10.4 Advanced Topics
The solutions in this final section of this chapter include
the odds and ends that round off the discussion of installing and upgrading
Windows XP. If you want to use more than one operating system on your computer,
try setting up a dual-boot system, as described later. If you wish to repair a
broken Windows XP installation, see "Creating a Boot Disk" and "Using the
Windows Recovery Console," both later in this section. Finally, the
controversial Product Activation feature in Windows XP is uncovered and
explained.
10.4.1 Setting Up a Dual-Boot System
With a dual-boot (or multi-boot) setup, you can install
multiple operating systems side-by-side on the same computer, and simply choose
which one to use each time you boot. So, why would you want to do this?
-
If you rely on some software or hardware that will not
operate in Windows XP, you can install Windows XP and the other OS on the same
system simultaneously. This includes any previous version of Windows, as well
as Linux, FreeBSD, Unix, BeOS, and even NeXTStep.
-
If you're in the process of upgrading from an earlier
version of Windows to Windows XP, you may wish to set up a dual-boot system.
That way, you can test XP with your existing software and hardware without
having to commit to the new OS until you're certain it will meet your needs.
-
Some people install two copies of Windows XP on their
system, one for normal use, and one as a testbed for new software and
hardware. That way, you can try out a potentially buggy product without
jeopardizing the main OS on which you must rely.
-
Software developers often have several versions of Windows
on the same machine so that they can test out their products on a variety of
configurations without having to purchase a bunch of separate computers.
Windows XP comes with support for a dual-boot system
built-in. The dual-boot feature (called the Boot Manager) is installed
automatically when you install Windows XP. If, at the end of the installation,
Windows XP is the only operating system on your computer, it will boot
automatically without giving you a choice. Otherwise, you'll see a menu of
installed operating systems, from which you can choose the OS you wish to use.
So, if you're installing Windows XP on a system with another
OS, such as Windows 98, and you don't replace it with Windows XP (instead, you
choose to install it into a different directory or partition), you'll get a
dual-boot system without even trying.
In most cases, the boot manager of the last operating system
installed is the one that will be used for all operating systems. For this
reason, the order in which you install the operating systems is important; for
example, it's typically desirable to install older operating systems
before newer ones.
Some other operating systems, such as FreeBSD and Windows
2000, have boot managers of their own, and can therefore be installed either
before or after XP is installed with little additional fuss. However, those
operating systems without their own boot
managers, such as Windows 9x/Me, will break the Windows XP boot manager if
installed afterwards.
But what if you already have a Windows XP system, and you
need to the dual-boot capability to it? Fortunately, there is a way to install
other operating systems on top of an existing Windows XP installation, although
it takes a little extra preparation.
The following procedure assumes that you already have a
working installation of Windows XP:
-
Each operating system must have its own partition, assuming
you have only one hard disk. See "Working with Partitions," earlier in this
chapter, for details on resizing drives and adding partitions.
Note that since resizing partitions can be difficult
without the proper third-party tools, you can simply add another hard disk
instead of repartitioning your existing drive.
 |
It's actually possible for Windows XP to share a
partition with a Windows 9x/Me installation but only if they're
installed into different folders. Since they'd share the Program
Files folder, though, you'd be opening the door for conflicts and
other problems. |
|
-
Create a bootable floppy, as described in the next section.
The key is to back up the ntdetect.com, ntldr, and boot.ini
files, which are the key to the Windows XP boot manager. See the next section
for more information on the boot.ini file.
You'd also be wise to backup your entire system at this
point (see Chapter 6).
-
Install the other operating system; naturally, the
installation procedure will vary, depending on the product you're install. Be
extremely careful not to install it into the same folder or partion as the
existing copy of Windows XP.
-
When installation of the other product is complete, try
starting the system. In some cases, the other product will have a suitable
boot manager, and everything will work fine. If it doesn't, the procedure to
repair the Windows XP boot manager depends on the other operating system
you've just installed:
- Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0
-
These earlier versions of Windows NT have boot managers
similar to Windows XP's, but they may not work with Windows XP specifically.
