Bootice is a free portable program for Microsoft Windows devices to manipulate the Master Boot Record (MBR) or the Partition Boot Record (PBR) of hard disks.
While most Windows users probably never come in contact with boot records, there are situations where it is necessary to do so.
This may be the case if you want to create dual-boot environments, return from a multi-boot system to a single operating system, or address corruption or other issues that affect boot records.
It is always a good idea to backup the master boot record for instance, or create full system backups that protect you from running into situations where a PC may not boot at all anymore, or where hard drives may not be identified properly anymore.
Bootice
Bootice is a professional grade program for Windows that comes with a wide variety of features all related to boot records, boot menus and the like.
You may use the program for instance to backup and restore boot records of disks connected to the PC the program is run on. Bootice comes with tools to manage disk partitions, edit, backup or restore disk sectors, and to partition or format disks.
Note: It is recommended that you back up the PCs hard drives before you use Bootice as you need an option to restore the status quo if things go wrong.
The program interface divides its tools into tabs that you can switch between using the mouse.
Here is an overview of the program’s functionality:
- Backup or Restore the Master Boot Record, or partition records.
- Install a different MBR or PBR.
- Disk management: Format or partition disks, assign drive letters, activate or hide disks, change IDs.
- Backup or restore a hard drives partition table.
- Edit disk sectors.
- Run the operations on MBR or PBR of virtual disk images ( IMG, IMA, VHD, VHDX and VMDK supported).
- Create, attach, detach VHD.
- View and edit the BCD.
- Create new BCD.
- Edit the Grub4Dos Menu.
- Fill all disk sectors of a drive for security purposes.
- Manage UEFI boot management entries and auxiliary features.
As you can see form the list, this small 450 Kilobyte program is mighty powerful for its tiny size.
Closing Words
Bootice supports a wide range of hard disk related features. You may use it to backup and restore boot records, and even install new boot records. You can use it to create partitions, or backup and restore partition tables. It lets you edit the BCD, and run its boot record operations on virtual disk images as well.
Since it is so tiny and powerful, it is an ideal program to put on a troubleshoot tools collection Flash drive or disc.
Now You: Which programs do you use for hard disk related management tasks?
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