Msconfig question

[Noonmid27]

Hi guysI just had a quick question about the msconfig utility in windows xp........the question is the boot.ini tab......which file is associated with that and can i somehow edit this file to add lets say linux kernels that way i can use the XP bootloader? This is not really a big deal i would just like to get a better understanding of what i can do with this utility

[lewmur]

Hi guysI just had a quick question about the msconfig utility in windows xp........the question is the boot.ini tab......which file is associated with that and can i somehow edit this file to add lets say linux kernels that way i can use the XP bootloader? This is not really a big deal i would just like to get a better understanding of what i can do with this utility

The file is c:\boot.ini. It is a hidden system file but it can be edited. However, booting to Linux from it is not that simple. There are files that have to be added to c:\ in order to do that. It is easier to use a Linux bootloader.

[Scot]

Noonmid27:You need to change the folder viewing preferences to reveal the boot.ini file.Open your C:\ folder window, choose Tools > Folder Options. Click the View tab. Scroll down to "Hidden files and folders," click the radio button for "Show hidden files and folders. Next, uncheck:- Hide extensions for known file types- Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)Click OK.That will reveal your boot.ini file.-- Scot

[Ed_P]

And if you add GRLDR, from GRUB4DOS, to the C: drive root you can add an entry to BOOT.INI that will allow you to boot Linux and just about anything else.

[boot loader]timeout = 6default =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" /fastdetectC:\grldr="Start GRUB ldr"

The GRUB ldr has a menu system, MENU.LST, that you can then add entries to for Linux and even other copies of Windows.

Edited September 13, 2009 by Ed_P

[lewmur]

And if you add GRLDR, from GRUB4DOS, to the C: drive root you can add an entry to BOOT.INI that will allow you to boot Linux and just about anything else.The GRUB ldr has a menu system, MENU.LST, that you can then add entries to for Linux and even other copies of Windows.

Hmmm!!! How do you create the menu.lst file? As I said, you can "add files to c:\," but IMO,it is easier to use the Linux distro to install grub. GRUB4DOS does have the advantage of still being able to boot Win if you somehow lose your Linux distro. But if you know enough to set up GRUB4DOS, then restoring the MBR to boot Win should be child's play.

[Ed_P]

How do you create the menu.lst file?

Notepad works as does any text editor, the same thing used to edit the BOOT.INI file.

But if you know enough to set up GRUB4DOS, then restoring the MBR to boot Win should be child's play.

I wouldn't know, the only part of GRUB4DOS I'm suggesting the OP use is it's GRLDR file. The rest of the GRUB4DOS files don't even need to be extracted let alone installed.Here's a basic MENU.LST the OP can use with the modified BOOT.INI to experiment with.

# global options  foreground 000088  background cccccc#  splashimage=/boot/splash/glogo.xpm.gz# http://www.schultz-net.dk/grub.htmltimeout 12default 0fallback 1# menu entriestitle 01. BartPE on E:root (hd0,2)chainloader +1title 02. Windows XPchainloader (hd0)+1title 03. Rebootreboottitle 04. Change screen colorsforeground 006600background cccccctitle 05. Commandlinecommandline# Menu commands: http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/html_node/# end file menu.lst

Edited September 13, 2009 by Ed_P