Windows NT Does Not Display the Startup Boot Menu

Last reviewed: June 6, 1995
Article ID: Q130859

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

When you run set Show List For 0 Seconds, Windows NT does not display the boot menu, and automatically boots the default operating system. If you set the default operating system to MS-DOS, and set Show List For 0 Seconds, you won't be able to boot Windows NT.

To work around this problem, use the following procedure to edit the BOOT.INI file:

Boot MS-DOS remove the file attributes from the BOOT.INI file with the following command:
```
      attrib -s -r boot.ini
```
Use a text editor to edit the BOOT.INI file.
Change the time-out value to something greater than zero.
Save the BOOT.INI file.
Put the system and read-only attributes back on the BOOT.INI file by running the following command:
```
      attrib +s +r boot.ini
```
Restart the computer.

KBCategory: kbenv
KBSubcategory: ntconfig ntboot
Additional reference words: prodnt 3.10 3.50 3.51 time out timeout

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Last reviewed: June 6, 1995
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