Windows Advanced Options Boot Menu Missing at Startup (249000)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
This article was previously published under Q249000

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to start Windows 2000 in a dual-boot configuration, you may experience any of the following issues:
  • The prompt to press F8 to see the Windows Advanced Options menu may be missing.
  • The "Starting Windows" progress bar at the bottom of the screen and the Windows 2000 startup graphic may be missing, or may have been replaced by the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 OSLoader screen.
  • When you boot Windows 2000, you may be prompted by a Hardware Profile/Configuration Recovery menu to select a hardware profile, even though you are not using hardware profiles. If you select one, Windows 2000 does not boot.

CAUSE

This problem can occur if you are dual-booting Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 and you installed Windows NT 4.0 after you installed Windows 2000, or if you have reinstalled Windows NT 4.0.

This behavior occurs because Windows NT 4.0 is unaware of the additional startup features of Windows 2000 and replaces the shared Windows boot files (Ntldr and Ntdetect.com).

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue:
  1. Boot the computer so that you can gain access to the file system of the boot partition by using one of the following methods:
    • Choose another operating system from the Boot menu.
    • Boot from the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. At the Windows Setup screen, press R to repair the Windows installation. Then, press C to use Recovery Console.
    • Use a Windows NT 4.0 boot disk with the Windows 2000 boot files on it.
    • Use an MS-DOS boot disk if your boot partition is a basic disk and is formatted with the FAT file system.
  2. Copy the Ntldr and Ntdetect.com files from the I386 folder on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM to the root folder of your boot drive (usually drive C).
NOTE: If you are perform this file replacement from MS-DOS, you may need to remove the System, Read-Only, and Hidden attributes from the files by using the attrib command. For example, type the following lines at the command prompt in MS-DOS. Press ENTER after each line:

attrib ntdetect.com -r -s -h
attrib ntldr -r -s -h

This command may also be necessary from within Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Windows NT 4.0.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119467 Creating a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition

245808 Prompt for Choosing Hardware Profiles Even if Only One Exists

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/20/2003
Keywords:kbenv kbprb KB249000
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