DOCUMENT:Q102873 01-SEP-1993 [W_NT] TITLE :BOOT.INI and ARC Path Naming Conventions PRODUCT :Windows NT PROD/VER:3.10 OPER/SYS:WINDOWS KEYWORDS: ------------------------------------------------------------------ The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT operating system, version 3.1 - Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server, version 3.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------ SUMMARY ======= The path to each Windows NT installation is described in the BOOT.INI file using conventions that are part of the Advanced RISC Computing (ARC) specifications. These conventions are used for compatibility with ARC machines that run windows NT. MORE INFORMATION ================ An ARC path name is of the form: (x)disk(y)rdisk(z)partition(a)\ where: identifies the controller for the device, The two valid values for this field are scsi and multi, where scsi indicates a SCSI disk and multi indicates a disk interface other than SCSI, such as an IDE or ESDI drive. x is the ordinal number of the adapter. For example, a system with multiple SCSI adapters, the first adapter to load and initialize would be 0, the next would be 1, and so on for all adapters. In the case of a computer with a single adapter, this number is always 0. y is (for scsi) the SCSI bus number for multiple SCSI adapters times 32 plus the target ID of the disk. For multi, this number is always 0. z is (for scsi) the device's logical unit number (LUN). For multi, this is the ordinal for the disk on the adapter and is generally either 0 or 1. a is the partition ordinal for the partition used on the disk. All partitions receive a number except for type 5 (MS-DOS Extended) and type 0 (unused) partitions, with primary partitions being numbered first and then logical drives. NOTE: These numbers start at 1, as opposed to all other entries, which start with 0. is a directory path. For example, a system with one hard drive with the following partitions: -------------------------- | c: | d: | e: | -------------------------- has the following ARC paths if the controller is an IDE and if C: and E: are primary partitions and D: is a logical drive in an extended partition: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1) for c: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2) for e: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3) for d: If the same disk is SCSI, is connected to the second SCSI controller in the system, and has an SCSI ID of 3 the ARC paths are: scsi(1)disk(3)rdisk(0)partition(1) for c: scsi(1)disk(3)rdisk(0)partition(2) for e: scsi(1)disk(3)rdisk(0)partition(3) for d: For more information, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: ARC and BOOT REFERENCES ========== Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server "Concepts and Planning Guide," page 160 Additional reference words: 3.10 KBCategory: KBSubCategory: winnt ============================================================================= 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. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1993.