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Thread: within XP pro - is Boot.ini still a physical file

  1. #1
    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
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    within XP pro - is Boot.ini still a physical file

    guys,

    I'm wondering if boot.ini is still a physical file within XP

    I appriciate you can edit it through the "my computeres" properties, but I'd like to check the options on an install I can't actually boot, but can read the disk of. I've search for files (including hidden) but no physical boot.ini file is found.

    Could someone a bit more experienced confirm if this is still a file, or if its stored in some other way such as the registry or some other format.
    It is Inevitable.....


  2. #2
    Senior Moment blueball's Avatar
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    It should be in the root of your boot drive. The file attributes will be set to Hidden so you may not see it unless you look with explorer and have set it to show hidden files.
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    Network|Geek kidzer's Avatar
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    Yes, it's there.

    Make sure hidden files are visible, and that the check box beside 'Hide protected operating system files' isn't ticket, then it will appear in the root of C:\

    Both options found in Tools -> Folder Options -> View
    "If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much room!"
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    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
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    I'll check again, I made a concious effort to check the hidden file option in the search feature, but I'll try enabling it in the explorer view also.

    Appriciate you confirming this, MS doc's suggested it was still a file but kept it a bit cloak and dagger.
    It is Inevitable.....


  5. #5
    Senior Moment blueball's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kidzer
    and that the check box beside 'Hide protected operating system files' isn't ticked
    Good point!
    Rgds,

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  6. #6
    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
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    and that was the problem option.

    excellent find. good call.

    thanks for that.
    Last edited by ikonia; 16-10-2005 at 01:44 PM.
    It is Inevitable.....


  7. #7
    Ex-MSFT Paul Adams's Avatar
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    FYI, you can edit/view BOOT.INI even if you don't have hidden & system files visible:

    Right-click My Computer
    Click Properties
    Go to Advanced tab
    Click Settings button in Startup and Recovery
    Click Edit

    It is kept well-hidden because it's easy to render your system unbootable if you don't know what you are doing
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    Network|Geek kidzer's Avatar
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    You can edit it yes, but can't save changes - it's Read Only by default, you have to see it in explorer to be able to change the Read Only attribute...I think.
    "If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much room!"
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  9. #9
    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
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    couldn't do that Paul, as the boot.ini I wanted to read was from a partition I couldn't boot
    hence why I wanted to find the file to see what options it was using.

    kidzer - ryan sharp fan huh.
    It is Inevitable.....


  10. #10
    Ex-MSFT Paul Adams's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kidzer
    You can edit it yes, but can't save changes - it's Read Only by default, you have to see it in explorer to be able to change the Read Only attribute...I think.
    You can edit it fine with the right privileges, just tested it.

    Quote Originally Posted by ikonia
    couldn't do that Paul, as the boot.ini I wanted to read was from a partition I couldn't boot
    hence why I wanted to find the file to see what options it was using.
    Ah, I see.
    I have the 1 BOOT.INI on C: which I can edit from either XP Pro (on C: ) or XP Pro x64 Edition (on D: ) - if I were to hook up another drive with an MBR then to edit the file I would of course need to show hidden/system files to tweak it manually.
    Last edited by Paul Adams; 16-10-2005 at 01:57 PM.
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  11. #11
    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
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    thats the same config I'm also looking at

    then I'll overwrite the MBR with grub, but I need to get my XP booting in order first
    It is Inevitable.....


  12. #12
    Network|Geek kidzer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ikonia
    kidzer - ryan sharp fan huh.

    Aye, the very same one from TT
    "If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much room!"
    - me, 2005

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