Question about Volume Boot Record

bodisha · 11-22-2016, 11:34 AM

Hello and thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer

Hopefully this is a simple question but is the Volume Boot Record (VBR) only used in Windows? I've seen references to it in relationship to Windows & not Linux... but I'm not sure if that means it's unique to Windows or not. If it is used in Linux can someone give me a quick run down on the criteria of when it would be used?

Could someone straighten me out there please? Thanks!

szboardstretcher · 11-22-2016, 11:50 AM

It's not only used in Windows. Its like the MBR.

The difference is that MBR is at the front sector of the HDD, whereas the VBR is at first sector of a partition inside the HDD. The MBR has a jump instruction to go to the 1st sector in the VBR.

So - you can call it Volume Boot Sector, Volume Boot Record or Boot Block.

Should be pretty easy to research it with that info.

bodisha · 11-22-2016, 12:13 PM

Thanks for the reply! I hope you don't mind a follow up question

You didn't specifically say it but Linux does use it? I've tried researching it and haven't found anything specific about the VBR & Linux. All the documentation I've seen makes it sound like VBR is used in Windows and called directly by firmware or used for chain loading. Can I ask you to elaborate on when Linux would use it please?

szboardstretcher · 11-22-2016, 12:22 PM

Linux uses it. For example, if you want to install syslinux bootloader (which i use on my embedded device installs) you would do this:

Code:

extlinux --install /boot/syslinux

I'm not sure how to explain it further than I did. The MBR is sort of universal, where as VBR or PBR are specific to the operating system inhabiting the partition. Perhaps a few links to help:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/syslinux
http://thestarman.pcministry.com/asm/mbr/GRUB.htm
http://glennastory.net/boot/pbr.html

Hope that helps.

bodisha · 11-22-2016, 03:27 PM

THANKS!!!! I think you straightened me out enough I can start researching it!!! Appreciate the help!

Jjanel · 11-23-2016, 05:03 AM

Welcome! Learning ALL the depths of 'grub' is something I enjoy; hope you will too.
You will find a ton of great stuff in wikipedia.org on boot MBR ... Try this search:
wiki linux vbr