Need Way to Bypass the boot options screen

[Chad Harris]

I'm on an XPPro SP2 box, but this is for someone else and I don't think SP
impacts this.
I need to know how as well. This does not connect to User Accounts or the
Welcome Screen and any type logins unless I'm corrected.

Often on an XP box, after the firmware screen, a black and white boot
options screen appears that has any OS that is a boot option, and if you
install the Recovery Console that is listed as well. You turn on the PC and
it will stop at that screen and there is usually a countdown that might be
optional. This used to appear on this PC, but something changed it. It
highlights the default boot and if you install Recov Console it's listed
under there.

I want to know if there is a *vb script*regedit or other setting that will
bypass that screen. Something happened to by pass it on mine. I want to
help someone else do it. The boots on that screen are probably reflected at
boot.ini. The other person has two XP boots and one works and one does not.
I thought about editing boot.ini manually and getting rid of the one that
does not, but they don't want to see the screen all together.

Can someone show me a way to bypass this "boot options" screen? Kelly has a
tweak but as is sometimes the case I can't context her title enough to know
if it's what I want for this. Her tweak is

#126 Left Show XP Boot Configuration(s) (VB SCript)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm 1I im2

I imagine that may do the trick and some other vbscript may unshow/undo
them as I want to do.
I can't find an undo on Kelly's list of tweaks.

I also don't know what her tweaks

#31 Left Windows XP Boot Performance and # 79 Right Speed Up Network Logon
Boot do and maybe someone could explain these for me.

TIA,

Chad Harris Configuration(s)

 

[Wesley Vogel]

You do not get the Boot Menu if there is only one Operating System
installed.

If you do get the Boot Menu, you can change the time it's displayed.

See ** Note at the bottom also.

Several ways to do this. Here's one.

Open System Properties...
Right click My Computer | Properties |
or
Windows key + Pause key
or
Start | Run | type: sysdm.cpl | Click OK

Advaced tab | Settings button under Startup and Recovery |
Make sure that Time to display operating systems is selected |
Set to a lower time | OK |Apply | OK

Time to display operating systems
[[Specifies how much time will elapse at startup before the default
operating system starts automatically. Type the number of seconds in the
list, or click the arrows to select the time.]]
-----

** Note: You may also want to do this...

Check All Boot Paths

Start | Run | Type: msconfig | OK |
Boot.ini tab | Check All Boot Paths button |
A dialog box will open detailing the location of any invalid operating
system locations | Confirm you want to remove the entry and reboot

[[Check All Boot Paths - This button will check the boot paths for all
operating systems listed in the BOOT.INI to ensure they point to a valid
operating system. ]]

Msconfig image
http://www.winnetmag.com/Files/16/20784/msconfig.gif

If there is only one you will get:
It appears that all BOOT.INI lines for Microsoft operating systems are OK.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Lil' Dave]

Not real sure what you're referring to. Had similar boot choice screen when
I made a modified hardware configuration, it removed access to the telco
modem, thus internet connection.

 

[David Candy]

If you only have 1 item it figures there is nothing to choose so there's no point asking someone to choose from a list of 1 item. Set the timeout to 0 if you have 2 or more items and don't want the screen. If you only have 1 item and want the screen just add another item (doesn't have to be a real one).

This is my c:\boot.ini. It has normal and two others (I need more that 1 item because I want the screen displayed) so I added Bootlog and Safe Mode to the main menu. I only want the screen displayed for 2 secs because I have never actually chosen safe mode and it's just in case. Pressing F8 is a stupid ifea.

The first line matching default is chosen. All lines match default here so my normal XP must be first in the list. I always add /sos which show driver names as XP boots - it loads too fast to read but if ever a driver hangs on boot least I will know which one.

[boot loader]
timeout=3
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /sos /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional Bootlog" /fastdetect /bootlog /sos /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional Safe Mode" /fastdetect /safeboot:minimal