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Resolved Question

Changing the order of a dual boot sequence

by Aug 28, 2011 2:12PM PDT

I have a dual boot system, with a partition disk for my two win xp, one called Pro tools, and one called Normal. But I'd like to reverse the order the boots appears when I start the computer. As of now if I leave the 30 second go, it's my pro tools boot up that starts and is on top of the selection. What I would like is to have the Normal boot section on top and that this one gets selected after the 30 second delay.

Is there a way to do this?

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Echayer has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer
9 Posts
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Best Answer

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Easily done but Mark is a bit off ...
by Aug 29, 2011 6:56AM PDT

in what he told you to do.

one of the lines in the boot.ini file reads something like this:
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS

under the Operating systems heading you will see that same exact info on a line with additional text added to it. All you have to do is change the default to the other OS you desire the system to default to.

In the example below I have changed the boot.ini file to default to Windows 2000

ORIGINAL BOOT.INI FILE WITH DEFAULT OS AS WIN XP
The default and the OS line it is copied from are in bold text to help you see them

[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN2K="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\SafeMode="MS Win XP Pro Safe" /fastdetect /SAFEBOOT:NETWORK
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console" /cmdcons

BOOT.INI FILE WITH DEFAULT OS altered to Windows 2000
The new default and the OS line it is copied from are in bold text to help you see them

[boot loader]
timeout=10
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN2K
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN2K="Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\SafeMode="MS Win XP Pro Safe" /fastdetect /SAFEBOOT:NETWORK
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Recovery Console" /cmdcons

This link will give you an education on the boot.ini file:
http://vlaurie.com/computers2/Articles/bootini.htm

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I accept that,
by MarkFlax Forum moderator Aug 29, 2011 8:16PM PDT

but in your example above with WIN2K as default, should there be a default= before the default line? eg;

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN2K

Just wondering.

Mark

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Yes it should Mark
by Edward ODaniel Aug 30, 2011 9:30AM PDT

The full line should read default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WIN2K as you noted.

I don't proofread as I know I should which is why I also provided the link so the OP could follow along despite my possible (in this case obvious) errors.

Thanks for pointing it out!

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(NT) No problem, and thanks again.
by MarkFlax Forum moderator Aug 30, 2011 9:20PM PDT
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Thanks
by Echayer Aug 30, 2011 2:17AM PDT

The little link you gave me sent me straight to a little app in msconfig that I didn't know about and made the editing a breeze. I was doing it right, but it wouldn't hold for some reason when I was editing the boot.ini files in notepad. I redid the same within the msconfig and it worked.

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That's great
by MarkFlax Forum moderator Aug 30, 2011 9:21PM PDT

Glad you got it sorted with Edward's help, and thanks for reporting back.

Mark

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Answer
Boot.ini
by Forum moderator Aug 28, 2011 8:27PM PDT

Try amending the Boot.ini file.

It should have two lines for the two bootable OSes. Reverse the order and that should do it.

I also see that, (at least in Vista and Win 7), in "System" from the Control Panel, Advanced tab then "Startup & recovery" Settings button, there is the option to change the default OS and also change the default time to boot.

That might be a better way.

It is always a little risky to change these settings so you do so at your own risk. Make sure you have a recovery plan if things go wrong.

Mark

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not working
by Echayer Aug 29, 2011 5:17AM PDT

I have tried to reverse the order in the boot.ini. There were also some numbers in between () that I changed after when I saw it didn't work. But neither of the two actually worked.

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You want to be careful altering ...
by Edward ODaniel Aug 30, 2011 9:34AM PDT

" some numbers in between () " because thos numbers refer to the specific disk and partition on the disk.

Here is a handy link that explains the ARC path naming conventions. Since NT was developed initially as a business Operating System and many business machines were RISK based using an ARC path in the boot initiation file made good sense.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/102873

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