question about NTLDR

[joll69]

not sure where to post this, but here is probly the most relevant....

i've seen a few board members, as well as other ppl online who use the win server 2k3 version of NTLDR and NTDETECT.COM on an XP install...everything works just fine, but no one seems to know if there's any benefit...the file sizes of the two files between the XPSP2 version and Win2k3Enterprise are small, but there is a slight difference...does anyone know if there is a benefit, and what the difference(s) between the xp version and 2k3 versions are?

hope that all makes SOME sense....

[os2fan2]

Using NTLDR from the most recent version of Windows allows you to multiboot with more recent versions. For example, if you install 2k and XP, then the bootloader ntldr should be from the XP version, or later.

Luckily, NTLDR and NTDetect.com (which should match), will boot any version of NT, DOS and Win9x. It will even boot partitions as well, such as the OS/2 boot manager, or a linux boot.

For what it's worth:

NT4 should be installed with the SP6A versions, but you can modify SP6A to install the XP or 2k3 versions.

NT5 works with the XP or 2K3 versions even from install.

NT6 (leghorn) uses a different boot model.

[joll69]

ok, that's good to know...but is that all that using the new files does? i dont suppose there are any other benefits?....i ask cuz as much as i know, there's alot more i dont....

[os2fan2]

The XP version of NTLDR boots faster than the 2K version.

Also, the XP version supports the F8 switch, which means that you don't have to have a second entry for 'safe mode', as the NT4 version does.

If you plan to support BartPE on the hard disk along with some earlier version of Windows NT, you need at least version 5.1 SP1 (which has the /MININT switch.

Neither NTLDR nor NTDETECT.COM remain in core once NTOSKRNL is loaded.

W