Windows 10 Boot Ini Location
Oct 16, 2020 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions
What's the Boot.ini file?
Boot.ini is a Windows NT/2000/XP/Server 2003 hidden text file that contains information needed to build the boot loader menu. It's usually located in the root of C drive. It usually offers users the option to choose a system to access when they have installed multiple operating systems on the computer.
Rebuild the systems boot.ini file with Windows OS CD
Prior to Windows Vista, BIOS-based computers running Windows store boot options in a Boot.ini text file. You can edit Boot.ini using Bootcfg (bootcfg.exe), a tool included in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, or using a text editor such as Notepad. Bootcfg is documented in Windows Help and Support. The file boot.ini file is a hidden system file located in the root directory of your primary hard drive. To edit this file, follow the steps below. From Windows, open an MS-DOS prompt by clicking 'Start' and then 'Run' and typing 'cmd' in the text box.
1. Insert the Windows 2000/XP/2003 CD-ROM.
2. Restart your computer.
3. When prompted to 'Press any key to boot from CD', press the 'Space' bar.
4. At the 'Welcome to Setup' message, press 'R' to start the 'Recovery Console'.
5. Then you need to Select Operation System you're going to use. If you multi-boot this computer, select the installation of Windows XP that failed to start.
6. When password requirement is prompted on the screen, please type the administrator password and press 'Enter'.
7. When the command prompt opens, type bootcfg/list, and press 'Enter' to display the entries in the boot.ini file.
8. Type bootcfg/rebuild and press 'Enter' to scan your hard drives for Windows NT-based installations.
Follow the on-screen instructions to add installations to the boot.ini file.
9, When all available options are done, you can be back to reboot the computer. The boot.isi issue is fixed then.
Here is a general example of an entry in BOOT.INI: multi(X)disk(Y)rdisk(Z)partition(W) Windows directory=' This article will explain how the value of W, as shown in the first example above, is determined. For information on the other parameters, please see the link at the bottom of the article. But, I am going to change the CS.ini and create a new TS and leave my BS.ini alone according to part 10 of the article. For this step he doesn’t mention having to update the share after these changes are made. All he says is to put in the bootable media and start up the PC. So by this, I assume that only the BS.ini is on the USB. As per your query, I like to inform you that; boot.ini files was available in the earlier versions of Windows, boot.ini was a system file that contained information about the Windows operating systems installed on a computer. On Windows 10 the boot.ini file has been replaced with Boot Configuration Data (BCD).
Note: If you don't have a Windows OS CD, this solution might not work for you.
Part 1Fix Boot.ini on Working Computer
Check reasons for Boot.ini missing issue
Win 10 Boot.ini Location
If you received the error message saying that 'Cannot find the C:oot.ini file' or 'Invalid Boot.ini, loading from C: Windows', there would be errors caused due to the corrupted or missing Boot.ini file. /lecture-tutorials-for-introductory-astronomy-3rd-edition-download.html. You can check it as below:
1. Type 'Msconfig' in 'Start', and run it. If the Boot.ini file is missing, there will be no Boot.ini tab displayed in the 'System Configuration Utility' panel as the image below.
2. You also can verify it by typing 'C:Boot.ini' in 'Start', run dialog. If you get a message of 'Access Denied' or similar error messages, that explains the problem.
Fix the Boot.ini missing problem
If the system file is installed in the root of C drive, you still can start your computer with the Boot.ini missing, while it's not in C drive, you can't do it. Actually, as single system users, the system file is always installed in the root of C drive. Then how to fix this Boot.ini file missing problem? Here's the solution for you.
1. Right-click on My Computer -> Properties -> Advanced -> Startup and Recovery, click Settings.
2. Click 'Edit' in the red area in the picture below.
3. Then your boot.ini file will be open, but if there isn't one, you can click 'OK' to create a new one.
4. Now copy and paste the following code in it.
[boot loader]
timeout=30
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
timeout=30
When the boot menu is started and users didn't do any operation in 30 seconds, then it will access the default system automatically. 30 seconds is the default time, if you only have one system, you can set it as 0. Or set other time you think it's OK if you have multiple systems.
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS
This is the default system.
partition(1)WINDOWS
Windows 10 Boot Ini Locations
This part is always the one we edit. Partition (1) means the first partition, usually the C drive, and WINDOWS is the system folder. If you want to set XP in the D drive as your default system, you should edit it as partition(2)WINDOWS. multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS='Microsoft Windows XP Professional'/fastdetect This part is the same as the 'default' part, and Microsoft Windows XP Professional is the name of the system.
/fastdetect: lots of websites recommend to edit as 'nodetect'.
5. Click 'Save' and exit.
6. A new file boot.ini will be created in the C drive on your computer, now we need to give it system attributes.
7. Open command prompt (click 'Start' on your computer, and type 'cmd' in the run box).
8. Then type the following command
9. You've solved the problem now.
Part 2Recover Lost Data Caused by Boot.ini Missing
With wrong operations to fix Boot.ini Missing will result in the damaged hard drive or formatted hard drive, and can not inaccessible data or data lost from the hard drive. Under these circumstances, you will need a lost data recovery software to recover data from the hard drive. Moreover, you can also use it to recover the missing NTFS.sys file.
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Windows 10 Boot Ini Location
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