You can change the text displayed on the NT log-on screen above the user name and password. Set a string value at HKLM\Software\Microsoft

 

\WindowsNT\Cur rentVersion\WinLogon\LogonPrompt to the message you want to display.

You could set your NT system to allow shutdown without anybody being logged on. Just set the string value HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT

\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\ShutDownWithoutLogon. If you set the value to 1 then the Ctrl+Alt+Del menu shows a Shut Down button even when nobody is logged on.

 

If you set the value to 0 then the button is grayed out.

If you don't need NT log-on security, you can let NT log you on automatically. Create four new string values in the key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon. The value Default DomainName should be the name of your domain, DefaultUserName should be your user name and DefaultPassword should be set to your password. Finally, set the string value AutoAdminLogon to 1. The next time you reboot, your system will automatically be logged in to the account you specified. Remember, this is insecure.

Your system may come with more than 256k of L2 cache, but Windows NT may not be recognizing all of it! By default, NT sets the L2 cache to 256k (or less). If your motherboard has more than that, it's time to dive into the registry. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ System \ CurrentControlSet \ Control \ Session Manager \ Memory Management. Find the following value name: SecondLevelDataCache.

 

A data value of "0" is default, which sets the L2 cache to 256k. If you have a different amount installed, set its value in decimal form. If you have 512k cache, set the entry to 512 in decimal (200 in Hexadecimal).

 

It's almost like a free upgrade! Again, this only applies to workstations running Windows NT. If you have to ask what any (or all) of this means, please skip the tip.

Use this Registry setting to disable the Display icon in Control Panel, as well as the Properties option when a user right-clicks on the desktop. By disabling these options, you will stop the user from changing settings that control monitor resolution as well as screen saver and wallpaper options. To disable this option for a user, open the Registry Editor and go to:

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\

Policies\System

 

Edit the value "NoDispCPL" (DWORD value) and set the value equal to "1"(without quotes) to disable the Display icon (if the value/key does not already exist, create it). To re-enable the option, delete the above value or set the value to "0". The setting will take effect immediately

 

and does not require a reboot.

Use this Registry setting to hide the Virtual Memory button on the Performance tab under Control Panel > System. By hiding this button, you can prevent users from changing or disabling the machine's Virtual Memory setting, which can adversely effect the machine's performance. To set this option, open the Registry Editor and go to:

 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

 

Edit/create the value "NoVirtMemPage" (String Value) and set the value to "1" (without quotes) to hide the Virtual Memory button, or "0" to display the button. The setting will take effect immediately and does not require a reboot.

Your PC's processor, while important, isn't always given the time it needs to execute tasks. Power users might consider maximizing the CPU's priority. Open the system Registry editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ System \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ VxD \ BIOS. In the rightmost pane, create a new DWORD value and label it: "CPUPriority" (without quotes). Double-click the newly created setting, switch its format to Decimal, then enter "1" (without quotes) as a value. Upon reboot, this tweak should speed up the launching of programs.

 

NOTE: your mileage may vary.

How to Create a Bootable Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.1

Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5

Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51

Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0

Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1

Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.5

Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.51

Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 4.0

Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.0a

 

This article was previously published under Q119467

SUMMARY

This article describes how to create a Windows bootable(startup) disk to access a drive with a faulty boot sequence on an Intel-based computer.

 

Note The procedure for RISC-based computers is different and not documented in this article.

MORE INFORMATION

You may be able to use a Windows bootable disk to start the operating system on a computer running Windows NT or Windows 2000. Use the procedures in this article to work around the following boot problems:

Damaged boot sector

Damaged master boot record (MBR)

Virus infections

Missing or damaged Ntldr or Ntdetect.com files

Incorrect Ntbootdd.sys driver

To boot from the shadow of a broken mirror

 

Note that you may have to modify the Boot.ini file to do this.

Note that you cannot use the Windows Emergancy Repair disk (ERD) to help resolve the following problems:

Incorrect or damaged device drivers that are installed in the System folder.

Boot problems that occur after you see the Windows Startup (Osloader) screen.

To work around or fix these problems, run the ERD, load the last known good control set, or reinstall Windows.

How to Create a Windows Bootable Disk

The Windows boot disk must include the Ntldr (or Setupldr.bin in Windows NT 3.5),Ntdetect.com, and Boot.ini files, and may require ntbootdd.sys which is the device driver for your hard disk controller renamed to ntbootdd.sys.

 

Note The Ntldr, Ntdetect.com, and Boot.ini files typically have their file attributes set to system, hidden, or read-only. You do not have to reset these attributes for the bootable disk to work. For additional information about the structure of the Boot.ini file, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

102873 BOOT.INI and ARC Path Naming Conventions and Usage

 

To create a Windows bootable floppy disk, use one of the following methods.

If You Do Not Have Access to a Computer Running Windows

Create a copy of the first Windows Setup disk by using the diskcopy command. To do this:

Click Start, and then click Shut Down.

Click Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode, and then click Yes.

At a command prompt, type the following command, where <a> is the drive that contains the Windows Setup disk and <b> is the drive that contains the blank floppy disk that you want to become the Windows startup disk:

diskcopy a: b:

 

Copy both the Ntdetect.com and Ntldr files from the I386 folder on the Windows CD-ROM to the new floppy disk.

Rename the Ntldr file to Setupldr.bin.

Create a Boot.ini file.

 

The following sample Boot.ini file provides an example for a single partition SCSI drive with Windows installed in the Winnt folder; however, the exact value in the [operating systems] section depends on the configuration of the Windows computer that you want to start up:

[boot loader]

timeout=30

Default= scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\winnt

 

[operating systems]

scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\winnt="Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server" /fastdetect

 

If your computer boots from an IDE, EIDE, or ESDI hard disk, replace scsi(0) with multi(0). If you are running Windows NT 3.5 or Windows NT 3.51 and your computer boots from the first or second SCSI drive, then you can also replace scsi(0) with multi(0).

 

If you are using scsi(x) in the Boot.ini file, copy the correct device driver for the SCSI controller that is in use on the computer, and then rename it to Ntbootdd.sys. If you are using multi(x) in the Boot.ini file, you do not have to do this.

Start your computer by using the startup disk, and then log on to Windows.

If You Have Access to a Computer That Is Running Windows

On the computer that is running Windows, format a floppy disk by using the full format option in the Windows NT utility. To do so, type format a: at a command prompt, and then press ENTER.

 

Notes

You cannot format the floppy by using Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition.

You must perform a full format to properly rewrite any boot sector content on the floppy disk. A full format prevents boot sector viruses from running.

If you perform a quick format on the first Windows Setup bootable floppy disk, the boot sector keeps a reference to the Setupldr.bin file and requires that you rename the Ntldr file to Setupldr.bin.

Copy the Ntldr file from the Windows CD-ROM or from a computer that is running the same version of Windows as the computer that you want to access with the startup floppy disk. In Windows 2000, the NTLDR file is found in the I386 folder on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. For Windows NT 4.0, you can copy this file from the Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM.

 

Note In versions of Windows earlier than Windows NT 4.0, you may have to expand the file from NTLDR._ to NTLDR by typing the following command at a command prompt:

expand ntldr._ ntldr

 

Copy the Ntdetect.com file to the floppy disk that you formatted in step 1.

Create a Boot.ini file on the floppy disk that you formatted in step 1. You can also copy the file from another computer that is running Windows and then modify it to match the computer that you are creating the startup disk for. The following example works for a single-partition SCSI drive with Windows 2000 Advanced Server installed in the Winnt folder, but the exact value in the [operating systems] section depends on the configuration of the Windows-based computer that you are creating the startup disk for:

[boot loader]

timeout=30

Default= scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\Winnt

 

[operating systems]

scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server" /fastdetect

 

If your computer starts from an IDE, EIDE, or ESDI hard disk, replace scsi(0) with multi(0). If you are using a computer that is running Windows NT 3.5 or Windows NT 3.51 and your computer starts from the first or second SCSI drive, then you can also replace scsi(0) with multi(0). For example:

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server" /fastdetect

 

 

If you are using scsi(x) in the Boot.ini file, copy the correct device driver for the SCSI controller that is in use on the computer, and then rename it Ntbootdd.sys. If you are using multi(x) in the Boot.ini file, you do not have to do this.

 

Note By default, Windows 2000 is installed to the C:\Windows folder. However, if the computer is using an earlier version of Windows, or if the computer was upgraded to Windows 2000 from an earlier version of Windows, then by default, Windows 2000 is installed to the C:\WINNT folder. Verify that the Boot.ini file shows the correct %SystemRoot% folder for Windows.

Start your computer by using the startup disk, and then log on to Windows.

If You Are Using Windows NT 3.51

Format a blank floppy disk in Windows NT 3.51.

Copy both the Ntdetect.com and Ntldr files to the new disk.

Create a Boot.ini file with the following lines (note that this example is for a single partition SCSI drive with Windows NT installed in the default folder, C:\Winnt35):

[boot loader]

timeout=30

Default= multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\winnt35

 

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\winnt35="Windows NT 3.51"

 

Boot from the floppy disk, and then log on to Windows.

Troubleshooting

You may experience one or more of the following problems when you try to start your computer with your Windows bootable disk:

If the path that points to the system files is incorrect or includes the drive letter, you may receive the following error message:

 

Windows NT could not start because of the following ARC firmware boot configuration problem: Did not properly generate ARC name for HAL and system paths. Please check the Windows NT documentation about ARC configuration options and your hardware reference manuals for additional information. Boot Failed.

 

If an incorrect SCSI driver is selected or if the Ntbootdd.sys file does not exist, you may receive the following error message:

 

Windows NT could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows NT documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information. Boot Failed.

 

If the Boot.ini file does not correctly reflect the correct %SystemRoot% folder for Windows, you may receive the following error message:

 

Windows 2000 could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

 

SystemRoot \System32\Ntoskrnl.exe

By Default, Windows Explorer opens to the My Documents folder. However, you can change this so that Explorer will open to the folder of your choosing. Simply right-click the icon that you use to open Explorer (see the previous tip for Start Menu locations), and choose Properties. In the Target field, add the following to %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe:

 

/n, /e, path

 

For instance, I like Explorer to open at the root of my C Drive, so my Target field looks like this:

 

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /e, c:\

When you open Windows Explorer using the Windows Explorer shortcut on the Start menu, the My Documents folder is selected by default. This article describes how to change the default view to My Computer.

 

 

 

1] Click Start , point to Programs , and then point to Accessories .

2] Right-click Windows Explorer , and then click Properties .

3] In the Target box, replace the current text with the following text:

 

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

 

 

4] Click OK.

 

To return Windows Explorer to the default setting, type the following text in the Target box:

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,::{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}