specific files needed to boot Windows NT (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 NT operating system files (usually \WINNT) and it support files (usually \WINNT\SYSTEM32). It can be the same partition as the system partition.

Additional query words: prodnt


Keywords          : kbother ntgeneral 
Version           : 3.1 3.5 3.51 4.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        :

Last Reviewed: January 13, 1999