Impossible to change Windows XP Embedded ip configuration

Question

I have this Windows XP embedded, used as video surveillance server.

I am unable to change its ip settings... Each time I change it and reboot I find the old settings.

I thought: "ok, it must be related to the video surveillance software" and decided to put in startup folder a batch file with netsh command to change the ip at every reboot.

With my surprise when I reboot this Windows XP embedded I find the EXACT operating system I tried to modify. Same old ip, my batch file deleted...

It's like - just to get the idea - that the system gets a complete restore at every boot. Maybe it's just the normal way XP embedded works...

Can I find any way to change its ip?

Answer 1

I've used Windows XP Embedded on a device before (Digital Signage device) and it writes a changes to protected memory, which is why your batch file and IP config settings are being deleted. You will need to enter the device's BIOS and disable this protection, make any nessecary changes, then re-enable the protection. This caught me out and caused me hours of confusion until I realised that this was the problem.

This is called an EWF (Enhanced Write Filter). The MSDN documentation can be found here, and a comparison between normal XP and embedded XP can be found here (.pdf). Additiondal MSDN resources can be found here.