Share via


Bootrec vs Bootsect

Question

Friday, June 7, 2019 11:30 PM

whats the difference between Bootrec  /fixmbr and Bootrec /fixboot   versus   bootsect /nt60 sys

Bootsect : Bootsect.exe updates the master boot code for hard disk partitions to switch between Bootmgr and NT Loader (NTLDR). You can use this tool to restore the boot sector on your computer. 

Bootrec /Fixboot : The fixboot command is a Recovery  environment command that writes a new partition boot sector(PBS)(aka Volume Boot Record)to the system partition that you specify

Bootrec /fixmbr Use the FixMbr option when you need to repair Master Boot Record(MBR)corruption problems, or when you need to clean the code from the MBR. This command will not overwrite the existing partition table in the hard drive.

https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-a-master-boot-record-mbr-2625936

Is Bootrec and Bootsect basically doing the same thing? The only difference being that Bootrec is only available in the Recovery environment?

TIA

All replies (1)

Monday, June 10, 2019 2:28 AM âś…Answered

Hi, 

Both Bootrec and Bootsect run in Windows Recovery environment,  but for Bootsect which provide a switch between Bootmgr and NTLDR through providing parameter nt60 sys and nt52 sys. When we turn on computer, the BIOS picks an bootable hard drive and then calls code stored in the MBR at the start of that hard drive. That MBR code in turn loads the bootsector from the active partition. Also we could use Bootsect /mbr to updates the MBR without changing the partition table on sector 0 of the disk.

Bootrec is used to update the MBR, partition bootsector code, and the BCD (boot configuration data). So on update MBR field, Bootsect and Bootrec seems have similar action that is to update the boot sector code of the partition used to boot the system with the code that loads and runs the Bootmgr bootloader. So they should intersect but not the same.

Bests, 

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
If you have feedback for TechNet Subscriber Support, contact [email protected].