master boot record

  • Thread starter Thread starter vera levedi
  • Start date Start date
V

vera levedi

My anti virus program has detected a master boot record.
What is it? How can I fix it?
 
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.
 
The previous reply described what a master boot record is.

Let me add that by itself, a master boot record is not a problem to be
fixed. it is vital to the operation of your PC.

Unless your anti-virus software said that there was a virus in the MBR, do
not mess with it. In case of a virus, let the anti-virus software try to
fix it. Most major brands (i.e., Norton and MacAfee) will have a provision
for automatically doing a repair, or will provide additiona information, or
possible send you to their website for more help.
 
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