cmd for boot manager

[Crios]

Hi

I want to know if it's possible to write a cmd file (or modify boot.ini or
other file) that acts as a boot manager.
System layout is as follows: 2 pairs of master HDDs + slave CDs on two
separate cables.
Each HDD has it's own Win XP SP2.

Thanx

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi

I want to know if it's possible to write a cmd file (or modify boot.ini or
other file) that acts as a boot manager.
System layout is as follows: 2 pairs of master HDDs + slave CDs on two
separate cables.
Each HDD has it's own Win XP SP2.

Thanx

Yes, it's possible, and many people have done it already. Check Google for
"Boot Manager".

 

[Crios]

Thanks for reply.
I was asking about a CMD FILE, not a 3rd party software.

What's Google?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Thanks for reply.
I was asking about a CMD FILE, not a 3rd party software.

No, there is no tool built into Windows to perform as a boot manager.

What's Google?

Are you serious?

 

[BillW50]

In Pegasus (MVP) typed on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:11:15 +0100:

No, there is no tool built into Windows to perform as a boot manager.

I disagree (sort of). As the "Windows XP Recovery Console" has a
command:

bootcfg /rebuild

That will add all Windows installations to the boot.ini file.

Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

--
Bill
2 Gateway MX6124 - Windows XP SP2
3 Asus EEE PC 701G4 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
2 Asus EEE PC 702G8 ~ 1GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
Windows XP SP2 ~ Xandros Linux - Puppy - Ubuntu

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

In Pegasus (MVP) typed on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:11:15 +0100:

I disagree (sort of). As the "Windows XP Recovery Console" has a command:

bootcfg /rebuild

That will add all Windows installations to the boot.ini file.

Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

Agreed, but bootcfg is a boot environment repair command. I would not in my
wildest dreams call it a "Boot Manager". On the other hand the "bootcfg"
tool might be exactly what the OP is after - who knows?

 

[John John (MVP)]

In Pegasus (MVP) typed on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:11:15 +0100:



I disagree (sort of). As the "Windows XP Recovery Console" has a
command:

bootcfg /rebuild

That will add all Windows installations to the boot.ini file.

Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

He want's a CMD file to act as a boot manager, that is absolutely
impossible to do, he will have to rely on ntldr or he will have to use a
third party boot manager.

John

 

[BillW50]

In John John (MVP) typed on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:03:02 -0400:

He want's a CMD file to act as a boot manager, that is absolutely
impossible to do, he will have to rely on ntldr or he will have to
use a third party boot manager.

John

bootcfg is a CMD. And you use it just once to rebuild the boot.ini and add
all of the Windows installations on the computer. Now all of them are listed
in the boot menu. No need for bootcfg anymore unless things change.

--
Bill
2 Gateway MX6124 - Windows XP SP2
3 Asus EEE PC 701G4 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
2 Asus EEE PC 702G8 ~ 1GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
Windows XP SP2 ~ Xandros Linux - Puppy - Ubuntu

 

[John John (MVP)]

In John John (MVP) typed on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:03:02 -0400:



bootcfg is a CMD. And you use it just once to rebuild the boot.ini and add
all of the Windows installations on the computer. Now all of them are listed
in the boot menu. No need for bootcfg anymore unless things change.

No one disputes that, but bootcfg is not a boot manager!

John

 

[BillW50]

In John John (MVP) typed on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:12:13 -0400:

No one disputes that, but bootcfg is not a boot manager!

John

What do you mean? bootcfg configures the Windows Boot Manager. This is what
Crios (the OP) asked for.

--
Bill
2 Gateway MX6124 - Windows XP SP2
3 Asus EEE PC 701G4 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
2 Asus EEE PC 702G8 ~ 1GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
Windows XP SP2 ~ Xandros Linux - Puppy - Ubuntu

 

[Crios]

This is quite a debate !
All I want is to have at boot the possibility to choose between 2 installed
XP (2 HDDs, each with it's own separate XP) - without 3rd party software.
If bootcfg /rebuild does that by modifying boot.ini, that's fine with me.
I just wonder now how boot.ini would look like.

Thank you all for interest.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

When you install a second version of Windows then it will modify boot.ini
automatically so that you get a choice at boot time of the two OSs, courtesy
of the native Windows boot manager. Don't you get this choice? If not, how
did you install the second version of Windows?

