Create a Startup Menu Even If You Have Only One Operating System

Even if you have only one operating system, you can create a boot menu that will let you choose to
load your operating system with different parameters. For example, for menu choices, you might
have your normal operating system, a mode that lets you trace any startup problems, and Safe
Mode. To give yourself the option of operating systems with different parameters, create separate
entries for each new operating system choice. For example, for the version of the operating system
that traces potential startup problems, you could create this entry:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Trace Problems XP Home" /fastdetect /bootlog /sos
This entry creates a startup log and displays information about the drivers and other operating
system information as it loads.
For the version of the operating system that loads in Safe Mode but still allows networking, you
could create this entry:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Start XP Home" /fastdetect /safeboot:network
The boot.ini fi le would look like this, assuming that you want the menu to display for 30 seconds and
you want normal XP startup to be the default:
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Trace Problems XP Home" /fastdetect /bootlog /sos
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Start XP Home" /fastdetect /safeboot:network