Question regarding MBR and boot process

[Yohhan]

I've got a few questions on how a computer boots. I've been reading on it, but I'm a little confused still.

As I've understood it, the MBR and boot partition are two different things. They can be put on different disks. Where is the MBR put though? If I have have a single hard drive partitioned into a primary drive and 2 logical drives, c: d: and e:, respectively, where does the MBR go? Onto the first sector of c:?

Also, when someone says "boot partition" and "system partition", are they referring to the same things?

Finally, when I setup Linux, I have to set three partitions being the swap, root, and /boot. Is windows doing the same thing when you install it, just shielding you from it?

Thanks.

 

[TheOmegaCode]

The MBR is in the very beginning of the hard drive, with in the first few sectors (I'm too lazy to check exactly). This is a map of what your entire hard drive looks like. It keeps a table of the partitions you have. Instructions can be written into the MBR to point to which partition you will boot from. Windows partitions differently than Linux, as well as the the BSD's. However Windows does mask alot of information to appear much simpler...

 

[Nothinman]

As I've understood it, the MBR and boot partition are two different things

Correct.

Where is the MBR put though?

At the very beginning of the drive, sector 0.

Onto the first sector of c:?

The first sector of the first partition (I really hate referring to parttions as c:, etc.) is not on the first sector of the drive. I believe the MBR is only 512 bytes so the second sector (sector 1) would be the start of the first partition, although you don't have to start the partition there it can start anywhere.

Also, when someone says "boot partition" and "system partition", are they referring to the same things?

Those are generally Windows-isms and are backwards in meaning. The system partition is the one with ntldr and is the one that boots right after the MBR code. The boot partition is the one containing \winnt.

Finally, when I setup Linux, I have to set three partitions being the swap, root, and /boot. Is windows doing the same thing when you install it, just shielding you from it?

No, Windows is very different from Linux.