Windows XP environment changes Boot.ini file

In Windows Server 2003, you can quickly and easily find the Boot.ini file to verify or edit your Microsoft Windows boot configuration and change the advanced RISC calculation (ARC) path as needed. In addition, you can add a switch to the Boot.ini file.

To view and edit the Boot.ini file, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click control panel".

2. In the Control Panel, double-click System.

3. Click the Advanced tab and then click Settings under Startup and Recovery.

4. Under "System Startup", click "Edit".

Note: In a multi-boot operating system configuration, start by selecting the default operating system by clicking on the desired operating system in the Default Operating System list.

The following list illustrates the typical situation in which the user must manually update the ARC path in the Boot.ini file after the configuration changes are stored.

1. If you add a new controller with BIOS disabled, you may have to check and manually correct the ARC path in the Boot.ini file.

Note: This additional controller may also affect the controller portion of the ARC path.

2. Whenever a disk is added or removed from a computer, it may cause a situation where the ARC path must be updated.

3. Although the operating system may sometimes update the Boot.ini file, you must still manually update the ARC path. Whether you must manually update the ARC path depends on the extent and nature of the changes to the Boot.ini file.

If this change to the ARC path causes problems when starting your computer, follow these steps:

1. Start the Recovery Console and run the map ARC command. From the results of the map ARC command, you can determine the correct ARC path.

2. Create a new Boot.ini file on another computer.

Copy the new Boot.ini file. Use one of the following methods:

1) Copy the new Boot.ini file to a floppy disk and use the Recovery Console to copy the new Boot.ini file to your system.

2) Copy the new Boot.ini file to the NT boot floppy. If you need the following files, copy them to the same floppy disk: Ntldr, Ntdetect.com, and the mass storage device driver renamed to Bootdd.sys.

3) You can also use the Recovery Console and the /bootcfg switch to fix ARC paths in Microsoft Windows XP or Microsoft Windows Server 2003.
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