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Common
Terminology |
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Master
Boot Record |
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This is the first sector on the hard disk, controlling which operating
system will be used. System Commander will replace the master boot
record with its own master boot record to control the boot up process.
The old master boot record is automatically saved during the System
Commander installation to allow for easy uninstall.
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Partition
Table |
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This hidden part of the hard disk specifies how the hard disk is
divided. It provides a means to allocate up to four separate sections,
called partitions. Each operating system provides some means to
access and alter the partition table. Under DOS, the FDISK program
is used to view and change the partition information. In most cases,
you cannot change the partition sizes without losing the data stored
in a partition. System Commander does not change the partition table
sizes, but uses this information in the selection of an operating
system.
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Type
of Partition |
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An operating system defines partition types for its own use. For example,
DOS defines a
partition using the FAT (File Allocation Table) method. Other operating
systems can use the
DOS FAT as well as other partition types, such as HPFS (High Performance
File System) for OS/2, NTFS (NT File System) for Windows NT, or Windows
95 FAT32. Other partition types are used for operating systems such
as UNIX or NetWare.
Some partitions
can be defined as being bootable, meaning that the partition can
start the
operating system within that partition. A non-bootable partition
cannot start the operating
system. If a simple system has two drives, each with one DOS partition,
the first drive's DOS
partition will always be bootable, while the second drive's DOS
partition will not be bootable
(this is a limitation of DOS). The ability for a partition to be
bootable is defined when installing an operating system.
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Extended
and Logical Partitions |
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In some configurations, a primary partition is divided into smaller
logical partitions. This group of logical partitions is referred to
as an extended partition. Some operating systems, like OS/2, can be
installed to allow a logical partition to be bootable. System Commander
supports booting from up to 16 logical partitions per drive. |
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While
every attempt is made to ensure the usefulness and accuracy of this
information, it is provided only as a service of VCOM.
No warranty is given with respect to this information regarding the
accuracy, usability, or fitness for a particular purpose. Use this
information at your own risk. Under no circumstances shall VCOM
be held liable for any damages either incidental or consequential. |
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