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Resolved Question

Why does the first partition always start at sector 63 ?

Jul 24, 2014 12:43AM PDT

Guys please help me with this question

i have an assignment in Operating system
Why does the first partition of hard drives always start at sector 63 ?

Discussion is locked

sinanalani has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer
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Clarification Request
BTW, you are leaving out a crucil bit of data.
Jul 24, 2014 12:03PM PDT

That partition scheme is for the world of Microsoft. So if we forget Microsoft, we could create a system that starts at other than 63. Isn't that cool?
Bob

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(NT) Typo. I meant "crucial."
Jul 25, 2014 12:18AM PDT

Best Answer

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MBR
Jul 25, 2014 4:40AM PDT

Master Boot Record and partition tables describing the layout of the disc, the first part in first 446 bytes and the rest of the 512 bytes are for parition information.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_boot_record

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylinder_%28disk_drive%29#Tracks

CHS was first and it had tracks, sectors, blocks. The first track of 64 sectors was reserved for the MBR, partition tables, and nasty evil root kits taking advantage of the extra sectors in the first track.

LBA or logical block addressing came along then for larger drives later.

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Track 0 page is what you want
Jul 25, 2014 4:44AM PDT
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What if we don't use DOS or descendants of DOS?
Jul 25, 2014 12:36PM PDT

Then it can start at zero.

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So the correct answer to the question is ...
Jul 25, 2014 6:13PM PDT

"Because Microsoft designed it that way for a hard disk".
Diskettes didn't have partitions.

That's OK?

Kees

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I'll date myself
Jul 26, 2014 4:54AM PDT
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Typically
Jul 26, 2014 6:11AM PDT

Typically when someone comes along expecting us to do their homework for them, we refuse because most accredited universities would consider it academic dishonesty to do what you did. Plenty of places would have no problem flunking (if they're lucky), suspending, or even expelling the OP for using the information you provided. If I were the one in charge of the program, I'd toss the OP out on his or her ear and not give it so much as a second thought, because to do otherwise would be to devalue the degree obtained by everyone who actually did the work.

We've all heard the stories about consultants with all kinds of degrees and certifications who can't find the on switch with a map and a flashlight. Do we really want to be contributing to the creation of MORE of these people? I recognize that these days it's less about what you know off the top of your head and more about being able to find the solution to a problem. It's more about being able to adapt a solution from a different, but related, problem to your specific situation. Being able to apply some measure of critical thinking to find the similarities of the two situations and then work it through logically to arrive at the solution for your specific situation.

If the OP isn't able to do that with computers, there's no shame in that, but he/she probably will want to consider an alternate profession because this is one of those things you just cannot teach and it will be a constant hindrance to them their entire career.

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Punish someone by shunning them for seeking knowledge?
Jul 26, 2014 12:47PM PDT

How do you propose he discover such knowledge? Books only? Websites only? Not seeking advice from others? It's not like someone saying "I have these Algebra problems, could you do them for me". Personally, I think it shows initiative on his part and I've often wondered why some feel they should dump on the kiddies hwo are on the internet looking for such knowledge. Anyway, he still has to research and confirm the information he was given with more than one source, and especially if he has to footnote where he got the information in some report for school.

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Bob already pointed them in the right direction
Jul 26, 2014 11:52PM PDT

Bob already pointed them in the right direction without basically spelling it out for them, which apparently wasn't enough for the OP, hence my suggestion that maybe he/she will want to consider a degree change if a relatively simple question is tripping them up. It was clearly more than enough for you to find the information, so everything the OP needed was right there in front of them.

As I said, it's not about knowing everything immediately off the top of your head, but knowing how to find the information. Nothing wrong with a general hint to get you started, after all that's essentially what you're doing when you take a similar solution and adapt it to a different set of circumstances. There's a big difference between that, however, and serving up the answer directly like you did. Especially in an academic setting where that kind of thing is generally considered cheating and all you're teaching the OP how to do is rely on others for the answers to everything. It sounds harsh, but maybe they should fail this exam and/or class because they do not seem to have a firm grasp on the material.

There's no shame in that as far as I'm concerned. They don't just have flunk out classes in colleges out of some kind of sadistic desire to see people fail, they are there to try and force people to reevaluate whether or not this is the right degree for them. If someone is struggling with the relatively simple aspects that will form the foundation of knowledge you need going forward, are you really doing this person any favors giving them the answer? Would you bet your life on crossing a bridge designed by a civil engineer who only passed the math classes by getting the answers from someone else? Or how about be operated on by a surgeon who can't remember the different parts of the circulatory system? Granted computers are rarely a life or death proposition, but the principle stands.

Plus, there's the economics of a degree. Degrees only mean something if there's a level of scarcity in who can obtain them. If every Tom, **** and Harry can get a PhD in Nuclear Physics, whether or not they even know what an atom is, how doesn't the value of that degree go to zero? If you've got to hire someone and have 500 applicants, do you have the time or inclination to try and weed out the ones who actually might know what you need from the ones who don't know jack? No, you're just going to toss every application from someone who graduated from that college in the trash and look for a school that only gives out degrees to people who have earned them. Up until the Ivy League schools started letting rich alumni buy admission, grades, and basically whole degrees, the reason those degrees held so much prestige is because those schools were extremely selective in everything from admissions to graduation. If you made it all the way through to get a degree from Harvard or Yale, that meant you were among the best of the best. Now of course it's just a good-old-boys crony institution designed to prop up the nepotism common in large institutions and you see the associated erosion of the prestige that goes with having a degree from those schools. So you have other institutions across the country, or world even, which are known for a particular program. Usually they're known for pumping out quality graduates because it's difficult to get in, the work load is grueling, and there is a high attrition rate among those who do get in.

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Answer
Did you google that?
Jul 24, 2014 1:54AM PDT

And did you think about how the first sectors may be for boot information such as where the partition table and more is?

Remember what you asked is on the web. The goal of most classes is to to get you to do research and not just ask others. Sometimes a new student gets upset on that!
Bob

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yeah i googled it
Jul 24, 2014 10:58AM PDT

yeah i googled it and i really didn't find the close answer or something similar to what iam looking for even in forums

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And even when I gave the answer.
Jul 24, 2014 11:13AM PDT

Wasn't that enough? And again, the information is on the web but it may take a long time for folk to learn enough to understand it all. My answer is the short version.
Bob

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Then time to ask the professor
Jul 24, 2014 11:58AM PDT

Then time to ask the professor or a TA for some help. That's what they're there for.

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(NT) maybe you should talk to his professor
Jul 26, 2014 12:50PM PDT
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I would love to do that.
Jul 27, 2014 2:32AM PDT

But my bet is if they didn't figure it out here, the Prof is aware they may need a change in major or more counsel.

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It's not like
Jul 27, 2014 4:28AM PDT

,,,,I let him in on the big secret of progression by 2's. Wink

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Answer
Did you research ...
Jul 24, 2014 10:58PM PDT

what sector 0 through 62 are used for?

Kees