Root Metadata Structure #

Each storage device has its own firmware and metadata structures that it maintains internally, invisible to the operating system. This metadata structure also needs to be retrieved when the storage device starts. The internal metadata structures are retrieved using the same principals of booting a computer system. The root metadata structure maintained transparently by the storage device and its structure is dependent on the storage controller. The device-internal metadata structure should not be confused with the Master Boot Record (MBR) or GUID Partition Table (GPT) used by the operating system.

Master Boot Record (MBR) #

The MBR is a 512-byte block stored in LBA0, contains the bootloader. It is a system-level abstraction.

Partition Table Header #

The partition table header containing information about the usable logical blocks is stored at LBA1. In case of GUID Partition Table (GPT), a backup header is tired at the end of the disk (LBA -1). partition table is also a system-level abstraction.

Superblock #

Te superblock is a filesystem specific metadata in Linux that stores information about the file system and its organization. Multiple copies of the superblock are made for each partition and are stored at specific offsets in the partition. The first superblock is stored at the beginning of the partition.

Reference: Qiling