Booting to Secondary Installation When Boot.ini Is Set to Zero (164202)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
This article was previously published under Q164202

SYMPTOMS

When you start your computer, it may boot into a non-operating Windows NT installation before you have a chance to select another option. When this occurs, you cannot select another operating system that is working.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the timeout value in the Boot.ini file is set to zero.

RESOLUTION

Use any of the following methods to resolve the issue:

Using the ARROW Keys to Select an Option in the Boot Menu

Restart the computer and then press and hold down the DOWN ARROW key before the boot menu appears. This floods the keyboard buffer. The result is similar to pressing the DOWN ARROW key just before the timeout expires, allowing you to select an option on the Boot menu.

Editing the Boot.ini File

If the boot drive is formatted with the FAT file system, you can edit the timeout value in the Boot.ini file. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Boot using an MS-DOS floppy disk or a Windows 95 Startup disk containing the Edit.com and Attrib.exe files.
  2. At the A:> prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line:

    attrib -r -s -h c:\boot.ini
    edit c:\boot.ini

  3. Change the timeout value from 0 to the number of seconds you want the Boot menu to wait for you to make your selection (the default is 30 seconds).
  4. Save and then close the Boot.ini file.
  5. Remove the floppy disk and then restart the computer.

Select the Hardware Profile/Last Known Good Option

As Windows NT 4.0 boots, you can press the spacebar when the following message appears on the screen: 
   Press space bar NOW to invoke Hardware Profile/Last Known Good menu.

In Windows NT 3.51, this message reads: 
   Press spacebar NOW to invoke the Last Known Good menu.

In Windows NT 4.0, this will produce the Hardware Profile screen. At this point, you may press the F3 key and it will produce the NT Loader menu with no timeout to allow you to choose another operating system.

In Windows NT 3.51, pressing the spacebar will take you to the Last Known Good menu, where you may choose the option to Restart Computer. This will also take you to the NT Loader menu with no timeout.

Repairing the Startup Environment

NOTE: This method assumes you have more than one installation of Windows NT on the computer.

You can use your Windows NT Startup disks to repair the Boot.ini file and use the working Windows NT installation as the default. To do so, follow these steps:
  1. Boot using the Setup floppy disks included with the Windows NT version that is working.

    For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    ARTICLE-ID: 131735
    TITLE : How to Create Windows NT Boot Floppy Disks

  2. In the Windows NT Workstation Setup screen, choose R (for Repair).
  3. In the next screen, disable the Verify System Files and Inspect Registry Files options. This limits the repair process to the Inspect Startup Environment and Inspect Boot Sector options. Click Continue.
  4. When you are prompted to choose which installation to repair, select the working installation. This changes the default option in the Boot.ini file to use the working installation.
  5. Follow the instructions until the process is finished. After the computer restarts, select the default option from the Boot menu, or wait for the timeout to expire.
If you do not have an Emergency Repair disk, press ESC when you are prompted for one. The repair process will continue. When the process is finished, the installation you repaired will be the default item in the Boot menu.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/10/2001
Keywords:kbenv kbusage KB164202
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