#DISPLAY MASTER BOOT RECORD INSTALL#
#DISPLAY MASTER BOOT RECORD UPGRADE#

MBR stands for Master Boot Record, and is a bit of reserved space at the beginning of the drive that contains the information about how the partitions are organized. There are two main types of partition tables: MBR and GPT. For example, the screenshots above show the partition tables on the drive, and each individual partition is shown as a rectangular block. Note: I'll be using the term 'drive' to refer to both HDDs and SSDs from now on.ĪDVERTISEMENT An overview of MBR and GPT partitionsīefore a drive can be divided into individual partitions, it needs to be configured to use a specific partition scheme or table.Ī partition table tells the operating system how the partitions and data on the drive are organized. Now that you have a high-level overview of what a partition is, we can dive into the differences between MBR and GPT partitions. Again, you usually don't need to make any adjustments. You don't need to worry about them unless you want to do something like dual-boot Windows and Linux from the same HDD or SDD.Įven if you're installing the operating system yourself, most times the installer will suggest default partitions and partition sizes. If you bought your computer from a store and the operating system is already installed, then the manufacturer has already taken care of the partitions.

#DISPLAY MASTER BOOT RECORD INSTALL#

The /home partition is similar to the C: partition in Windows in that it's where you install most of your programs and store files.

In Linux, there's typically a root partition ( /), one for swap which helps with memory management, and large /home partition. The C: partition is what most people are familiar with, as it's where you usually install your programs and store your various files. Each partition can vary in size and typically serves a different function.įor example, in Windows there is usually a small recovery partition and a large file system partition labeled C. What's a partition?Ī partition is a virtual division of a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD).

#DISPLAY MASTER BOOT RECORD UPGRADE#

In this article we'll go into what a partition is, the difference between an MBR and GPT partition, whether you should upgrade from one type of partition to another, and more. But there's a lot of background information that will help you get a clearer picture about each type of partition table, and when you should choose one over the other. The differences between an MBR and GPT partition are pretty straightforward. If you're building a PC, you might have been asked how you want to install your operating system – MBR or GPT?

Display master boot record