ARC Path to Windows NT System Files Changes

 Last reviewed: April 10, 1997
Article ID: Q102877
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 and 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0

SUMMARY

When you are using Disk Administrator to create new partitions on a hard disk drive that has Windows NT on it, under certain circumstances, the Advanced RISC Computing (ARC) path to the Windows NT files changes. When this happens, a dialog box appears when you exit Disk Administrator warning that the BOOT.INI needs to be changed to reflect the new path. You need to edit the BOOT.INI file before choosing the OK button in the dialog box because the next option restarts the system.

MORE INFORMATION

This situation occurs only with a system that has a drive configuration similar to the following: 

    ---------------------------------
    |  c:   |   d:   |  free space  |
    ---------------------------------
where Windows NT is located on drive d: and it is a logical drive in an extended partition. Also, it is assumed that the free space is not part of the extended partition. In this situation, any new partition created in this space (which would have to be created as a primary partition, because an extended partition already exists) causes the ARC path to the extended partition to change, because the ARC specifications count primary drives before those in extended partitions. When the warning dialog box appears, do not choose the OK button in the dialog box. Use Task Switch (by pressing either ALT+TAB or CTRL+ESC) to switch to a text editor. Edit the BOOT.INI file to reflect the new path to the Windows NT files. This involves editing a line similar to the following: 

   scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(X)\winnt
Change partition(X) to partition(X+1) to correctly modify the ARC path to the Windows NT files.

If you have already restarted the computer without editing the BOOT.INI file, the startup will fail due to the system being unable to find the Windows NT files. To correct this problem, use one of the following procedures:

  • If your c: drive is FAT:

    1. Restart the computer into MS-DOS from either the multiboot screen, 

          or with a startup disk.

    2. At the prompt, type: 

             attrib -r -s -h boot.ini

   3. At the prompt, type:

         edit boot.ini

   4. Change partition(x) to partition(x+1)

   5. Save the file and quit out of the editor.

   6. Restart the computer.
  • If your c: drive is not FAT:

    1. Go to another computer running Windows NT and format a floppy disk. 

          It will now have the Windows NT boot sector on it.

    2. Copy the following files onto the disk: 

           - NTLDR
       - NTDETECT.COM
       - BOOT.INI
       - NTBOOTDD.SYS (if present - required if ARC path starts with SCSI)

    3. Edit the BOOT.INI file (on the floppy disk) and change the ARC path 

          so that it is correct for the computer that is unable to start
      Windows NT.

    4. Use the startup disk to restart the computer unable to start 

          Windows NT.

    5. Follow steps 2 through 6 of the above option to edit the BOOT.INI 

          file on the hard disk drive.

For more information on the ARC path structure and the BOOT.INI file, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   arc and boot

Additional query words: prodnt
Keywords : kbsetup ntgeneral ntsetup
Version : 3.1 3.5 3.51 4.0
Platform : WinNT

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Last reviewed: April 10, 1997
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