What is Boot INI file
Andrew White
Published Feb 16, 2026
The Boot. ini file is a text file that contains the boot options for computers with BIOS firmware running NT-based operating system prior to Windows Vista. It is located at the root of the system partition, typically c:\Boot.
Where is the boot INI file?
Boot. ini is a text file located at the root of the system partition, typically c:\Boot. ini. Boot.
What loads the boot INI file?
If a non NT-based OS is selected, NTLDR loads the associated file listed in boot. ini (bootsect. dos if no file is specified or if the user is booting into a DOS based OS) and gives it control. If an NT-based OS is selected, NTLDR runs ntdetect.com, which gathers information about the computer’s hardware.
How do I use boot ini?
- Start a Command session (Start, Run, cmd.exe).
- Type the following command (ah stands for “attribute hidden”): dir c:\boot.ini /ah<br><br>
- You should see the boot. ini file.
Does Windows 10 use boot ini?
On Windows 10 the boot. ini file has been replaced with Boot Configuration Data (BCD). This file is more versatile than boot.
How do I fix boot ini?
- Reboot the computer with the CD and press any key when prompted to boot from the CD.
- In the Microsoft Setup menu, press R to open the Recovery Console.
- Select the operating system you want to use. …
- Once prompted for the password, enter the Admin password and press Enter .
What replaced boot ini?
This utility has been replaced with the Bcdedit.exe command-line tool to affect the Windows code which runs in the pre-operating system environment by adding, deleting, editing, and appending entries in the BCD store.
What Files are needed to boot Windows 7?
File NameDisk LocationBCD\BootNtoskrnl.exe%SystemRoot%\System32Hal.dll%SystemRoot%\System32Smss.exe%SystemRoot%\System32What Files does Windows 10 boot?
Where is the boot file stored in Windows 10? Windows boot configuration data (BCD) can be considered a database for boot-time configuration data. The BCD Store file is usually located in the Boot folder of a Windows System Reserved partition. In many cases, it does not have a drive letter assigned to it.
What is Windows win ini?INI is a basic INI file that was used in versions of the Microsoft Windows operating environment up to Windows 3.11 to store basic settings at boot time. By default, all font, communications drivers, wallpaper, screen saver, and language settings were stored in WIN.
Article first time published onWhat grub means?
GNU GRUB (short for GNU GRand Unified Bootloader, commonly referred to as GRUB) is a boot loader package from the GNU Project. … GNU GRUB was developed from a package called the Grand Unified Bootloader (a play on Grand Unified Theory). It is predominantly used for Unix-like systems.
How do I fix boot ini in Windows 10?
- Boot to the media. …
- Click Next on the Windows Setup menu.
- Click “Repair your computer.”
- Choose Troubleshoot.
- Select “Advanced options.”
- Pick “Command Prompt.”
- Type Bootrec /fixmbr and press the enter key.
- Type Bootrec /scanos and press the enter key.
Can you manually edit the boot INI file?
You can also edit the Boot. ini file by using the System Configuration Utility (Msconfig.exe). To start the System Configuration Utility, click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
What ntldr missing?
Often times, the “NTLDR is missing” error will appear if your computer is trying to boot to a non-bootable floppy disk, CD/DVD/BD, external hard drive, or flash drive. … This will prevent the NTLDR error if the cause of the problem is a boot. ini file that isn’t configured properly for your Windows XP installation.
How do I recreate BCD in Windows 10?
- Boot your computer into Advanced Recovery Mode.
- Launch Command Prompt available under Advanced Options.
- To rebuild the BCD or Boot Configuration Data file use the command – bootrec /rebuildbcd.
- It will scan for other operating systems and let you select the OS’s you want to add to BCD.
Where is the BCD store located in Windows 10?
Where is the BCD file in Windows 10? It is stored in a file in folder “\Boot”. The full path to this file is “[active partition]\Boot\BCD”. For UEFI boot, the BCD file is located at /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/BCD on the EFI System Partition.
Where is ntldr located?
The NTLDR file is normally located in the root directory of the active partition on the first boot drive. However, if the NTLDR file is not found or is corrupt, then the loading process halts and the “NTLDR is missing” error screen appears.
What happens if the boot INI file is not present?
Boot. ini has two segments, i.e.: the boot loader and the operating system. When you start up your system and one of the sections is empty, it will stop the booting process due to a limited loaded configuration. Hence, the error will occur.
How do I edit an INI file in Windows 10?
It’s not a common practice for people to open or edit INI files, but they can be opened and changed with any text editor. Just double-clicking on an INI file will automatically open it in the Notepad application in Windows. See our Best Free Text Editors list for some alternative text editors that also edit INI files.
How do I create a boot INI file?
Type “/fastdetect” — without quotes — when the message “Enter Operating System Load Options” appears. Press “Enter” to create a new boot. ini file.
What UEFI bootable?
The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is a publicly available specification that defines a software interface between an operating system and platform firmware. … UEFI can support remote diagnostics and repair of computers, even with no operating system installed.
How do I fix Windows bootloader?
- Boot from the original installation DVD (or the recovery USB)
- At the Welcome screen, click Repair your computer.
- Choose Troubleshoot.
- Choose Command Prompt.
- When the Command Prompt loads, type the following commands: bootrec /FixMbr bootrec /FixBoot bootrec /ScanOs bootrec /RebuildBcd.
Will there be a Windows 11?
Starting today, October 5th, Microsoft is rolling out the new Windows 11 to eligible devices. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced the new flagship update to its operating system: Windows 11.
Where is the boot files stored in Windows 7?
To answer the literal question, the boot data is stored in a folder named \boot on the system partition. In Windows 7, by default, the system partition does not have a drive letter assignment so you don’t see it in Explorer.
What folders does Windows need to boot?
- Windows MBR.
- Windows PBR (partition boot record)
- bootmgr in \
- \boot folder with BCD (boot config data) inside.
How do I change my startup programs windows 7?
- Click Start , and type msconfig into the Search box. …
- Click the General tab and make sure Selective startup is selected. …
- Select the Startup tab and remove the checks from any tasks that do not contribute to the system and are unwanted.
What is an ini file used for?
An . INI file is a type of file that contains configuration information in a simple, predefined format. It is used by Windows OSs and Windows-based applications to store information about the user’s preferences and operating environment.
What is GRUB boot screen?
The usual GRUB screen you see is its menu interface. It allows you to choose which operating systems to boot, if there is more than one on your machine. You can also choose to load a different kernel if your Linux distribution has more than one installed.
How do I uninstall GRUB?
- Open a terminal: Applications, Accessories, Terminal.
- Optional: Make backup copies of the main GRUB 2 directories and files. sudo cp /etc/default/grub /etc/default/grub.old. …
- Remove GRUB 2. sudo apt-get purge grub-pc. …
- Install GRUB 0.97. …
- With grub installed, the user must still create the menu. …
- Reboot.
How do I remove GRUB bootloader from BIOS?
Type “rmdir /s OSNAME” command, where OSNAME will be replaced by your OSNAME, to delete the GRUB bootloader from your computer. If prompted press Y. 14. Exit the command prompt and restart the computer the GRUB bootloader is not longer available.
How do I remove BCD from Windows 10?
To delete old EFI entries, open an elevated Command Prompt, type bcdedit /enum firmware, and press Enter. Unlike the command used for the Windows Boot Manager, the “enum firmware” command lists all objects available in the BCD store, including any Linux installations.