R
Rick
Guest
Re: Bootsect.bak
Hi everyone:
Is there a way to edit the boot.ini in Vista, so that the "other system"
can be named what ever it was ie. Win2kPro, WinXP, Assembler, or what ever?
"Rob" wrote:
> Thank you for the response R.C. It somewhat makes more sense now. Cheers.
>
> "R. C. White, MVP" wrote:
>
> > Hi, Rob.
> >
> > I'm not sure of all the details. I'm a retired accountant, fer gosh sakes,
> > not a techie of any kind. ;^}
> >
> > But I think the answer involves the fact that the boot sector is NOT a file,
> > so it is not wiped out by a format. It is the first physical sector of each
> > primary partition or logical drive and, therefore, outside the file system;
> > it is not in any folder, not even the Root. Its contents are created during
> > installation of WinXP or some other operating system. It holds instructions
> > for use during the very early stages of booting, before the system even
> > knows how to handle partitions and directories. MS-DOS and Win9x created a
> > boot sector that told the primitive system to look in the Root of the System
> > Partition for the files io.sys and msdos.sys. WinNT4 through WinXP wrote
> > the boot sector to look there for the file NTLDR (no extension). I haven't
> > read Vista's boot sector yet, but I suspect that it looks in the Root of the
> > System Partition for the file bootmgr (no extension) and the folder \Boot.
> >
> > When Vista Setup runs, it reads the boot sector and, if it finds a previous
> > version, copies it into a new file in the Root of the System Partition
> > (\BOOTSECT.BAK) for safekeeping until it is needed to boot the previous
> > operating system. If you create a dual-boot system, then each time you
> > reboot, the Vista system starts and gets to the operating system menu. If
> > you choose Vista, it continues through the BCD process. If you choose the
> > previous version of Windows, then BCD steps back out of the way and loads
> > BOOTSECT.BAK, which finds NTLDR and presents the WinXP-style menu from
> > Boot.ini.
> >
> > So, yes, if you do not intend to dual-boot to a previous Windows, then you
> > can safely delete BOOTSECT.BAK, as well as NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM and Boot.ini,
> > if they still exist on your computer.
> >
> > This may not be exactly correct. I hope Chad or Colin or some other techie
> > can clarify or correct any goofs I've made.
> >
> > RC
> > --
> > R. C. White, CPA
> > San Marcos, TX
> > rc@grandecom.net
> > Microsoft Windows MVP
> > (Running Windows Mail 7.0 in Vista Ultimate x64)
> >
> > "Rob" <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:B380F79C-514D-442D-9E78-A48F4C7F6F94@microsoft.com...
> > > Hi Chad,
> > >
> > > I already deleted the file. I am now just curious; is this file created
> > > normally after every clean install of Vista? I had XP installed before I
> > > ran
> > > the clean install but I thought when I selected the Format option during
> > > Vista setup I would be wiping clean my drive, no?
> > >
> > > I'm wondering what I did different this time as I've installed Vista
> > > before
> > > on this machine but never noticed this file.
> > >
> > > "Chad Harris" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Bootsect.bak and boot.bak are backup files from the previous xp
> > >> bootloader.
> > >> They aren't neededed for Vista, and they can be safely deleted.
> > >>
> > >> CH
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> "Rob" <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> news:92F616AF-F2A2-476E-B1C5-B56F907ED9A8@microsoft.com...
> > >> > Windows XP SP2 was on there. But I booted from the Vista DVD and ran a
> > >> > clean
> > >> > install (at least I'm pretty sure I did - formatted my HD).
> > >> >
> > >> > The bak file in question was 8kb in size but I already deleted it so I
> > >> > cannot see what was in it. Also, I don't have NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM or
> > >> > Boot.ini.
> > >> >
> > >> > "R. C. White, MVP" wrote:
> > >> >
> > >> >> Hi, Rob.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> Was WinXP (or Win2K) on your computer when you ran Vista Setup? If
> > >> >> so,
> > >> >> you
> > >> >> probably also still have C:\NTLDR, C:\NTDETECT.COM and C:|Boot.ini,
> > >> >> too.
> > >> >> These are the WinXP startup files that Vista's BCD (Boot Configuration
> > >> >> Data)
> > >> >> will need for you to boot into the "previous version of Windows", if
> > >> >> you
> > >> >> choose that option from the dual-boot opening menu of operating
> > >> >> systems.
> > >> >> The file C:\BOOTSECT.BAK should be exactly 512 bytes; it is a copy of
> > >> >> the
> > >> >> WinXP-style boot sector for the System Partition. If you look at it
> > >> >> in
> > >> >> Notepad, it looks like gibberish except for a few error messages at
> > >> >> the
> > >> >> end
> > >> >> and "MSDOS5.0" at the beginning.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> RC
> > >> >>
> > >> >> "Rob" <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> >> news:FFC453E3-A5AD-4521-8AB3-533CB1172B67@microsoft.com...
> > >> >> > After a clean install of Vista I noticed there is a file in C: Drive
> > >> >> > called
> > >> >> > Bootsect.bak and is visible even with hidden folders options set to
> > >> >> > not
> > >> >> > show.
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > What is this file and why was it created in a clean install? Also,
> > >> >> > is
> > >> >> > it
> > >> >> > safe to delete it?
> >
Hi everyone:
Is there a way to edit the boot.ini in Vista, so that the "other system"
can be named what ever it was ie. Win2kPro, WinXP, Assembler, or what ever?
"Rob" wrote:
> Thank you for the response R.C. It somewhat makes more sense now. Cheers.
>
> "R. C. White, MVP" wrote:
>
> > Hi, Rob.
> >
> > I'm not sure of all the details. I'm a retired accountant, fer gosh sakes,
> > not a techie of any kind. ;^}
> >
> > But I think the answer involves the fact that the boot sector is NOT a file,
> > so it is not wiped out by a format. It is the first physical sector of each
> > primary partition or logical drive and, therefore, outside the file system;
> > it is not in any folder, not even the Root. Its contents are created during
> > installation of WinXP or some other operating system. It holds instructions
> > for use during the very early stages of booting, before the system even
> > knows how to handle partitions and directories. MS-DOS and Win9x created a
> > boot sector that told the primitive system to look in the Root of the System
> > Partition for the files io.sys and msdos.sys. WinNT4 through WinXP wrote
> > the boot sector to look there for the file NTLDR (no extension). I haven't
> > read Vista's boot sector yet, but I suspect that it looks in the Root of the
> > System Partition for the file bootmgr (no extension) and the folder \Boot.
> >
> > When Vista Setup runs, it reads the boot sector and, if it finds a previous
> > version, copies it into a new file in the Root of the System Partition
> > (\BOOTSECT.BAK) for safekeeping until it is needed to boot the previous
> > operating system. If you create a dual-boot system, then each time you
> > reboot, the Vista system starts and gets to the operating system menu. If
> > you choose Vista, it continues through the BCD process. If you choose the
> > previous version of Windows, then BCD steps back out of the way and loads
> > BOOTSECT.BAK, which finds NTLDR and presents the WinXP-style menu from
> > Boot.ini.
> >
> > So, yes, if you do not intend to dual-boot to a previous Windows, then you
> > can safely delete BOOTSECT.BAK, as well as NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM and Boot.ini,
> > if they still exist on your computer.
> >
> > This may not be exactly correct. I hope Chad or Colin or some other techie
> > can clarify or correct any goofs I've made.
> >
> > RC
> > --
> > R. C. White, CPA
> > San Marcos, TX
> > rc@grandecom.net
> > Microsoft Windows MVP
> > (Running Windows Mail 7.0 in Vista Ultimate x64)
> >
> > "Rob" <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:B380F79C-514D-442D-9E78-A48F4C7F6F94@microsoft.com...
> > > Hi Chad,
> > >
> > > I already deleted the file. I am now just curious; is this file created
> > > normally after every clean install of Vista? I had XP installed before I
> > > ran
> > > the clean install but I thought when I selected the Format option during
> > > Vista setup I would be wiping clean my drive, no?
> > >
> > > I'm wondering what I did different this time as I've installed Vista
> > > before
> > > on this machine but never noticed this file.
> > >
> > > "Chad Harris" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Bootsect.bak and boot.bak are backup files from the previous xp
> > >> bootloader.
> > >> They aren't neededed for Vista, and they can be safely deleted.
> > >>
> > >> CH
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> "Rob" <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> news:92F616AF-F2A2-476E-B1C5-B56F907ED9A8@microsoft.com...
> > >> > Windows XP SP2 was on there. But I booted from the Vista DVD and ran a
> > >> > clean
> > >> > install (at least I'm pretty sure I did - formatted my HD).
> > >> >
> > >> > The bak file in question was 8kb in size but I already deleted it so I
> > >> > cannot see what was in it. Also, I don't have NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM or
> > >> > Boot.ini.
> > >> >
> > >> > "R. C. White, MVP" wrote:
> > >> >
> > >> >> Hi, Rob.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> Was WinXP (or Win2K) on your computer when you ran Vista Setup? If
> > >> >> so,
> > >> >> you
> > >> >> probably also still have C:\NTLDR, C:\NTDETECT.COM and C:|Boot.ini,
> > >> >> too.
> > >> >> These are the WinXP startup files that Vista's BCD (Boot Configuration
> > >> >> Data)
> > >> >> will need for you to boot into the "previous version of Windows", if
> > >> >> you
> > >> >> choose that option from the dual-boot opening menu of operating
> > >> >> systems.
> > >> >> The file C:\BOOTSECT.BAK should be exactly 512 bytes; it is a copy of
> > >> >> the
> > >> >> WinXP-style boot sector for the System Partition. If you look at it
> > >> >> in
> > >> >> Notepad, it looks like gibberish except for a few error messages at
> > >> >> the
> > >> >> end
> > >> >> and "MSDOS5.0" at the beginning.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> RC
> > >> >>
> > >> >> "Rob" <Rob@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > >> >> news:FFC453E3-A5AD-4521-8AB3-533CB1172B67@microsoft.com...
> > >> >> > After a clean install of Vista I noticed there is a file in C: Drive
> > >> >> > called
> > >> >> > Bootsect.bak and is visible even with hidden folders options set to
> > >> >> > not
> > >> >> > show.
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > What is this file and why was it created in a clean install? Also,
> > >> >> > is
> > >> >> > it
> > >> >> > safe to delete it?
> >
