Windows NT Boots, but Looks for Wrong Boot Directory

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1

SUMMARY

Windows NT may boot successfully, but look for the wrong boot directory. One possible cause of this problem is installing over an earlier installation of Windows NT. The BOOT.INI file isn't correctly updated during the subsequent installation; certain releases marked the BOOT.INI read-only.

Another cause might be an unsupported partitioning scheme, such as a MOST partition. When Windows NT encounters an unknown partition type, the numbering of logical partitions may be off by one.

Installing Over a Prior Installation

If you are going to install over a previous installation, make sure that the BOOT.INI file is not read-only so that Setup can modify it.

NOTE: Windows NT is not an upgrade. Installing Windows NT over a previous installation will erase any customizations you have made.

If you inver a previous installation, make sure that the BOOT.INI file contains references to the correct directory (for example, C:\WINNT rather than C:\NT).

Installing With a Different Partitioning Scheme

If you have installed NT on a machine with a different partitioning scheme, try changing the boot partition specified in the BOOT.INI file.

Settings for GUI Installation

The GUI installation program creates a different BOOT.INI file, containing SCSI syntax. Before the SCSI syntax can be used, the appropriate miniport driver must be copied from C:\NT\SYSTEM\DRIVERS to C:\NTBOOTDD.SYS. (See below for a detailed explanation of the SCSI syntax and for descriptions of the miniport drivers.)

NOTE: The GUI installation program copies the driver and changes these settings automatically. When you change SCSI adapters, run the Windows NT Setup, choose Add/Remove SCSI Adapters from the Options menu, and add the new adapter. Do this BEFORE physically removing the old SCSI adapter or you won't be able to start Windows NT.

   [multiboot]
   timeout = 30
   default = scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\winnt

   [operating systems]
   scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\winnt = "Windows NT" /NODEBUG
   c:\ = "MS-DOS"

   scsi(w)disk(x)rdisk(y)partition(z)\winnt

• "w" is the SCSI controller number; numbering starts at 0 (only one SCSI controller number is supported at this time).
• "x" is the SCSI ID number, 0 to 7. Some controllers reserve IDs 0 and 1 for BIOS support for hard drives and ID 2 for a CD-ROM drive. This is not a requirement for Windows NT.
• "y" is the SCSI Logical Unit number (up to 255 units are supported).
• "z" is the partition (0 would specify the whole logical unit).

   Driver                 Controller
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   AHA154X                Adaptec 154x/164x
   AHA174X                Adaptec 174x
   SPARROW                Adaptec 151x/152x/AIC 6260/6360
   BUSLOGIC               BusLogic Family
   DPTSCSI                DPT 20xx
   FD16_700               Future Domain 16xx
   FD7000EX               Future Domain / Western Digital 7000EX
   FD8XX                  Future Domain 8xx
   NCR53C9X               NCR 53c9
   NCRC700                NCR c700
   NCRC710                NCR c710
   OLISCSI                Olivetti
   SPOCK                  IBM PS/2
   T128                   Trantor t128
   T13B                   Trantor t130b
   ULTRA14F               UltraStor 14f, 34f
   ULTRA24F               UltraStor 24f
   ULTRA124               UltraStor 124f
   WD33C93                Western Digital 33c93