Colorful boot menu with ansi escape code in Boot.ini

Happy new year!

Here is a small trick for the boot.ini file. You can use ansi escape code in boot.ini file to make a color boot menu .
e.g.

[boot loader]

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="?[1;32mMicrosoft Windows XP Professional" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT

c:\grldr="Grub4dos"

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windmows Server 2003" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect

c:\bootsect.bin="MS-DOS"

And you will see the menu

thanks, nice trick

yummmmmyyyy

Amazing!
How did you find this?

Amazing!
How did you find this?

It is found about 4 years ago.
http://www.cn-dos.ne...d.php?tid=20816

This discovery is a by-product during the crack of NTLDR.

This discovery is a by-product during the crack of NTLDR.

For what reason was NTLDR cracked?

For what reason was NTLDR cracked?

not cracked, just by reviewed disassembly code.
the original thread from here:
http://bbs.znpc.net/...ead.php?tid=874

can you very kind and provide the actual boot.ini file so i can learn this method.
I have tried copy paste the code provided but my pc was un-bootable and i have to use recovery disk to replace boot.ini

thanks a lot

Edited by daylight, 13 August 2011 - 11:13 PM.

The code you see in the first post once was an actual boot.ini. However the migration during the board update has screwed it up.
Wait till the board is properly working again. With some luck, the problem will then have fixed itself.

Yes, please allow 1~2 days for us to get these details fixed.

Thanks friends for a quick response.
i will wait then.
and keep my fingers across

Should find what you need in here: http://www.mediafire...4jp85/grldr.zip

This is the BOOT.INI inside the archive amalux provided:

[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="LAST CONFIG - XP Pro (Last Configuration)" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\grldr="Start GRUB4DOS Menu"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="MP HALMACPI - XP Pro (ACPI Multiprocessor PC) for multi-core, hyperthreading" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrmp.exe /hal=halmacpi.dll /SOS /WINVBLOCK=BUS=1
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALAACPI - XP Pro (ACPI Uniprocessor PC) for single-core, no hyperthreading" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halaacpi.dll /SOS /WINVBLOCK=BUS=1
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALACPI - XP Pro (ACPI PC) for most compatability on ACPI computers" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halacpi.dll /SOS /WINVBLOCK=BUS=1
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="MP HALMPS - XP Pro (MPS Multiprocessor PC) for multi-core Xeons" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrmp.exe /hal=halmps.dll /SOS /WINVBLOCK=BUS=1
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALAPIC - XP Pro (MPS Uniprocessor PC) for single-core Xeons" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halapic.dll /SOS /WINVBLOCK=BUS=1
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="UP HALSTAN - XP Pro (Standard PC) for old non-ACPI computers" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrup.exe /hal=halstan.dll /SOS /WINVBLOCK=BUS=1
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="MP HALSP - XP Pro (Compaq SystemPro Multiprocessor PC)" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /kernel=ntkrmp.exe /hal=halsp.dll /SOS /WINVBLOCK=BUS=1

with the actual ANSI codes bolded.



The "square" is 0x1B, i.e. first element in the above is
1B 5B 31 3B 33 30 6D = 


Colour reference:

http://ascii-table.c...e-sequences.php

Here is the "original" BOOT.INI by fujianabc, having replaced the characters stupidly parsed by the stupid board software parser.
Please note that it is so stupid (or so stupidly set) to not even parse things wrongly in the SAME way, first occurrence of 0x1B has become "?" or 0x5B whilst all the others remained 0x1B :w00t:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN /FASTDETECT
c:\grldr="Grub4dos"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(3)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windmows Server 2003" /noexecute=optout /fastdetect
c:\bootsect.bin="MS-DOS"

:cheers:
Wonko

Thanks my friends.
all understood and all working perfect.
appreciated.