What about Windows system partition failures

Polish your eyes. Understanding system partitions and boot partitions

According to the Microsoft Help documentation, the system partition refers to a partition that contains the hardware-specific files required to load windows, and the boot partition is the partition that contains the Windows operating system and its supporting files, and the system partition can, but is not, be the same as the boot partition.

Simply put, the system partition is the partition that holds the boot file (also called the boot partition), and the boot partition is the partition where the Windows directory resides. For example, for a Windows 8 system with a traditional BIOS boot, if the system is booted by the C:bootmgr file, because both the boot file and the Windows directory are in C, the system partition and boot partition are the same partition, C disk (Figure 1).

(Figure 1 Traditional BIOS boot Windows 8 system partition and boot partition are the same partition)

For UEFI-initiated systems, the system partition and boot partition are not the same partition because the UEFI boot partition is a FAT format partition and the Windows directory is in the NTFS format partition. The system partition status is shown as the FAT partition of the EFI system partition and the boot partition table is C (Figure 2).

(Figure 2 Uefi boot system, system partition and boot partition are not the same partition)

Small tip:

Often we also touch primary partitions, logical partitions, which are partitioned for disk partition types, primarily on MBR-booted hard disks, and all partitions are primary partitions for GPT boot drives.

Solving two kinds of zoning faults with the right remedy

From the above description, we know the difference and connection between the system partition and the boot partition, and the separation of the system partition and the boot partition for the UEFI-initiated computer. So how do I fix the system partition and boot partition when it fails?

1. System partition common Breakdown and Repair

Because the system partition holds the Windows boot file, it can cause the system to fail to start if it is compromised. The most common failure is due to our error to edit the system boot file, causing the system to fail to start, such as editing the BCD file causing the boot configuration error, or mistakenly deleting the EFI partition caused the system boot file to be lost. Most of these failures occur during the boot phase of the system, because the boot files are lost and most of the computer goes directly into the EFI Shell interface (Figure 3).

(Figure 3 cannot boot directly into the EFI shell interface)

Since the boot file is missing, the solution is naturally a rebuild boot. For Windows 8 Systems, you can use the system's BCDboot command to fix booting directly. Because the current system is already inaccessible, first prepare a win8pe (support UEFI boot) boot disk, use the boot disk to boot to the PE system, start the command prompt component, and then enter the following command to fix it:

Diskpart

List Volume

BCDboot d:windows/s e:/F UEFI

Command explanation: D:windows here represents the original boot partition (that is, the original C disk), the win8pe loaded in the letter is d:,e: The EFI System partition in FAT format (if you delete this partition, please rebuild and then execute the above command). The specific letter of the actual partition according to their own computer selection, the implementation of the above command will automatically rebuild the default Uefi boot, restart can be repaired (Figure 4).

(Figure 4 View the actual drive letter)

2. Startup partition common Trouble and repair

Because the boot partition is a system-critical file, boot partition if there is a failure generally only show that the system can not enter, but will not affect the system's boot, the fault performance is generally successful loading the boot menu after the prompts can not find the specified file or device, most of the reason is due to the system file damage or loss caused by (Figure 5).

(Figure 5 boot partition failure prompts for the specified file or device not found)

Because the system is also bootable, Windows 8 has its own many repair tools. So we can try to fix it with these tools.

If you have already done System Restore, then you can press F8 to enter advanced startup, then click "Troubleshooting → advanced options → system Restore", so you can start the System Restore component in WinRE mode, and then press the prompt to select the restore point to restore it.

If you have not created a system restore point before, you can also perform a system reset or reload in the advanced options to troubleshoot the boot partition, but this operation requires support for the Windows 8.1 installation files and needs to be backed up to use when the system is normal.

Be prepared for backup and troubleshooting

Whether it is a system partition or boot partition failure, once the failure occurs to prevent access to the system will bring great inconvenience to us, so the system is normal when the backup is the solution.

For UEFI-initiated computers, the system partition is FAT format and can be used to boot the system as long as it has a boot file. So we can use the Windows 8.1 Disk Management component to plan a FAT partition (size 1GB enough) in advance on the local hard drive, then download "Bootice.exe" to Http://suo.im/ro1ep, start the program and click "Partition Management", Then, in the Open window, select the section labeled "ESP" and tap the "assign letter" to access the EFI partition (Figure 6).

(Figure 6 is the EFI partition allocation letter)

Suppose the assigned letter is F:, the self-built FAT partition letter is E:, start the command prompt and enter "copy F:efi e:" So that you can boot Windows 8 using e disk if the F disk fails to boot.