OS and Software > Microsoft Help > Windows 7 boot manager editing questions

Windows 7 boot manager editing questions

Running command prompt as administrator (AT YOUR OWN RISK)...

BCDEDIT - Boot Configuration Data Store Editor

The Bcdedit.exe command-line tool modifies the boot configuration data store.
The boot configuration data store contains boot configuration parameters and
controls how the operating system is booted. These parameters were previously
in the Boot.ini file (in BIOS-based operating systems) or in the nonvolatile
RAM entries (in Extensible Firmware Interface-based operating systems). You can
use Bcdedit.exe to add, delete, edit, and append entries in the boot
configuration data store.

For detailed command and option information, type bcdedit.exe /? . For
example, to display detailed information about the /createstore command, type:

bcdedit.exe /? /createstore

For an alphabetical list of topics in this help file, run "bcdedit /? TOPICS".

Commands that operate on a store
================================
/createstore Creates a new and empty boot configuration data store.
/export Exports the contents of the system store to a file. This file
can be used later to restore the state of the system store.
/import Restores the state of the system store using a backup file
created with the /export command.
/sysstore Sets the system store device (only affects EFI systems, does
not persist across reboots, and is only used in cases where
the system store device is ambiguous).

Commands that operate on entries in a store
===========================================
/copy Makes copies of entries in the store.
/create Creates new entries in the store.
/delete Deletes entries from the store.
/mirror Creates mirror of entries in the store.

Run bcdedit /? ID for information about identifiers used by these commands.

Commands that operate on entry options
======================================
/deletevalue Deletes entry options from the store.
/set Sets entry option values in the store.

Run bcdedit /? TYPES for a list of datatypes used by these commands.
Run bcdedit /? FORMATS for a list of valid data formats.

Commands that control output
============================
/enum Lists entries in the store.
/v Command-line option that displays entry identifiers in full,
rather than using names for well-known identifiers.
Use /v by itself as a command to display entry identifiers
in full for the ACTIVE type.

Running "bcdedit" by itself is equivalent to running "bcdedit /enum ACTIVE".

Commands that control the boot manager
======================================
/bootsequence Sets the one-time boot sequence for the boot manager.
/default Sets the default entry that the boot manager will use.
/displayorder Sets the order in which the boot manager displays the
multiboot menu.
/timeout Sets the boot manager time-out value.
/toolsdisplayorder Sets the order in which the boot manager displays
the tools menu.

Commands that control Emergency Management Services for a boot application
=================================================
/bootems Enables or disables Emergency Management Services
for a boot application.
/ems Enables or disables Emergency Management Services for an
operating system entry.
/emssettings Sets the global Emergency Management Services parameters.

Command that control debugging
==============================
/bootdebug Enables or disables boot debugging for a boot application.
/dbgsettings Sets the global debugger parameters.
/debug Enables or disables kernel debugging for an operating system
entry.
/hypervisorsettings Sets the hypervisor parameters.

reply to pandora
you can change default boot OS by right clicking my computer, and selecting properties. then on the left, advanced system settings. click advanced, then settings under startup and recovery. you can also change the duration of the boot manager there.

changing the name, see above post by a4nic8er

reply to a4nic8er
I use the run window, and can't launch command, but can launch cmd. When in the cmd window, I get "Access is denied." from bcdedit.exe
--
"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use."

Start Menu > All Programs > Accessories > (right-click & "Run as administrator") Command prompt
(AT YOUR OWN RISK)
--
If laughter can be contagious, why do we never hear of any mirth epidemics?

Thanks, it appears my cmd window now has sufficient authority.

At the same time, I'm not sure how to change the name of say my Windows 64 boot manager entry.

This command looks dangerous, in that a mistake could require me to re-install both my operating systems.

The output of my command looks like this -

bcdedit /enum

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {96a7ebcf-df97-11dd-8f0a-85d9328ede29}
displayorder {current}
{96a7ebcc-df97-11dd-8f0a-85d9328ede29}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 7

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {96a7ebd1-df97-11dd-8f0a-85d9328ede29}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {96a7ebcf-df97-11dd-8f0a-85d9328ede29}
nx OptIn

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {96a7ebcc-df97-11dd-8f0a-85d9328ede29}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {96a7ebcd-df97-11dd-8f0a-85d9328ede29}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {96a7ebcb-df97-11dd-8f0a-85d9328ede29}
nx OptIn
--
"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use."

reply to pandora
In Vista, I used a program called Easy BCDEdit. It is basically a gui for the commands above. For me, it is a little easier to navigate. I haven't tried it in Win 7. When I installed Win 7 on my machine, I booted back into Vista 64-bit and ran the program to edit the entries names and to set the default.

reply to pandora
You can use the /export command to create a backup file of the current system store contents.

For info on the /export command, type...

bcdedit /? /export
 

bcdedit /export C:\BCDbak
bcdedit /export C:\"BCD bak"
 

bcdedit /import C:\"BCD bak" 
bcdedit /import C:\BCDbak /clean
 

bcdedit /enum /v
 

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e}
default {07cf7f58-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
displayorder {466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c}
{07cf7f58-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
timeout 30

Windows Legacy OS Loader
------------------------
identifier {466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
path \ntldr
description Earlier Version of Windows

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {07cf7f58-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {6efb52bf-1766-41db-a6b3-0ee5eff72bd7}
recoverysequence {07cf7f59-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
nx OptIn

bcdedit
 

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
displayorder {ntldr}
{current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30

Windows Legacy OS Loader
------------------------
identifier {ntldr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
path \ntldr
description Earlier Version of Windows

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {07cf7f59-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
nx OptIn

bcdedit /set {current} description "Windows 7 Ultimate X64 beta"
 

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
displayorder {ntldr}
{current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30

Windows Legacy OS Loader
------------------------
identifier {ntldr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
path \ntldr
description Earlier Version of Windows

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7 Ultimate X64 beta
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {07cf7f59-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
nx OptIn

reply to randavis
randavis is correct...this is the easy way to do it...and
there are others besides easybcd...so do it the hard way or the easy way...your choice...LOL

go here:

»neosmart.net/dl.php?id=1

Good Luck

reply to a4nic8er
It worked, thanks so much!

I tried to change the name on the second boot to indicate it was the 32 bit version of Windows 7, but it didn't take.

I'm still happy to just have a distinction between the two boot options.

Overall, the 64 bit seems to be doing better than I expected. My concern was the extra address space for 64 bits vs 32 would limit system performance in a 2 GB PC. There is no significant performance hit and my 32 bit stuff runs fine.

Thanks again for your help!
--
"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use."

reply to pandora
Thank-you a4nic8er!

I was looking for this and am more comfortable with command line entries than installing third-party software to edit vital info for my OS.

Now my "Older version of Windows" has its proper name.

reply to pandora
Now I have a problem with bcdedit When I try to run it (as administrator) it says that it can't open it because it can't find the specified file.

What I want to do is boot both XP and Win7 from GRUB rather than using GRUB and the Windows Boot Manager. When I boot from GRUB into WinXP it brings up the Boot Manager and I can boot into Win7 from there.

But when I try to boot from GRUB to Win7, it doesn't find the OS.

XP has only XP listed in the OS list. Win7 has no OSes listed in the OS list.

Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Thanks!

reply to pandora
Thanks guys!

Very helpful. Exactly what I was looking for