Resolved How can I pass boot options to XP kernel (before loading Setup)?

Hello, I have "inherited" a Dell Inspiron 2600 laptop which originally had Windows XP installed. I had wiped the disk and installed Arch Linux because this old computer is rather slow. Now I need to install Windows again to use 2 particular programs, and use it for particular tasks.

The problem: the screen goes black when Setup loads, so I can't do anything, including install Windows.

The cause of the problem is graphics. The same problem happened with all Linux distributions, but I found out a kernel parameter needed to be passed: i915.modeset=0

However, I do not know how to pass a parameter directly to the kernel in Windows (or to Setup, if you will). Since Windows is not currently installed, I cannot use any tool.

From a live Linux CD, after moving my mouse to highlight the boot option (CD, installed OS, etc.) I press "TAB ", which shows me the kernel options on the screen which I can then edit. To actually boot with those parameters, I just press "ENTER" and the graphics problem is solved.

How do I do this in Windows?

And does anyone know a parameter which will achieve the same effect as this Linux parameter (Intel graphics chipset)? i915.modeset=0

 

I hope this helps, full instruction to dual boot Arch Linux with Windows XP, I appreciate you already have Linux installed but this instruction is for Windows XP installed first.

I could not find any references to the crash you are having trying to install Win xp with Linux installed first. Maybe it is far more complicated doing it around the other way (Linux installed first). Let us know how you get on.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Windows_and_Arch_Dual_Boot

I later found this instruction which seems to directly relate to your problem but needs the Supergrub CD.

 

No, I'm not trying to dual-boot. Rather, I wiped Linux off the disk (it's only 20GB).

I'm also not experiencing a crash...I'm experiencing a graphics problem. It happens wtith the Windows CD that came with the laptop.This happened with various Linux distros, too...but with Linux I could pass a parameter to make graphics behave!

Not relevant...I'm just trying to get graphics to work during "boot from CD. "

 

I can't believe Windows doesn't have a tool for this...they still let you use F6 for drivers on floppy, but no way to pass a boot option? (Really ironic, considering the expense of Windows.)

 

Accidentally discovered a "workaround! "

I was using a Linux CD again just to look closely at the format of the boot options and compare them to the format of options for Windows (as typed in "boot.ini ")...just in case I discovered a way to enter some boot options for Windows.

On a total whim, I typed the option again, hit enter, and let Linux boot.

When I pressed CTRL+ALT+DEL, I popped the CD drive just before Linux rebooted, and inserted the Windows CD while the computer was restarting. (Lucky for me, nothing boots too fast because I have to enter my HDD password, anway!) For some bizzarre reason, a "soft boot" (reboot) from an OS/CD which is already in the correct graphics mode allows the new OS (Windows) to choose the correct mode, too, on reboot!

Very strange! It doesn't make any sense since Linux and Windows don't use the same drivers, but what the heck...as long as it works! Once Windows is installed, it behaves.

Just goes to prove you should always keep a Linux CD with you, no matter what!

 

Sorry I got the wrong end of the stick with this one, but glad to see you have resolved it.

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