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

[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

 

[Guest]

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!

 

[Marcin Domaslawski]

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

 

[Ron Sommer]

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
: