Have two hard drives. Each has a copy of xp on them. One for the grand kids and one for myself. I have changed the boot.ini to give a choice Works great but..... The computer runs 24/7 so I am wondering if I can make a batch file with icon the kids can click on and the computer will reboot to the second hard drive. To date: On my test computer the bat renames the boot.ini to .bac and replaces it with multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional in Hard Drive 2" /fastdetect Then uses shutdown [-i | -l | -s | -r | -a] [-f] [-m \\computername] [-t xx] [-c "comment"] [-d up:xx:yy] Rather than do the renaming I wonder if there is some way to have the boot.ini in the batch file.

If you rename the boot.ini and change to your new version then at shutdown you have to change it back again. Will this be simpler This is a boot.ini file for a PC with WinXP Pro installed in partition 1 on different hard drives. [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 Professional in Hard Drive 1" /fastdetect multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional in Hard Drive 2" /fastdetect To do a restart: shutdown -r -f -t 05 -c "SEE YOU IN A MINUTE" Make a shortcut type in shutdown etc etc change icon

>> Rather than do the renaming I wonder if there is some way to have the boot.ini in the batch file. << Not a chance. Boot.ini is read by the Boot loader in the very early stages of the boot process, long before any batch files get processed. If the boot loader cannot find boot.ini or boot.ini is corrupted the boot fails. It is an essential part of the process. The solution detailed above is the best option as it gives you a choice on which OS to boot on boot up. Stuart

Hmmm, Did get the bat to work changeing the boot ini on c to boot to d then shut down and reboot to d...on d it does just the same in reverse. But then there is Murphys Law and Grand kids. Have set up the two drives and changed the ini on c giving a menu. Pops Kids. W.L.