The "boot.ini" is a Microsoft initialization file found on the Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 2000, and Microsoft Windows XP operating systems. This file is always located on the root directory of the primary hard disk drive. In other words it is located at "C:\" directory or the "C Drive". This file is used by Microsoft Windows as a method of displaying a menu of operating systems currently on the computer and allowing the user to easily select which operating system to load. In addition this file is also used to point to the locations of each of the operating systems.
Basic example of the boot.ini file:
[boot loader]
timeout=5
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partitions(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
In the above example the boot.ini contains two sections, the "[boot loader]", and "[operating systems]". Within the boot loader section there are two lines. The "timeout" line is used for how long the boot menu time should be displayed in seconds, we recommend that the timeout be set to at least five if you wish the computer to boot faster and commonly use the default operating systems. The "default" line is the default operating system that the boot.ini will load. If multiple operating systems are in the boot.ini the default operating system will be automatically selected and used if the user does not specify a different operating system by the time the timeout value expires.
The next section, or the "operating system" section is used to list and specify the location of each of the operating systems installed on the computer. Below is a listing of each of the options.
Option |
Description |
multi(x) |
This option is used with IDE and ESDI drives and is also used with SCSI drives for computers using Windows NT. The number used in the above example is "0", this number is the adapters number and should always be "0" for computers that rely on the BIOS to load system files.
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scsi(x) |
If the computer has a SCSI controller and is not using BIOS to load the system files the boot.ini may have "scsi(x)" instead of "multi(x). |
disk(x) |
The disk on the controller. If "multi(x)" is used used this value will always be "0". However, if "scsi(x)" is defined this value will be SCSI address. |
rdisk(x) |
Which disk on the controller is being used. In the above example we are using an rdisk of "1", which indicates the second disk on the primary controller is being used. This value may be between "0" and "3" and is always set to "0" when "scsi(x)" is being used. |
paritions(x) |
Which partition the operating system is on. In the above example the operating system is on the first partition of the drive. |
\WINDOWS="..." |
Finally, the last portion of this line defines the directory of where windows is located and what the boot menu should display as the operating system. In the above example the boot menu would display "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" as a selection. |
Example of the boot menu:
If multiple operating systems are setup in the boot.ini, as the computer is booting you will see a menu similar to the below example. This allows the user to select between multiple operating systems. If your computer does not have multiple operating systems, however this menu still appears each time your computer boots, it is likely that your boot.ini is misconfigured.
Please select the operating system to start: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.
For troubleshooting and advanced startup options for Windows, press F8.
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How to modify the boot.ini:
The boot.ini file is a hidden system file located in the root directory of your primary hard disk drive. To edit this file we recommend you follow the below steps.