It would help if you posted your current version of boot.ini.

 

[dadiOH]

This is quite a debate !
All I want is to have at boot the possibility to choose between 2
installed XP (2 HDDs, each with it's own separate XP) - without 3rd
party software. If bootcfg /rebuild does that by modifying boot.ini,
that's fine with me. I just wonder now how boot.ini would look like.

Here's mine...

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="XP Main" /fastdetect
/NoExecute=OptOut
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="XP Basic" =optin /fastdetect
C:\="Windows 98"

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

[Crios]

My second HDD is on a rack and I don't use it every day (I use it for file
transfer, backup and computer resurrection after crash).
As I said, I installed the two XP OSs completely independent:
* 1st, on the main HDD, but without connecting the rack
* 2nd, on the rack HDD, with main HDD disabled from BIOS.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Since you installed the two OSs independently, each must run off drive C:.
There are two ways to achieve this:
a) You connect only one disk at a time.
b) You install a third-party boot manager.
The native Windows boot manager cannot be used in your case.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

There may be a third option: To disable one disk or the other via the BIOS
so that only one is visible at any one time.

 

[Jim Dell]

My second HDD is on a rack and I don't use it every day (I use it for file
transfer, backup and computer resurrection after crash).
As I said, I installed the two XP OSs completely independent:
* 1st, on the main HDD, but without connecting the rack
* 2nd, on the rack HDD, with main HDD disabled from BIOS.

Cios,
Look into Smart Boot Manager. You boot to a floppy or CD then select
where you actually want to boot from.

Jim

 

[John John (MVP)]

He can just put a line with a path to the second installation in the
boot.ini file, each installation will still maintain its assigned boot
volume drive letter.

John

 

[John John (MVP)]

Then do as BillW50 suggested or just manually add another line to the
boot.ini file and point it to the installation on the second disk. Your
boot.ini file probably looks like something this now:

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect

When you add a line to the second installation it would look like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=15
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP 2"
/noexecute=optin /fastdetect


Note the difference in the rdisk value. This assumes that Windows is
installed on the first partition on the disks.

John

 

[Anna]

Hi

I want to know if it's possible to write a cmd file (or modify boot.ini or
other file) that acts as a boot manager.
System layout is as follows: 2 pairs of master HDDs + slave CDs on two
separate cables.
Each HDD has it's own Win XP SP2.

Thanx

My second HDD is on a rack and I don't use it every day (I use it for file
transfer, backup and computer resurrection after crash).
As I said, I installed the two XP OSs completely independent:
* 1st, on the main HDD, but without connecting the rack
* 2nd, on the rack HDD, with main HDD disabled from BIOS.

Crios:
Not to make your life more complicated in view of the responses you've
already received, but let me suggest another option since one of your HDDs
is a removable drive in its mobile rack...

I'm going to assume that both of your HDDs are PATA-interface (not SATA)
drives, OK?

1. Connect the removable HDD as Primary Master.

2. Connect the internally-installed HDD as Secondary Master (or Primary
Slave if the system will boot to a drive connected as such - since some
motherboards will balk at booting from the Slave position). But connecting
that drive as Secondary Master would be more desirable as a general
proposition if it's practical for you to do so depending what other IDE
devices are connected in your system.

3. You check your BIOS priority order to ensure the first boot is to the
Primary Master HDD and the second device in the boot priority order will be
the HDD connected to the Secondary Master position (or possibly Primary
Slave - see above) .

4. Now whenever you want to boot to the OS on the removable HDD, you simply
turn the mobile rack's keylock to the ON position. Whenever you want to boot
to the OS on other internally-installed HDD, you turn the mobile rack's
keylock to the OFF position and/or simply physically disconnect the rack
from the system by a simple tug of the rack's handle.

So now there's no need to furthermore access the BIOS; no need for any "boot
manager"; no need to modify your boot.ini file.

You've hit upon one of the major advantages of using a removable HDD. We've
been encouraging users of desktop PCs to install those devices whenever it's
practical to do so, i.e., one or more 5 1/4" bays on the computer case are
available (vacant) in order to install the mobile rack. As a matter of fact
we prefer two removable HDDs whenever that's possible.
Anna