- Preboot Sequence:
The NTLDR boot loader is loaded from the active boot
partition.
- Boot Sequence:
BOOT.INI is read by the NTLDR boot loader and NTLDR presents
a menu based on available operating systems and settings.
If you load an alternate operating system, NTLDR passes
control to BOOTSECT.DOS. If you decide to load Windows 2000,
NTLDR calls NTDETECT.COM which detects hardware settings.
NTLDR then passes control to \WINNT\NTOSKRNL.EXE which is
the Windows 2000 kernel.
- Kernel Load Sequence:
NTOSKRNL.EXE loads the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) and
detects computer control settings such as disk drives and
filesystems.
- Kernel Initialization Sequence:
The kernel reads in the registry settings for
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/HARDWARE". The next phase is
the clone control set.
- The Logon Sequence:
The "Logon to Windows" dialog box is presented. The user
logs into Windows 2000 and the registry is read from
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services"
which has the instructions to load the remaining services.
Windows XP and the Windows Server 2003 BOOT.INI Available Switches
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833721
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833721 (local cache)
Windows 2000 BOOT.INI Syntax:
The BOOT.INI file begins with the boot loader configuration data which
controls NTLDR. The declaration is "[boot loader]". The available options
are the time until the system 'timeout' which at that point NTLDR loads the
operating system on the 'default' partition.
The BOOT.INI file then has an configuration area which specifies the
operating system information. The declaration for this area is as follows:
"[operating systems]". This area begins with the partition information
followed by the textual description of the operating system on that
partition. The textual description can be edited to anything and will be
used to display the menu presented by NTLDR during the "Boot Sequence" of
the boot process.
The following is an example. The system will timeout in 30 seconds at which
point it will look on the C:\ parition and load the OS on that partition
(Windows 98 SE).
;BOOT.INI
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=c:\
[operating systems]
c:\="Microsoft Windows 98 SE"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Server" /fastdetect
c:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console" /cmdcons
The syntax of the partition that begins with "multi(0)disk(0).." is known as
the RISC syntax. It is used for multiple hardare platforms. A description of
its meaning follows:
- multi(w) or scsi(w):
Specifies the computer's disk control type. The multi() is
used for IDE systems and scsi() is used to specify a SCSI
disk controler.
- disk(x):
Specifies the SCSI adapter you are booting from. If you are
using an IDE disk controller and used multi(0), you will
always use disk(0) or "0" for this setting.
- rdisk(y):
Specifies the physical disk: SCSI ID number or if IDE it will
be the master disk '0' or the slave '1'.
- partition(z):
Specifies the partition on the physical disk in which the
operating system resides.
RISC Syntax:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Server"
The previous line is interpreted as: The computer uses and IDE controller,
not SCSI "multi(0)" and therefore will not have multiple SCSI adapters
"disk(0). The partition is located on the first drive or master drive on the
IDE disk controller "rdisk(0)". The specific partition on the master drive
is the second "partition(2)".
BOOT.INI Switches:
The following switches are used with Windows 2000 operating systems only.
/fastdetect=comN
Keeps the system from detecting a serial port mouse. If you
do not have a serial port mouse, leave off the "=comN". If
you do, the N should specify the port is is located on.
/maxmem:N
Specifies the maximum amount of RAM Windows 2000 should
recognize. In other words, if you have 64Mb of RAM and use
32 as N, Windows 2000 will think you only have 32Mb of
physical RAM installed on your computer. This setting is
useful in a test lab for simulated deployment and testing
configurations before actually doing so.
/noguiboot
This will prevent Windows 2000 from loading the GUI or
Graphical User Interface. Windows 2000 will stop at a
commmand prompt.