Starting Windows NT

This section describes the steps involved in the successful startup of Windows NT, which are the following:

The order and the processing is somewhat different, depending upon the hardware platform (x86-based computer or RISC-based computer).

The startup process begins when you:

When you see the Begin Logon dialog box, with the text Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to log on, your computer has completed the loading of Windows NT, and has completed much of the initialization. However, startup is complete only when a user can successfully log on at the Begin Logon dialog box.

Windows NT might not start up or operate correctly if any hardware components do not initialize correctly. Startup fails if any of the files required to start Windows NT are not present in the correct folder, or if one of the files has been corrupted. Table 19.1 describes the files that x86-based computers and RISC-based computers use to start Windows NT.

Table 19.1 Files required to start up Windows NT

x86-based file

Folder

RISC-based file

Folder

NTLDR

root of startup disk

Osloader.exe

\Os\<winnt>

Boot.ini

root of startup disk

no equivalent

Bootsect.dos

root of startup disk

no equivalent

Ntdetect.com

root of startup disk

no equivalent

Ntbootdd.sys (SCSI only)

root of startup disk

Ntoskrnl.exe

%systemroot%\ System32

Ntoskrnl.exe

%systemroot%\ System32

Hal.dll

%systemroot%\ System32

Hal.dll

\Os\<winnt>

no equivalent

*.pal files (Alpha-based computers)

\Os\<winnt>

SYSTEM key

%systemroot%\ System32\Config

SYSTEM key

%systemroot%\ System32\Config

device drivers

%systemroot%\ System32\Drivers

device drivers

%systemroot%\ System32\Drivers