This causes read errors if the computer tries to access the partition table.

So the data recorded on the drive isn't even recognizable as a normal partition table, even though it has one.

To create an image of the entire master boot record (including the partition table):

Some reports indicate that it affects the partition table in some way.

This significantly eased systems management because the user no longer had to set up their own partition tables.

The master boot record is the first sector of the hard drive, which contains a partition table.

And as we have said before, the partition table is a relatively small little bit at the end of the 512-byte master boot record sector.

The master boot record is a little program that runs which itself reads the partition table.

It also includes the total number of partitions in that partition table.

Testdisk now writes the old partition table on your new array.