BOOT.INI -- What language does it use? How to use it?

[MrDoomMaster]

Hey guys, I have become recently interested in learning how to program the BOOT.INI file so that I can configure my computer to prompt for an operating system selection, or just skip the selection and load a default operating system.

I have two partitions, one contains Windows XP Pro, the other contains Windows 2003. Right now, I hardly ever use Windows 2003, only on special occassions. I want to be able to "comment out" the line in my BOOT.INI file that allows selection of the Windows 2003 operating system, that way only my windows XP operating system is listed in my BOOT.INI file, so that it can load automatically without a selection screen.

I appreciate any information anyone can give me. This includes direct information or links to useful sites that can address my needs. Thanks!

[Mick]

there is this wierd little thing called www.google.com and msdn.microsoft.com you should try it ;)

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prmc_str_masc.asp

course this link comes from the windbg help file,which links back to msdn ;) but you know...

[MrDoomMaster]

Yes I have used google, I ALWAYS use it before I waste space in the forums. I found nothing useful, but then again I have trouble thinking of useful keywords to search with.

[Mick]

Originally posted by MrDoomMaster
Yes I have used google, I ALWAYS use it before I waste space in the forums. I found nothing useful, but then again I have trouble thinking of useful keywords to search with.

there are a couple of sites that list boot.ini configuration, like www.sysinternals.com, but I'd stick to msdn since they are most likely to update their own documentation. My comment on google and msdn is just trying to save you time and get the info to you quicker...not a slam ;)

but usually the keywords that I find that work best are:

<what you are looking for> c++
<what you are looking for> msdn
<what you are looking for> c++ source

my search:

boot.ini msdn

but then I knew they were on www.sysinternals.com and other places already, so I already had an advantage :D

BTW: I prefer google over the msdn search engine..though if I can't find it via google <not likely> I slog it out on msdn...

[Sam Hobbs]

Originally posted by Mick
there is this wierd little thing called www.google.com and msdn.microsoft.com you should try it ;)For this the Microsoft TechNet (http://www.microsoft.com/TechNet) can help. In the resource kits for the various operating systems are many tools. I know there is at least one for the boot.ini file. So it is likely there are solutions that do not require any programming, except for writing a simple script.

Searching my local copy of XP help for boot.ini finds Bootcfg.