Windows NT Does Not Display the Startup Boot Menu (130859)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
This article was previously published under Q130859

SYMPTOMS

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.

WORKAROUND

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.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/16/2003
Keywords:kbprb KB130859
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.