DOCUMENT:Q155356 03-MAR-2002 [winnt] TITLE :Cannot Save Changes to Bootsector using Dskprobe PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER::4.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbtool ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 - Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= When you use the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit application Dskprobe to edit a boot sector, the changes are not saved or written to disk if the currently loaded sector is not a recognized boot sector. MORE INFORMATION ================ Dskprobe performs a string compare on the OEM String field to determine if the data in the sector buffer is a boot sector. This is an eight-character field that begins at offset 0x03 in the boot sector. Only the first four characters are compared, and the comparison is case sensitive. Dskrobe recognizes the following values: Value Description --------------------- MSDOS FAT formatted under MS-DOS or Windows NT 3.X on X86 platforms. MSWIN FAT formatted under Windows 95. WINNT FAT formatted under Windows NT 3.X or 4.0 on RISC platforms. NTFS NTFS formatted under Windows NT 3.X or 4.0 on any platform. If the OEM String field is invalid, it is still possible to edit Bootsector field values in a Bootsector view by changing the value in the OEM String field to match an accepted value. Use the following procedure to change the OEM String to allow editing fields in either Windows NT File System (NTFS) or File Allocation Table (FAT) Bootsector View: 1. Read the sector into memory. Be sure only a single sector is loaded into memory. 2. On the View menu, click the appropriate boot sector view. 3. Edit the OEM String field so that the first four characters match one of of the expected values. Remember that FAT Bootsector View will not accept "NTFS" and NTFS Bootsector View will not accept any of the FAT values. 4. On the View menu, click Byte View. 5. On the Sectors menu, click Write. Be sure the handle, starting sector, and number of sectors are correct, and then write the change to disk. 6. On the Sectors menu, click Read. Read the current sector into memory. 7. Switch to the appropriate boot sector view and edit the desired field. Changes will now be saved correctly. Additional query words: prodnt Reskit DiskProbe ====================================================================== Keywords : kbtool Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 Version : :4.0 Issue type : kbhowto ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2002.