Newsgroups: comp.os.ms-windows.nt.admin.networking
Date: 1998/03/09

>Could someone please explain the way to decypher the boot.ini file.
>I have tried looking in FAQ's and did a dejanews search, but didn't
>find quite enough information.  How do I read the ARC pathway and its
>variations.
>multi/scsi (x)disk(y)rdisk(z)partition(a)

>[boot loader]
>timeout=3
>default=C:\
>[operating systems]
>C:\="Microsoft Windows"
>multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows NT Server Version 4.00"

multi=HD Adapter with BIOS (either ATAPI/EIDE or SCSI) or scsi=SCSI Adapter w/o BIOS

disk(0) From Identifies the SCSI Disk to Boot From (Ignored if Multi)

rdisk(0) Identifies the HD to Boot from

Partiton(1) Identifies the Boot Partition on the selected Drive where the boot files reside.

\WINNT Identifies the SystemRoot Directory

You also dual-boot Win95 and it is your default boot (the one that starts if you let the boot loader time-out).

Your setup uses a Multi Adapter, The boot drive is Drive 0 / Partition 1 and your System Files are in \WINNT

Here is my Boot.INI for comparison [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows NT Workstation Version 4.00" multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows NT Workstation Version 4.00 [VGA mode]" /basevideo /sos C:\="Microsoft Windows"

My system has a SCSI Adapter with BIOS, hence the multi callout, there is only one multi-adapter so it is by default multi(0). my D:\ drive is the second physical drive on the SCSI chain (address 81h) so it is rdisk(1) The system files are on the first partition on this drive, hence partition(1) And the SystemRoot directory is \WINNT

I dual-boot with Win95 but it is not the default boot-up and Win95 is on my C:\ drive (Drive address 80h)

I hope this helps your understanding of ARC Paths; they fully specify where things are.

Carl Cox