i f you are using windows based operatiing systems and have a single or multoperting system and want to customize the look up of the boot menu
to change the boot menu
open my computer and if you have windows installed on c:\ go to tools > folder options> view >scroll down to show all hidden files and folder and check it now
you should see all hidden files there would be a file named boot.ini in the c:\folder that's the
file that is responsible for showing boot menu at start up
by default it is not editible
right **** on it >properties > uncheck the read only box
you are done
now open the file in the notepad you should see something like this
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home
Edition" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional" /
fastdetect
there are two section
boot loader
operating system
boot loader
the first option in boot loader is timeout
the time out is the time that it will wait for you until it will load the default operating unless you make a choice you can adjust this time out to any
let's say to 15 ,10 or any even -1 for until you press a key the menu will not load
any os
default is used to specify the default operating system of your pc
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
this is called ARC (advanced risk computing ) path
the first parameter should be o i.e multi(0)
the second parameter should also be zero
the third parameter rdisk(0) is used for to specify boot partition if you have more
than one hard disk then can use 1 or 2 incase your second harddisk has boot partition you would use rdisk(1)
the last parameter is partition
this specify the partition no that has windows installed partition starts with number 1
now the final section is \windows specifies the path of the windows
example
if you want to set time out 10 and also want windows 98 or whatever windows as your default and the partition the windows in in you would use
[boat loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\windows
so now you have changed you default operating system
second section
[operating system]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP " /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Professional" /
fastdetect
this is the same as boot loader section "Microsoft Windows Xp" is the text that
will appear on your boot menu you can change this name to any thing you like
now the switch fastdetect
it 's used to disable detection of serial and parallel devices at start up thus results
in speedy boot
as these device are not required at start up and can than letter be detected by plug and play drive so you don't need them at start up
it will enhance your operating system loading
other switches that you can use are
/BASEVIDEO starts xp with standard vga mode
/BOOTLOG log information about the boot process c:\windows ntbtlogl.txt
/CRASHDEBUG loads the debuger inactive until a crash occur
/DEBUG loads debugger
MAXMEM:n Maximum memory that can be used by xp
/NOGUIBOOT does not allow xp splash screen at startup
/SAFEBOOT:switch to start xp in safemode with switches like network minimal etc
/SOS allows the name of each driver as it loads and it's details
SUMMARY
multi(0) specifies the disk controller
disk(0) specifies the disk
rdisk(0) specifies the disk no that has the boot partition
partition(1) the partition no that has windows installed
\ the path of the windows
/fastdetect the switch for further options
Note
always make a back up copy of your boot .ini file if you make a mistake in any
thing so that you can revert to your old boot.ini file
