Configuring the BOOT.INI TIMEOUT value with CPS or UNATTEND

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5 and 3.51
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51

SUMMARY

In some cases you may want to change the TIMEOUT value in the BOOT.INI from the default value of 30 seconds. There are two values that can be used that have a significant effect: 0 and -1. A value of 0 starts Windows NT immediately based on the DEFAULT variable in the BOOT.INI. A value of -1 disables the timer.

From within the UI of Control Panel / System, the range that can be used is 0 to 999 for the Operating System dialog box indicating the number of seconds. In an effort to set the value for all systems during setup you will have to modify the Initial.inf for normal installs of Windows NT or when using the /u unattended setup method. For Computer Profile Setup (CPS) you first have to upload the image using Uplodprf.exe from the Windows NT Resource Kit and modify the Profile.inf located in the SYSTEM32 directory of the image.

The following is an example of a BOOT.INI for a multiboot system:

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

MORE INFORMATION

Modify the Initial.inf variable ChangeBootIniTimeout as described below. The default value is 30 seconds. You may use the following -1-999 as valid values.

NOTE: This only works with unattended and attended installs of Windows NT.

[Install-IsValidNetName]

LibraryProcedure STATUS,$(!LIBHANDLE),NetNameCheck $(Name)

exit

[Install-SetBootIniTimeout]

; The original value is 30 seconds ; ChangeBootIniTimeout 30 ; The value has now been change to 90 seconds

ChangeBootIniTimeout 90 exit

[Install-ScreenSaver]

ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", DeskTop, ScreenSaveActive, 1

ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", DeskTop, SCRNSAVE.EXE, $(STF_WINDOWSSYSPATH)\log

To change the TIMEOUT value with CPS, the changes are done in the Profile.inf not the Initial.inf of the image. The default value is 30 seconds. You may use the following -1-999 as valid values.

Else

    ReplaceIniKeyValue "Win.ini", DeskTop,  Wallpaper, "lanmannt.bmp"

 [Install-SetBootIniTimeout]

ChangeBootIniTimeout 90 exit [SetAcls]

    Debug-Output "PROFILE.INF: SetAcls Entered"
    set Status = STATUS_FAILED
    set Convert_C     = $($0)
    set Convert_Winnt = $($1)