How to Hide Boot.ini Entries from Displaying Multiple Installs

 Last reviewed: November 24, 1997
Article ID: Q160899
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0

SUMMARY

You can hide additional installations of Windows NT from showing up in the boot menu, but still gain access when you need to.

MORE INFORMATION

To Hide menu items from the Boot.ini so they will not be accessible, perform the following steps:

  1. Remove the read-only attribute from the Boot.ini file.

  2. Use an editor to edit the Boot.ini file.

  3. Place the following entry above the lines you want hidden:

    [any text]. This will hide all entries below the [any text] heading.

  4. To restore the entry and make it accessible again, remove the [any text] line.

  5. Save the file and reapply the read-only attribute.

  6. Restart your computer.

For example, the 3 bottom entries below will not be displayed or accessible the next time the system is restarted. Simply remove [any text] to gain access to this installation.

[boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\NT351SVR [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\NT351SVR="NT Server 3.51" multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\NT351SVR="NT Server 3.51 [VGA mode]" /basevideo /sos [any text] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT35="NT Wks 3.51" multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT35="NT Wks 3.51 [VGA mode]" /basevideo /sos] C:\="MS-DOS"

Another method for hiding the entries but have access to them at another time is to create a Windows NT boot disk. To do this, perform the following steps:

  1. Format a floppy disk in Windows NT.

  2. Copy ntldr, Ntdetect.com, and the Boot.ini file to the root of the floppy disk.

  3. Edit the Boot.ini file and remove the items that you want to hide.

  4. Boot the system with this disk.

This method works well but requires 2 Boot.ini files. One on the system and one on a floppy disk.

Note: Upgrading the operating system or adding service packs may remove the changes made to the Boot.ini file. 

Keywords          : ntboot NTSrvWkst kbenv
Version           : WinNT:3.1,3.5,3.51,4.0
Platform          : winnt
Issue type        : kbinfo

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Last reviewed: November 24, 1997
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