BCD Tips

Harddisk install using the Windows boot menu (2K, XP and VISTA)

Currently, this method works only with Windows on NTFS

• copy plpinstc.com and plpgenbtldr.exe to your c:\ directory.

• rename plpinstc.com to plpbt.bin.

• as administrator/with administrator rights open a command shell and change to c:\

• then start plpgenbtldr
  this program searches for the file c:\plpbt.bin. The filename must be lowercase.
  plpgenbtldr generates the file plpbtldr.bin.
  plpgenbtldr must not need longer than a few seconds to create the file. If it need longer, then see Problems/Errors below.

• Adding to the boot menu. Windows 2K and XP is different to Windows VISTA

  • Windows 2K, XP

    add the line below to your c:\boot.ini

    c:\plpbtldr.bin="Install PLoP Boot Manager"

  • Windows VISTA

    use the following commands

    bcdedit /create /d "Install PLoP Boot Manager" /application bootsector
    this prints a long number with { }
    this long number is called id
    replace the id with your number in the following commands

    bcdedit /set {id} device boot

    bcdedit /set {id} path \plpbtldr.bin

    bcdedit /displayorder {id} /addlast

Now you should be able to install the PLoP Boot Manager from your Windows boot menu to your harddisk.

Problems/Errors

plpbt.bin must not be fragmeted! Use contig to take care, that plpbt.bin is not fragmented.

plpgenbtld must not run longer than a few seconds. If it needs more time, then stop it with CTRL-C. Ddownload and run DiskView, use location of file, select c:\plpbt.bin, use the value at LCN and run plpgenbtldr lcn=[your value].
Do the same if you get the message file not found from plpgenbtldr.