Detecting which WinXP/partiton is booting (by default) / BOOT.INI setup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Marcus Mender
  • Start date Start date
M

Marcus Mender

I got a computer from a friend which has 2 WinXP installations: One on partition C:
and the other on partition D:

Both appear with a description
"Microsoft Windows XP Professional" in the bootup selection menu

Sorry for this newbie question, but how can I find out which XP installation is booted
when I select e.g. the first line in the boot menu ?

In BOOT.INI there are two lines:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

Is partition(2) ALWAYS partition D:
and
partition(1) ALWAYS partition C: ?

Marcus
 
You can check this through System Information after Windows is loaded. Click
Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - System Information. Here
the Windows Directory - System Directory name will be display, which shows
the name of booted Window's directory.

Hope this help, let us know!
 
Hi,

It's not necessarily but probably is how you think. Partition(1) simply is
first partition and partition(2) - the second partition on phisical drive.
How the drive letters are assigned to partitions You can check in Control
Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Storage -> Disk
Management

Marcin Domaslawski
 
The active partition is usually C.
In my case, the second partition is C.

Boot to partition 2 Windows.
Create a new folder on the desktop.
Name it part2.
Right click, Properties.
What is the location?

Boot to partition 1 Windows.
Create a new folder on the desktop.
Name it part1.
Right click, Properties.
What is the location?

It is possible that folders part1 and part2 will both show as being on
C:\Documents and Settings\*user name*\Desktop.
Does one show D:\Documents and Settings\*user name*\Desktop?
--
Ronald Sommer

:I got a computer from a friend which has 2 WinXP installations: One on
partition C:
: and the other on partition D:
:
: Both appear with a description
: "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" in the bootup selection menu
:
: Sorry for this newbie question, but how can I find out which XP
installation is booted
: when I select e.g. the first line in the boot menu ?
:
: In BOOT.INI there are two lines:
:
: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
:
: Is partition(2) ALWAYS partition D:
: and
: partition(1) ALWAYS partition C: ?
:
: Marcus
:
 
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