Question about boot.ini

[vivid_vibe]

Lately when I restart windows, after post, there is a black screen giving me two startup options:

"Microsoft Windows XP Professional (bootscreen)"

or

"Microsoft Windows XP Professional"

So I checked into the boot.ini file and found the following 2 entries where there used to be one:

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional (bootscreen)" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn /KERNEL=kernel1.exe

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

The first entry with the KERNEL switch looks kinda suspicious to me. Does anyone know if it is safe to remove that entry. If not what should I do? Any idea how it got there? I tested ubuntu the other day, maybe it added that entry. I only tested the live version though so maybe the boot.ini had already changed before that.



vivid

 

[sharob]

The kernel1.exe is a modified version (has your boot screen in it) of your NTOSKRNL.EXE.
When you get the option on boot up, try the second one "Microsoft Windows XP Professional", then you'll see what happens withoutthe KERNEL switch.
If your machine freaks out you can always restart without anyserious damage. If not you could keep it if you like - but Idon't think it's doing any damage.

 

[vivid_vibe]

When you get the option on boot up, try the second one "Microsoft Windows XP Professional", then you'll see what happens withoutthe KERNEL switch.

Well, I've tried both modes and they seem to be identical. I was just wondering which one to remove from boot.ini so that I am not faced with that selection screen everytime I reboot.

vivid

 

[sharob]

Make sure your default boot loader is the one you want, then change the "Time to display list of operating systems variable" in Startup and Recovery to 1 second. (If you leave "Time to display recovery options when needed" at 30 seconds you'll still have manual control if required.)
This will force the system to startup quickly.

 

[vivid_vibe]

Thanks alot. That sounds like the best thing to do. Not trying to beat a dead horse, but do you have any idea how the second boot option got on there? It wasn't there a few weeks ago.

vivid

 

[sharob]

The first option is probably the new one. The second one looks like the original.

 

[j79zlr]

That looks like what TGSoft's Style XP does, if you don't have some bootscreen changing program, I'd be a little worried.

 

[vivid_vibe]

I did recently install Style XP. I'm sure that's what it is. Thanks alot.

vivid

 

[Electronic Punk]

Yeah, kill the entire first option - provided you don't use kernel1

 

[vivid_vibe]

Thanks EP, I sure will. So, the kernel1 entry would be used if you changed to a different boot screen using Style XP? Just curious.

 

[Electronic Punk]

I guess so, definatly not there by default and has been a long time since I decided that maybe ms' own screen doesn't look too bad ;D