Home
Topics
Topics Archive
CIO Midmarket Resources
Master Boot Record (MBR)

Definition

Master Boot Record (MBR)

The Master Boot Record (MBR) is the information in the first sector of any hard disk or diskette that identifies how and where an operating system is located so that it can be boot (loaded) into the computer's main storage or random access memory. The Master Boot Record is also sometimes called the "partition sector" or the "master partition table" because it includes a table that locates each partition that the hard disk has been formatted into. In addition to this table, the MBR also includes a program that reads the boot sector record of the partition containing the operating system to be booted into RAM. In turn, that record contains a program that loads the rest of the operating system into RAM.

Related glossary terms: Ohm's Law, reboot (warm boot, cold boot), self-destructing email, shared memory, electron, L1 and L2, permittivity (electric permittivity), cardinality, angular velocity (rotational velocity), SKU (stockkeeping unit)

This was last updated in April 2005

Posted by: Margaret Rouse

Email Alerts

Register now to receive SearchCIO-MidMarket.com-related news, tips and more, delivered to your inbox.

By submitting you agree to receive email from TechTarget and its partners. If you reside outside of the United States, you consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States. Privacy

More News and Tutorials

Remote backup can ease network disaster recovery

Backing up to local disk or tape can protect against the accidental destruction of a file but will do nothing to protect you when your facility suffers fire or flooding. Remote backup provides a better solution. This tip looks at two possibilities for remote backup: Choosing an outsourced remote backup service, or using software to do your own backups to an offsite facility.
VoIP now part of phishing attacks

Learn how attackers are using the widespread deployment of low-cost VoIP to leverage phishing attacks.
VoIP privacy on the WAN

Is the government listening to your VoIP traffic? Can other companies spy on your WAN? It may sound like a paranoid conspiracy theory, but it's not that far out, technologically speaking. In this tip, Tom Lancaster looks at just how exposed your WAN traffic may be.

Articles

Do you have something to add to this definition? Let us know.

Send your comments to techterms@whatis.com

Research More Tech Terms

Search thousands of tech definitions
Browse tech definitions
Browse Alphabetically:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
- #

Powered by WhatIs.com

File Extensions and File Formats

File Extension and File Formats List:

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
#

Powered by WhatIs.com

More from Related TechTarget Sites

CIO
Compliance
Health IT
Storage
Cloud computing
Mobile Computing
Windows IT

CIO
- Learning native tongue of your business is key to reviving role of IT
  
  If CIOs are to remain relevant and strategic, they need to teach their IT teams the lingua franca of business.
- It's time to rebrand enterprise IT expertise
  
  As businesses go digital, technology expertise is needed more than ever. The question is how to do that in a way that doesn't alienate the business.
- Data privacy and the 'economy of queasy trust'
  
  This week, Searchlight focuses on data privacy issues including privacy expectations, Google's ironic stance on 'big data' and more.
Compliance
- Video: The keys to identifying risk management metrics
  
  Risk management metrics are hard to come by, making it difficult to determine ROI. In this video, learn tips to measure ERM process effectiveness.
- Data discovery tools, processes valuable to information management
  
  New and emerging data discovery tools and processes are proving that they can provide benefits to business areas besides the legal department.
- #Compliance: NSA program sparks discussion on online privacy issues
  
  An NSA program's surveillance activities are leading to discussions on online privacy issues and widely varying opinions on where to draw the line.
Health IT
- Vendors crack the code on how to head off future EHR regulations
  
  Vendors may stave off stricter EHR regulations with the development of two new vendor codes of conduct.
- Policymakers defend interoperability standards in meaningful use
  
  Interoperability standards in meaningful use have been criticized as too weak. Policymakers say they are part of an incremental approach.
- Clinical data archiving best practices: How it differs from backup
  
  Healthcare data is similar to other commercial data in how it should be handled across different layers of storage.
searchStorage
- Imation upgrades Nexsan Assureon object-based storage archive
  
  Imation makes first product upgrade since acquiring Nexsan, delivering Assureon 7 for object-based storage archiving.
- Following Dell acquisitions, users find platform integration enticing
  
  Customers want to see the storage products Dell has gained through acquisitions better integrated with common management.
- Converged systems offer turnkey storage and server bundles
  
  Storage vendors are packaging their products with servers and networking gear to create ready-to-run converged systems. Could this be the end of best-of-breed deployments?
Cloud computing
- IBM, Salesforce deals usher in cloud consolidation era
  
  IBM's SoftLayer buy is getting mixed reviews from IT pros, but everyone agrees that it's an example of the consolidation phase of the cloud bubble.
- U.S. defense agencies' cloud transition yields better intelligence
  
  A cloud migration seems daunting but the effort is worthwhile; U.S. defense agencies say their cloud move led to better military intelligence.
- Simple tricks to lower your AWS cloud costs
  
  There are a number of ways to lower AWS costs and improve the Amazon cloud experience. Here are a few cost-cutting tips any AWS cloud shop can use.
Mobile Computing
- Bringing BYOD to your enterprise
  
  Bring your own device (BYOD) can be a boon for both employees and enterprises, but clear policies and management tools are needed.
- Meeting technical requirements for mobile health care deployments
  
  IT departments deploying mobile health care solutions must ensure that using mobile devices in health care settings doesn't violate federal laws or compromise security.
- Making the call: Distributed antenna systems and in-building wireless
  
  Distributed antenna systems and in-building wireless solutions are two options to improve wireless cellular coverage within an enterprise facility.
Windows IT
- SharePoint 2013 features: what's new, what's changed and what's gone
  
  Some existing SharePoint features were replaced or dropped in SharePoint 2013. Here's how to work through the changes.
- Prevent hacking in your enterprise with these nine easy steps
  
  There are no foolproof ways to completely stop hacking in an enterprise, but follow these proven and common sense methods to reduce your risk.
- How to advance your cloud skills and get ahead of the gap
  
  There may be a growing shortage of IT pros with cloud skills, but you can take action now and become a valuable asset with the right skills.

All Rights Reserved,Copyright 2007 - 2013, TechTarget