To repair the boot manager here, just copy the files, ntdetect.com,
ntldr, and boot.ini, you backed up in step 2 into the root
directory of your boot drive (usually C:\), replacing the older ones
that should be there.
- Windows 9x/Me
-
Since these DOS-based versions of Windows (see Chapter 1)
don't have boot managers of their own, the XP boot manager will be subdued
by their installation. Although the files, ntdetect.com, ntldr,
and boot.ini, should remain intact after installation, your hard
disk's Master Boot Record (MBR) will have to be updated to once again
recognize the Windows XP boot manager.
This is done by starting the Windows Recovery Console
(described later in this chapter). Start by issuing the fixmbr
command to restore the Windows XP boot manager, and then bootcfg
/rebuild to force the boot manager to recognize the newly installed
operating system.
- Linux, FreeBSD, and others
-
Each of these Unix flavors come with their own boot
managers, that, for the most part, appear to be compatible with Windows XP.
If in doubt, check the documentation for the specific operating system and
version you're installing.
-
When you're done, create another bootable floppy (repeat
step 2), such that you have an up-to-date backup of the boot.ini file.
|
Windows XP supports both the NTFS and FAT32 file systems.
If you need to set up a dual-boot machine with Windows 9x/Me and Windows XP,
you'll need to use FAT32 on any drives that you want to access from the
older Windows, as only Windows 2000, NT, and XP support NTFS. |
10.4.1.1 Editing the Boot Manager configuration
file (boot.ini)
The Windows XP boot manager is responsible for loading
Windows XP, and, optionally, allowing you to boot into any other operating
systems you may have installed. If you've set up a dual-boot (or multi-boot)
system, as described in the previous section, the list of operating systems that
is presented when you first turn on your computer is stored in the Boot Manager
configuration file (boot.ini).
The boot.ini file is, by default, a hidden file,
located in the root directory of your primary partition (usually C:\). If
you can't see it, you'll have to configure Explorer to display hidden and system
files by going to Control Panel
Folder Options
View tab, and selecting the
Show hidden files and folders option and
turning off the Hide protected operating system files
option.
|
If you screw up your
boot.ini file, Windows XP won't load. Before editing the file
directly, make sure to back it up as described in "Create a Backup
Floppy," later in this chapter, so it can be easily restored if
necessary. If worse comes to worse, start the Windows Recovery Console
(discussed later in this chapter) and issue the bootcfg /rebuild
command to delete and then rebuild the boot.ini file. |
|
The structure of boot.ini, similar to other .ini
files, is explained in Section 3.2.4. You can view and modify boot.ini in
any plain-text editor, such as Notepad. A typical boot.ini file is shown
in Example 10-1.
Example 10-1. The Boot Manager configuration file (boot.ini)
is used to define the operating systems available in the boot menu
[boot loader]
timeout=20
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Pro" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINNT="Windows 2000 Pro" /fastdetect
C:\="Microsoft Windows Me"
The two sections of the boot.ini file are as follows:
- [boot loader]
-
This section determines the default operating system—loaded
automatically if no selection is made—and the timout, the amount of time (in
seconds) the Boot Manager waits before said selection is made.
- [operating systems]
-
This section lists each of the individual operating systems
installed on the computer. The syntax is fairly simple: a "pointer" to the
drive and folder containing the operating system is shown to the left of the
equals sign, and the caption shown in the boot menu is shown to the right.
The aforementioned pointer can appear in one of several
different ways. The first two entries shown in Example 10-1 point to Windows
NT installations (XP and 2000, respectively); the numbers in parentheses
specify the disk and volume numbers of the respective partition, followed by
the folder in which Windows is installed. The third entry points to a DOS
partition (Windows Me in this case), where the syntax is merely the drive
letter of the volume containing the OS.
