Windows NT Does Not Display the Startup Boot Menu

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, 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 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:
  1. Boot MS-DOS remove the file attributes from the BOOT.INI file with the following command:

    attrib -s -r boot.ini


  2. Use a text editor to edit the BOOT.INI file.


  3. Change the time-out value to something greater than zero.


  4. Save the BOOT.INI file.


  5. Put the system and read-only attributes back on the BOOT.INI file by running the following command:

    attrib +s +r boot.ini


  6. Restart the computer.


Additional query words: prodnt 3.10 time out timeout

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Last Reviewed: February 24, 1999
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