Boot Menu Delay

[Seekermeister]

The boot menu only appears less than a second, even though it is set for 30 seconds. Searching both OSs, the only boot.ini is in x64, which is the first OS installed...none in MCE, where I expected to find it. How do I cause the boot menu to display as desired?

As a side question, I noticed that the boot.ini wasn't visible with either Windows Explorer or PowerDesk, even though I have the system set to show hidden files. The only way that I can find it, is with 7-Zip. Is there another setting that would make it visible in the other file managers?

 

[The J]

There's another setting in the same window where you tell it to show hidden files. Clear the checkbox next to "Hide protected operating system files" and click OK.

 

[Seekermeister]

Thanks, that solved the second question. Now only the first remains.

 

[Brazen]

Are you editing boot.ini directly? Or going through System Properties?

 

[Seekermeister]

I haven't edited it at all. The question regarding the visibility of the boot.ini was simply a related question. However, if I wanted to edit it, I would use the boot.ini tab in msconfig. I noticed that the option to use an MCE boot.ini was grayed out, and it is using the original x64 boot.ini instead, but that one says 30 seconds anyway.

 

[Brazen]

I'm just wondering that you might be looking at the wrong boot.ini (or msconfig is looking at the wrong boot.ini). The boot.ini that should be used should be on the first Windows partition of the drive. Maybe you could try looking at it directly?

 

[Seekermeister]

I have. For whatever reason, both x64 and MCE are looking at the same boot.ini. There is no boot.ini in MCE.

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: Seekermeister
I have. For whatever reason, both x64 and MCE are looking at the same boot.ini. There is no boot.ini in MCE.

Ok, that's how it should be. I'm pretty much stumped. Maybe try increasing the duration, just to see what happens?

 

[Seekermeister]

I guess when there is no other answer, that a guess is as good as a glimmer, but I can't see any reason why that would make a difference. Is there anything in the bios that effects this behavior?

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: Seekermeister
Is there anything in the bios that effects this behavior?

The ONLY thing bios-related I can think of, is that I've seen some bioses (biosi?) that start loading the OS before it has handed over control of the screen. For instance, with some biosi, after POST you get a black screen for a few seconds, then Windows pops up partway into the loading process. This isn't anything configurable in the bios though (except maybe a bios update to fix it); it's just cr@ppy written bios code. I don't think this is _your_ issue though. I think you just need to change the value and see what happens.

 

[Seekermeister]

I did change it from 30 to 40 seconds, but it made no difference.

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: Seekermeister
I did change it from 30 to 40 seconds, but it made no difference.

Well, I'm out of ideas then, and nobody else seems to be chiming in. Bummer dude.

 

[John]

Can you successfully boot to both x64 & MCE? Post the contents of your boot.ini