Why is the OS drive called C?

The naming convention of drive letters in modern computers, starting from "C", stems from a historical aspect of computing. This practice can be traced back to the early days of personal computing, when Microsoft Windows was still in its infancy.

Initially, the Windows operating system was designed to integrate seamlessly with the prevalent Disk Operating System (DOS). DOS, being the predecessor of Windows, had already established certain conventions for managing storage devices.

In DOS, the drive letters "A" and "B" were specifically reserved for floppy disk drives. These were the primary removable storage media of the time, used for data transfer and backup purposes.

When Microsoft developed Windows, it chose to build upon the foundation laid by DOS. To ensure compatibility and ease of transition for users, Windows retained the drive letter assignments established in DOS.

Consequently, the first available drive letter for hard disk drives, which were the primary non-removable storage devices in personal computers at the time, became "C". This convention has persisted even as technology has advanced and newer storage solutions have emerged.