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Windows 2003 Boot Process Guide

The Windows boot process begins with the BIOS performing a power-on self-test and loading the master boot record from the boot device, which reads the partition table and loads the boot sector of the active system partition. The boot sector then loads the NT Loader (NTLDR) which reads the boot configuration file and loads critical Windows files before passing control to the Windows kernel (NTOSKRNL.EXE). The kernel initializes drivers and processes and starts the Session Manager (SMSS.EXE) to complete initialization and launch the logon process.

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146 views1 page

Windows 2003 Boot Process Guide

The Windows boot process begins with the BIOS performing a power-on self-test and loading the master boot record from the boot device, which reads the partition table and loads the boot sector of the active system partition. The boot sector then loads the NT Loader (NTLDR) which reads the boot configuration file and loads critical Windows files before passing control to the Windows kernel (NTOSKRNL.EXE). The kernel initializes drivers and processes and starts the Session Manager (SMSS.EXE) to complete initialization and launch the logon process.

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Om Pal
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Windows 2003 booting process?

Windows - boot process & simple troubleshooting this is the (simplified) boot sequence for Windows NT,
2000, XP and 2003:

BIOS: performs Power On Self Test (POST)


BIOS: loads MBR from the boot device specified/selected by the BIOS

MBR: contains a small amount of code that reads the partition table, the first partition marked as active is
determined to be the system volume
MBR: loads the boot sector from the system volume

BOOT SECTOR: reads the root directory of the system volume at loads NTLDR

NTLDR: reads BOOT.INI from the system volume to determine the boot drive (presenting a menu if more
than 1 entry is defined)
NTLDR: loads and executes NTDETECT.COM from the system volume to perform BIOS hardware detection
NTLDR: loads NTOSKRNL.EXE, HAL.DLL, BOOTVID.DLL (and KDCOM.DLL for XP upwards) from the boot
(Windows) volume
NTLDR: loads \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM which becomes the system hive
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System
NTLDR: loads drivers flagged as "boot" defined in the system hive, then passes control to NTOSKRNL.EXE

NTOSKRNL.EXE: brings up the loading splash screen and initializes the kernel subsystem
NTOSKRNL.EXE: starts the boot-start drivers and then loads & starts the system-start drivers
NTOSKRNL.EXE: creates the Session Manager process (SMSS.EXE)

SMSS.EXE: runs any programs specified in BootExecute (e.g. AUTOCHK, the native API version of CHKDSK)
SMSS.EXE: processes any delayed move/rename operations from hotfixes/service packs replacing in-use
system files
SMSS.EXE: initializes the paging file(s) and the remaining registry hives
** Before this step completes, bug checks will not result in a memory dump as we need a working page file
on the boot (Windows) volume **
SMSS.EXE: starts the kernel-mode portion of the Win32 subsystem (WIN32K.SYS)
SMSS.EXE: starts the user-mode portion of the Win32 subsystem (CSRSS.EXE)
SMSS.EXE: starts WINLOGON.EXE

WINLOGON.EXE: starts the Local Security Authority (LSASS.EXE)


WINLOGON.EXE: loads the Graphical User Identification and Authentication DLL (MSGINA.DLL by default)
WINLOGON.EXE: displays the logon window
WINLOGON.EXE: starts the services controller (SERVICES.EXE)
** At this point users can logon **

SERVICES.EXE: starts all services marks as automatic

NOTES:
The SYSTEM volume is the partition from which the boot process starts, containing the MBR, boot sector,
NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM & BOOT.INI

The BOOT volume is the partition which contains the Windows folder - this can be a logical partition

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