Which is the bootable file in xp

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn. Updated on August 17, Tweet Share Email. These steps apply only to Windows XP. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in!

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We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. You can read up on a more detailed explanation of the standard BIOS boot-up sequence here, but the following is enough to get going with:. As can be seen, there is a chain of handoffs beginning at the time you power up your PC; starting from the BIOS, continuing through to the MBR, bootsector, and then, finally, the bootloader.

There are two different reasons for this seemingly-convoluted chain. The second is a more technical limitation: the amount of space available for the executable bootloader code read: how big and complicated the bootloader is allowed to be is severely restricted in the first stages, and increases as you go up the ladder. For example, the MBR is a mere bytes actually, only bytes once you exclude the partition table! NTLDR itself, while traditionally given all the praise and glory, does not do its job alone and is, at best, only a third of the solution.

Especially in cases where more than one OS is installed on the same computer on different partitions , NTLDR takes heavy advantage of this feature. NTLDR reads boot configuration information from the boot. For example, select the following line:. The default operating system is the operating system that is started if no selection is made before the time-out occurs. The time-out is the number of seconds in which you can select an operating system from the menu before the default operating system is loaded.

To modify the default operating system, follow these steps:. For example, to change the default operating system from Windows Server to Windows XP Professional, modify the following. If there is a problem with the Boot. Feedback will be sent to Microsoft: By pressing the submit button, your feedback will be used to improve Microsoft products and services. Privacy policy. Skip to main content.