KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q155222: How to Determine the ARC Path

Article: Q155222
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnetwork
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

When you troubleshoot some issues where a Windows NT boot disk is needed, you
may need the ARC path for the Boot.ini file. However, it may not be obvious, or
the machine administrator may not remember the partition or root directory the
operating system was installed in. This information can be recovered from the
Emergency Repair Disk.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The Setup.log file is located on the Emergency Repair Disk. It has the system,
hidden, and read-only attributes. If this file is opened in a text editor, the
first few lines will provide information about how to build the ARC path to the
operating system. The following is an excerpt from a typical Setup.log file.

  [Paths]
  TargetDirectory = "\WINNT"
  TargetDevice = "\Device\Harddisk0\partition2"
  SystemPartitionDirectory = "\"
  SystemPartition = "\Device\Harddisk0\partition1"

A typical ARC path might be:

  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="My Server 4.0"

The rdisk parameter is defined as Harddisk<X> on the TargetDevice line,
where <X> is a variable that represents the drive ordinal. Note that the
rdisk parameter is not used when SCSI replaces multi in the ARC path.

The partition parameter is defined as partition<X> on the TargetDevice
line, where <X> is a variable that represents the partition ordinal. Note
also that SystemPartition refers to the partition where NTLDR is stored. Use
TargetDevice for the partition ordinal value.

The TargetDirectory line defines the system root directory, which is the part of
the ARC path immediately following the partition number.

For more information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q119467
TITLE : Creating a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition

ARTICLE-ID: Q102873
TITLE : Boot.ini and ARC Path Naming Conventions and Usage

ARTICLE-ID: Q130921
TITLE : Creating an FT Boot Disk With SCSI() and Multi() Identifiers

ARTICLE-ID: Q139333
TITLE : Creating Alternate Boot Selections on AXP Machines

Additional query words: RISC prodnt

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.