You'll notice that one of these entries matches the value
of the default entry in the [boot loader] section.
To change the default OS and the timeout without editing
boot.ini directly, go to Control Panel
System, and click
Settings in the Startup and Recovery
section. Unfortunately, if you want to rename one or more of the captions in the
menu, you'll have to open boot.ini and change the text in the quotation
marks.
See Section 10.4.4, later in this chapter, for additional
tools you can used to repair a damaged Windows XP installation and rebuild the
boot.ini file.
10.4.2 Creating a Bootup Floppy
Long gone are the days when an entire operating system can be
fit on a single floppy diskette. Actually, many would argue that the floppy
drive is essentially obsolete, with no real purpose in a modern computer, at
least as long as there a network connection or CD writer is available to
transfer files. However, from time to time, a floppy can still prove useful.
In some earlier versions of Windows (e.g., Windows 9x/Me),
there was a built-in feature for making a bootable floppy, but it only installed
a few files on a blank disk that essentially allowed you to boot into DOS and
then start or repair the Windows installation on your hard disk. Being able to
boot off a floppy also meant that you could access your files if Windows
wouldn't start at all.
Now, if you have a bootable floppy made on a Windows 9x/Me
system, you can use it to boot any modern system, even if it is running Windows
XP. However, if your hard disk uses the NTFS file system (discussed in Chapter
5), you won't be able to access your from from the DOS floppy (since NTFS isn't
supported in those versions of Windows). And even if you're still using the
FAT32 file system, which will be readable fom a Windows 9x/Me boot disk, you
won't be able to start Windows XP or affect any substantial repairs from such a
floppy.
Essentially, if you've become accustomed to being able to
boot to DOS in earlier versions of Windows, you'll have to adjust your strategy,
but that doesn't mean you'll have to live without any safety net at all. There
are several ways in Windows XP to fill the holes left by the absense of DOS:
- Running old programs
-
One reason to use a boot disk in the early days was to run
old DOS software that refused to operate from within Windows. Although this is
no longer practical in Windows XP, you can run any such software in
"compatibility mode" (discussed in Chapter 6). Another way to access old
software that won't run in Windows XP is to set up a dual-boot system, in the
previous section.
- Repairing Windows
-
The best way to repair a Windows installation that won't
start is to use the Windows Recovery Console, at the end of this chapter. See
Chapter 6 for more troubleshooting tips.
- Installing Windows
-
Since Windows XP comes on a bootable CD, you don't need a
floppy to install it. Details can be found at the beginning of this chapter.
- Accessing files
-
If you can't start Windows, and attempts to repair it have
failed, you'll still need to access your personal files. Installing Windows XP
in a second directory is probably your best bet here. See "Setting up a
dual-boot system," earlier in this chapter, for instructions.
Now that I've effectively talked you out of creating a
bootable floppy in Windows XP, I'll show you how it's done:
-
Obtain a blank diskette, and insert it into your floppy
drive. Floppies can typically be found behind file cabinets, under desks, and
at the bottom of "junk" drawers.
-
If you haven't done so already, you'll need to configure
Explorer to show your hidden and system files. Go to
Control Panel
Folder Options
View tab, and select
Show hidden files and folders. Next, turn off
the Hide protected operating system files
option, and click OK when you're done.
-
Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to the root directory
of your boot drive (usually C:\).
-
Copy the following three files from this folder to your
floppy (usually A:\): ntdetect.com, ntldr, and
boot.ini.
-
Close Explorer and eject the floppy when you're done.
This bootable floppy can be used to boot Windows XP (in some
cases) when it's not able to boot itself. It won't get you to a command prompt,
however. To go directly to a command prompt, you'll need to use the Windows
Recovery Console instead.
10.4.3 Activating Windows XP
Product Activation is the euphemistic name given to the new
system in Windows XP intended to curb software piracy. It effectively requires
every Windows XP user to call Microsoft (or connect via the Web) to obtain a
long product activation key for each installation of the product. As though the
hefty price tag and 25-character CD key on the back of the CD package in
previous versions of Windows wasn't enough, most users of Microsoft's latest OS
are now required to take an additional step to complete the installation
procedure.
If you don't enter the product key within a certain period
after installing, Windows XP will expire and subsequently cease to function.
In theory, you'll only have to do this once for each computer running Windows
XP, but the activation code is just as susceptible to bugs as any other
component of Windows.
Here's how activation works:
-
When Windows XP is installed, the 25-character CD Key
printed on the CD sleeve is typed by the user and stored in the Registry. The
CD Key distinguishes one end-user license of Windows XP from another.
Windows then generates a 20-digit product ID based on the
CD Key and the Windows version.
-
After Windows has been installed, the Activate Windows XP
utility is started. The "Installation ID," comprised of the 20-digit product
ID plus an 8-digit hardware ID, is then transmitted to Microsoft. This is
either done transparently over a network connection or manually over the
telephone.
The hardware ID, a unique number based on values obtained
from hardware in your computer, distinguishes one computer from another. The
hardware ID is based on a hardware hash, a
long sequence of numbers based on a information found in your computer's
hardware. The specific devices used are as follows:
-
Display adapter (video card)
-
SCSI adapter (if available)
-
IDE adapter
-
Network adapter MAC address (if available)
-
RAM amount range
-
Processor type
-
Processor serial number
-
Hard drive
-
Hard drive volume serial number
-
CD-ROM, CD-RW, or DVD-ROM
-
Microsoft then generates a 42-digit "Confirmation ID,"
which is sent back to the Activate Windows XP application (or read back
verbally if you're activating XP over the phone). The machine is officially
activated when the confirmation ID is received, cross-checked with the
hardware ID and product ID, and finally stored on your computer.
It should be clear that since the confirmation ID is based
upon the unique CD key and the unique hardware ID, it represents a single,
unique combination of hardware and software. Change any of these components, and
the confirmation ID will no longer be valid.
If you attempt to activate Windows with the same CD Key and a
different hardware key (effectively installing the same copy of Windows on a
different computer), the copy protection will kick in and the product activation
will fail. The gray area is what happens when you ugprade part or all of your
system.
Now, there is some margin for error built in, so upgrading
only one or two of the aforementioned components should not cause a problem.
However, simultaneously upgrading your motherboard, processor, memory, and video
card will probably raise a red flag, and you'll probably have to get a new key.
Likewise, if you purchase an entirely new computer and install your existing
copy of XP on the new machine, you'll certainly have to obtain a new key from
Microsoft.
It probably goes without saying that the automated activation
will probably fail at this point, meaning that you'll have to speak with a
Microsoft representative and explain that you're merely reinstalling and not
pirating the software. It remains to be seen how much hassle reactivation will
be; suffice it to say that those who upgrade often will bear the brunt of that
hassle.
Note that if your system crashes, or if you simply need to
wipe everything and reinstall for some reason, the confirmation ID from the
previous activation should still be valid. Note that the confirmation ID is only
shown if you activated over the phone, and is otherwise invisible; if you used
the automated activation over the Internet, all you'll need to do is run the
activation again. Since the hardware supposedly is no different, Microsoft
shouldn't give you any trouble.
Many users may not be confronted with the hassle of product
activation at all, for one of several possible reasons. Those systems purchased
with Windows XP preinstalled may be pre-activated as well, in one of two
possible ways. Either the manufacturer may choose to activate Windows before
shipping using the method described above, or by a separate mechanism called
System Locked Pre-installation (SLP). SLP ties
the hardware ID to the system BIOS, rather than the discrete components listed
earlier. The resulting system may be upgraded more freely, but if the
motherboard is replaced or the BIOS is upgraded (see Appendix B), the owner will
have to reactivate the software. The other exception is the version of Windows
XP sold with a volume license, usually to large businesses, which doesn't
include the product activation feature at all.
10.4.4 Using the Windows Recovery Console
The Windows Recovery Console (WRC) is a tool included with
Windows XP, used to repair the operating system when it won't start, as well as
perform some other tasks not otherwise possible from within Windows.
 |
For those accustomed to being able to boot into DOS
to effect repairs in some earlier versions of Windows, the WRC is the
Windows XP equivalent; see "Creating a Bootup Floppy," earlier in this
chapter, for more information. |
|
The Windows Recovery Console allows you to do the following:
-
Repair certain parts of a Windows XP installation,
including the file system boot sector, the Master Boot Record (MBR), or the
Boot Manager configuration
-
Copy, rename, delete, or replace operating system files
that otherwise can't be modified while Windows is running.
-
Enable or disable services or devices for the next time
Windows is started.
-
Create and format hard drive partitions.
The whole point of the Windows Recovery Console is that it
can be started when Windows isn't running. To get into the WRC, start by booting
up off the Windows CD, as described in "Installing Windows XP" at the beginning
of this chapter. After Setup loads all of its drivers, press
R to start the Windows Recovery Console.
You can also install the Recovery Console to your hard disk
so that it can be started without the CD. This option, which will add it to the
Boot Manager menu (see "Setting up a dual-boot system," earlier in this
chapter), is useful if you find that you need the Recovery Console frequently or
you're unable to boot off the CD. To install the WRC, go to
Start
Run and type the following:
d:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons
where d: is the drive letter of your CD
drive.
Regardless of how the WRC is started, you'll be greeted with
the following friendly welcome message:
Windows NT(TM) Boot Console Command Interpreter.
WARNING:
This is a limited function command prompt intended only as a system
recovery utility for advanced users. Using this utility incorrectly can
cause serious system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall
Windows to correct them.
Type 'exit' to leave the command prompt and reboot the system.
1: C:\WINDOWS
2: D:\WINDOWS
3: E:\WINNT
Which Windows installation would you like to logon to (enter to abort)?
Naturally, the options for your system may be different.
Choose 1 here, or whatever number corresponds to the Windows
installation you wish to repair, and log in using your Administrator password.
|
If you've forgotten your Administrator password (set
when Windows XP was installed), WRC won't let you in. You'll have three
tries before WRC reboots your system. If this is the case, and Windows
won't start, your best bet is to try one of the other repair options
described in "Reinstalling Windows XP," earlier in this chapter. |
|
Once you've logged in, the WRC looks and feels like the
Windows XP Command Prompt (see Appendix C). However, it's important to realize
that it's not exactly the same: for example, you can execute some of the
standard DOS commands (albeit in a more limited fashion), but you won't be able
to launch DOS or Windows programs.
10.4.4.1 Windows Recovery Console commands
The following DOS commands, documented in Appendix C, can be
used in the Windows Recovery Console: attrib, cd, cls,
copy, del, dir, exit, md, more,
ren, rd, set, and type. In addition, you'll
be able to use the chkdsk utility discussed in Chapter 6, the DiskPart
utility discussed in "Working with Partitions," earlier in this chapter, as well
as the expand, format, and net utilities.
The following special commands are available in the Windows
Recovery Console:
- batch
filename [ outputfile]
-
Executes a batch file, where filename is the name
of the batch file to run, and outputfile is the name of an optional
file into which the output from the job is stored. Note that you can't execute
batch files simply by typing the filename, as you can in the real Command
Prompt; see the discussion of batch files in Appendix C.
- bootcfg /
command
-
Starts the Boot Manager configuration and recovery tool.
This tool is used to view, edit, and rebuild the boot.ini file,
discussed in "Setting up a Dual-Boot System," earlier in this chapter. The
command can be any of the following:
- add
-
Adds a new entry to the boot.ini file.
- copy
-
Creates a backup of the boot.ini configuration
file.
- default
-
Sets the default boot entry.
- disableredirect
-
Disables redirection instigated by the redirect
command.
- list
-
Displays the entries currently specified in boot.ini.
- rebuild
-
Lists all of the Windows installations and rebuild the
boot menu by selectively adding entries. Note: it's a good idea to use
bootcfg /copy to create a backup of boot.ini before using
rebuild. See "Creating a Dual-Boot System" for a practical example of
this command.
- redirect [
port baudrate | useBiosSettings]
-
Enables redirection of the boot loader output to the
specified serial port, using the specified baudrate.
Alternately, specify bootcfg /redirect useBiosSettings to use the
default COM port settings in the system BIOS.
- scan
-
Scans your hard disk for all Windows installations and
displays a list of the results. This list is not dependent on the contents
of the boot.ini file, but rather on the actual operating systems
found on the system. The rebuild command incorporates the scan
function.
- disable [
service | device_driver]
-
Disables a system service or a device driver for the next
time Windows starts. See enable, below, for details.
- enable
service | device_driver
[ startup_type]
-
Starts or enables a system service or a device driver for
the next time Windows starts. Use the listsvc command to list the
names of all available services and device drivers. The startup_type
option can be SERVICE_BOOT_START, SERVICE_SYSTEM_START,
SERVICE_AUTO_START, or SERVICE_DEMAND_START.
- fixboot [
drive]
-
Writes a new partition boot sector onto the specified
partition, where drive is the drive letter. In most cases, you
can omit drive to use the current partition. Use this command
to fix the partition boot sector if it has been damaged, typically by a virus
or the installation of another operating system.
- fixmbr [
device]
-
Repairs the master boot record of the specified disk. Use
the map command to display the entries for device. In
most cases, you can omit device to use the default boot
device, upon which your primary operating system is installed. Use this if the
boot record has been damaged, typically by a virus or the installation of
another operating system. See "Creating a Dual-Boot System" for a practical
example of this command.
- listsvc
-
Lists the services and drivers available on the computer,
for use with the enable and disable commands.
- logon
-
Logs on to another Windows XP/2000 installation (assuming
you have more than one) without having to reboot and re-enter the Recovery
Console. Naturally, you'll need the administrator password for any such
installation.
- map
-
Displays the drive letter mappings for use with the
fixmbr command.
- systemroot
-
Changes the current directory (like the cd command
explained in Appendix C) to the "systemroot" directory of the operating system
to which you are currently logged on (usually c:\windows).
10.4.4.2 Lifting Recovery Console restrictions
By default, the attrib, copy, del,
dir, and ren commands don't support wildcards (* and
?) when used in the Windows Recovery Console. While this is a safety
feature intended to prevent unintentional damage to the system, it can be
frustrating to say the least. To lift this restriction, type:
set AllowWildcards = true
Another restriction is one placed on the cd command,
where WRC will only allow you to change to certain directories. To fix this,
type:
set AllowAllPaths = true
To enable access to the floppy drive, type:
set AllowRemovableMedia = true
Finally, to turn off the prompt that appears when you try to
replace a file with the copy command, type
set NoCopyPrompt = true
Unfortunately, these are only temporary settings and are lost
as soon as the system is restarted. For more information, see the set
command in Appendix C.
|
You may encounter an error to the effect that the Set
command is currently disabled; unfortunately, this can olny be fixed by
returning to Windows and following this procedure: |
|
-
Start the Local Security Settings editor (secpol.msc).
-
Navigate to \Security
Settings\Local Policies\Security Options in the tree.
-
Double-click the Recovery
Console: Allow floppy copy and access to all drives and all folders
entry.
-
Click Enabled and then
click Ok.
-
Close the Local Security Settings editor when you're done.
-
Return to the Recovery Console and try again.
|
Main Menu
|
