Re: Determine current boot.ini partition booted into

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From: Ricardo M. Urbano - W2K/NT4 MVP (rmu1_at_columbiaSPAM.SUCKSedu)
Date: 09/07/04 

Date: Tue, 07 Sep 2004 11:44:40 -0400

siliconpi wrote:
>
> Hi Billy,
>
> I'm trying to build a program that will do this for me. The reason is
> that within our company, we have a lot of test machines where people
> have installed these OSes. Now, if someone else comes along and looks
> at this startup screen - he's going to be confused as to which OS
> containing the customization he needs...
>
> I do need to write a program that can do this for me. By having this
> in place, I can quickly rename the boot partition without worrying
> about what boot.ini entry I selected at the time of bootup. Trust me,
> when you've seen 14-15 machines, all like this, you'll have no clue as
> to what entry you selected at boot up...
>
> Thanks.
>
> "Billy" <Noone@home.spamnet> wrote in message news:<LoUZc.1637$N4.462@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
> > I repeat.
> > Use the hidden boot.ini file and edit with any text editor (notepad will
> > do). You may change the part with in the parenthesis. See above post. No
> > program needed.
> >
> > "siliconpi" <siliconpiNOSPAM@hotpop.com> wrote in message
> > news:eb6ae965.0409022100.1ec5f595@posting.google.com...
> > > Sorry for not being clear. Here's the background. In our testing we
> > > have machines with several of the same OSes on them. So on boot up,
> > > the user is presented with a screen like:
> > >
> > > Microsoft Windows XP Professional
> > > Microsoft Windows XP Professional
> > > Microsoft Windows XP Professional
> > > Microsoft Windows XP Professional
> > >
> > > Which isn't very helpful.
> > >
> > > What i'm trying to achieve is that - when the user selects one of
> > > these and boots into that OS.. he can then examine the system and see
> > > "oh this is the Windows XP with Office in it" and then run a tool:
> > >
> > > RenameBootEntry "WinXP with office"
> > >
> > > Which renames the APPROPRIATE boot.ini entry with this text.
> > >
> > > I'm okay with writing a VBS/WBS script or some batch scripting... that
> > > would be the simplest way of handling it. This tool will only be run
> > > on Win2000*, WinXP* and Win2003 Server*
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > >
> > >
> > > "Ricardo M. Urbano - W2K/NT4 MVP" <rmu1@columbiaSPAM.SUCKSedu> wrote
> > in message news:<4137702C.6964CD57@columbiaSPAM.SUCKSedu>...
> > > > siliconpi wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi,
> > > > >
> > > > > I need to determine which boot.ini setting the user chose when
> > > > > selecting entries at the boot screen. My boot.ini reads as:
> > > > >
> > > > > [boot loader]
> > > > > timeout=30
> > > > > default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
> > > > > [operating systems]
> > > > > multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
> > > > > Professional" /fastdetect
> > > > > multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003,
> > > > > Enterprise" /fastdetect
> > > > >
> > > > > If the user chooses Windows Server 2003, how do I determine that
> > fact
> > > > > exactly?
> > > > >
> > > > > I need to modify this entry (in boot.ini) later on. (I'm trying to
> > > > > build a tool that renames the current systemdrive entry in
> > boot.ini to
> > > > > something more descriptive than the above - ie, what the user
> > > > > chooses).
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks!
> > > >
> > > > I'm not exactly sure I understand what you are trying to accomplish,
> > but
> > > > the environment variable, %SystemDrive%, contains the boot volume
> > drive
> > > > letter, IOW, the drive letter that NTx is installed to.
> > > >
> > > > hth

Hmmmm. OK, I understand now what you're trying to accomplish. I don't
know of anyway to determine the current "arc path", but that's what
you're looking for. Search the MS KB and the web, including
www.jsiinc.com/reghack for "arc path". There might be a 3rd party or
share/freeware util out there that can help you out.

GL! 

-- 
Ricardo M. Urbano
Microsoft Windows 2000/NT MVP