Windows NT Does Not Boot to a Partition That Starts More Than 4 GB into Disk

ID: Q197295

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

X86-based computers running Windows NT do not start if the "multi()" syntax is used in the Boot.ini file and the first sector of the partition to which Windows NT is installed is 4 GB or more into the disk. That is, if the cumulative size of other partitions and unpartitioned free space before the partition to which Windows NT is installed is greater than or equal to 4 GB.

One of the following error messages is displayed in this situation:

Boot record signature AA55 not found (25EB found) Windows NT could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows NT documentation about hardware disk
configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.

Windows NT could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: Windows NT Root\System32\Ntoskrnl.exe

CAUSE

This error is caused by a miscalculation that takes place during the boot sequence where Windows NT is attempting to compute the starting location of the partition to which Windows NT is installed.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

To resolve this issue if you received an error message about a missing Ntoskrnl.exe file, extract a new copy of this file.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT version 4.0 Service Pack 5.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem can be avoided by using the "scsi()" syntax in the Boot.ini file because a different code-path is invoked that does not include the mathematical errors encountered when using the "multi()" syntax. For more information about the Boot.ini file, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q102873 BOOT.INI and ARC Path Naming Conventions and Usage

Additional query words: 4.00

Keywords : kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 nt4sp5fix
Version : winnt:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb