<P> The system partition and the boot partition (also known as the system volume and the boot volume) are computing terms for disk partitions of a hard disk drive or solid - state drive that must exist and be properly configured for a computer to operate . There are two different definitions for these terms: the common definition and the Microsoft definition . </P> <P> In context of every operating system, save those developed by Microsoft, the system partition and the boot partition are defined as follows: </P> <Ul> <Li> The boot partition is a primary partition that contains the boot loader, a piece of software responsible for booting the operating system . For example, in the standard Linux directory layout (Filesystem Hierarchy Standard), boot files (such as the kernel, initrd, and boot loader GRUB) are mounted at / boot / . Despite Microsoft's radically different definition (see below), System Information, a utility app included in Windows NT family of operating systems, refers to it as "boot device". </Li> <Li> The system partition is the disk partition that contains the operating system folder, known as the system root . By default, in Linux, operating system files are mounted at / (the root directory). </Li> </Ul> <Li> The boot partition is a primary partition that contains the boot loader, a piece of software responsible for booting the operating system . For example, in the standard Linux directory layout (Filesystem Hierarchy Standard), boot files (such as the kernel, initrd, and boot loader GRUB) are mounted at / boot / . Despite Microsoft's radically different definition (see below), System Information, a utility app included in Windows NT family of operating systems, refers to it as "boot device". </Li>

What is the system partition in windows 7