boot issues

right before joining here i found a thread saying how to stop your system from asking you what os, or type, that you wanted to boot up with. i have had this before, and solved it but i recently reset to factory settings. the thread was "Guide to removing the choice of Operating System at Bootup (Windows XP)", but unfortunately it is now closed. i also do not have the option of PM'ing anyone yet, like 2 posts off but didnt want to just say random things somewhere.

also, part of my issue might be related to a program that i use called pc tune up utilities. the boot.ini file that i was looking at trying to follow the threads direction... i think the boot.ini might be being reset by something, since every time i got rid of a section it just came back. including a section that had "(tune up)" written in it. although there were two sections that had "fast detect" in them(which i thought was the sign that it might be one of the unwanted boot ups).my boot.ini is now as follows:

[boot loader]
timeout=2
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

although i saved one that at least had one of the fast detecs on it(thought i saved it with both there fore safety but i guess not)

[boot loader]
timeout=2
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /TUTag=6VLWGD /Kernel=TUKernel.exe
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons


so i am not sure if the line that had (tune up) in it is still there or not, but the current boot file doesnt show it. also when trying to check this through msconfig, and check the boot paths it said that the microsoft recovery console part was invalid in one way or another. however i didnt want to chance anything more. at least after what i have one it is still booting:-D

may only make me wait another 3 secs on startup but still anoying.
thank you for any help.

 

was actually thinking of putting the "time out" option down to zero or getting rid of it, but im not that daring and when in msconig, it said it needed to be at least at "3".

 

Hi mate,

Your boot.ini file seems to be different to mine, as mine looks like this -

Code:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Now, with your current boot.ini file - create a new saved version of this called boot2.ini and save it to desktop. This is for any problems that may arise in the future and can then be used to put back should anything go wrong.

Then with the current boot.ini file delete all lines of text and put the following in -

Code:

[boot loader]
timeout=2
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

Basically it's removing the Kernel file used that's coinciding with the bootsect.dat file which could be causing a problem.

Save this text file (ctrl + s or file > save) and try restarting.

Let us know how it goes.

 

thanks,
i think that it must have been (at least in part) the tune up utilities program that i have. especially since one of the options it has it to change the log on screen and the boot screen. and since after changing the boot.ini, the only thing that changed was that it didn't ask me to pick a OS and there was the normal boot screen this time.
i cant say that it wouldn't go back to asking me what OS i wanted to use if i tried changing the boot screen again so i will just stick with what works. the custom log on screen was still intact so.

i would be happy to start another threat, but i figured i would ask this one more thing in case u knew. since i recently reset to factory setting, for some reason my desktop keeps resetting to a gray background. i kept trying to change it to black but it never stuck.
unless this is simply a quirk that has stayed with all the other malware problems i had... than i can only imagine it might be connected to me using a trail of window blinds to change the style of windows. i am going to check the settings to see if i should be putting the background color in there. i am probably going to use the styling option of that same tune up utilities after window blinds runs out, unless i can find a comparable substitute. since i dont know if the use of a custom boot image made it obvious, but i am an art geek far too far into the aesthetics. window blinds just makes it prty.:-D

thanks again for ur advice sir