Starting with Vista, BCD
replaces the settings in boot.ini. BCD is a wonderfully
descriptive acronym for Boot Configuration Data, more importantly, it gives you control of what should happen when
your Windows 8 computer starts. This page explains the boot data and how, with
care, you can edit the settings.
The first point is that we need a vehicle such as CMD or PowerShell to
run BCDEdit commands. Remember that BCD is the data store, whereas BCDEdit
is the utility for manipulating the settings.
Trap: Before
launching CMD or PowerShell ISE, remember to right-click and select, 'Run as administrator'.
The second point is that before we make boot configuration changes, let us list the settings so that we
can understand the syntax, and appreciate the scope of the configuration
data.
At the command prompt, or in PowerShell ISE type plain: bcdedit
My third point is now that you have had a look at BCDEdit, I strongly recommend you take
precautions and backup or export the original settings. Be aware this is not like
editing an ordinary text file such as boot.ini.
Tip: I prefer to use PowerShell ISE rather than
CMD to run these
commands; the reason being it's much easier to edit the commands and keep track of
changes. Remember to 'Run as administrator'.
bcdedit /export C:\GuyBCD1
Note 1: You can give the backup file an legal name, I just
incorporate 'Guy' so that I can recognise my work.
Note 2: If you need to restore this date replace -export
with -import.
Note 3: The debate rages as to whether we should use a -dash or /
backslash. Feel free to change to a backslash if you prefer.
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BCDEdit - 3rd Party Program Recommendation
The truth is that I have struggled with the built-in BCDEdit. The
good news is I have tried and tested this Visual BCD Editor for Windows 7 and 8.
With this 3rd party utility you can edit every bit of BCD. Also, it
can automatically create
Windows loaders, and even make a one click dual-boot repair.
Assuming you are able to boot normally, you can discover more about Windows 8 boot configuration
by typing: bcdedit -? Note that the
underlying executable is stored in the %systemroot%\system32 folder,
but as this location is in the Path cmd or PowerShell ISE find this file
without trouble.
I like to research the commands with: Cls BCDEdit /? Topics
bootdebug bootems
bootsequence copy create createstore dbgsettings debug
default delete deletevalue displayorder ems emssettings
enum export FORMATS hypervisorsettings ID import.
mirror set store
timeout toolsdisplayorder
PS C:\Windows\system32>
BCDEdit Commands
CLS BCDEdit /enum all /v
Part of the output from the above command.
Windows Boot Manager -------------------- Identifier: {224b0148-a08e-11da-b308-ed83a3b7e795} Type: 10100002 Device: partition=C: Path: \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi Description:
Windows Boot Manager Locale: en-US Inherit options: {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e} Boot debugger: No
Default: {6159a569-e084-11e0-bbe4-8235eea3d58f} Timeout: 30
Amongst the entries for Windows Boot Manager is:
Default:
{6159a569-e084-11e0-bbe4-8235eea3d58f} (Meaning
Windows 8)
If you wanted to change it to an XP Boot Manager
then type
You need a good reason, and a little practice, before making real changes to
the boot sequence. For this reason I would like to start with -timeout (or /timeout), it's the easiest
setting to
understand and to monitor.
-timeout
Here is an easy
change: bcdedit -timeout 20
To see the effect, re-run plain: bcdedit
-displayorder
Setting the display order only makes sense if you have more than one
operating system, in effect a dual-boot machine.
The key point when configuring -displayorder is that you can only use particular
GUIDs encased in curly brackets. The knack is to research for
GUIDs in sections starting with:
Windows Boot Loader ------------------- identifier
{6159a569-e084-11e0-bbe4-8235eea3d58f}
Tip: You can 'Mark' and copy these hex blocks at the
command-line. Click on the tiny icon at the top left of your cmd
box. Or you can use PowerShell ISE as I mentioned earlier.
Trap: The GUIDs must exist, you cannot just make
them up. Moreover they must correspond to real settings as
indicated under 'identifier'.
Example 1: -displayorder generic syntax {os1}
{os2} -displayorder {current} {6159a569-e084-11e0-bbe4-8235eea3d58f}
Example 3: Add bcdedit.exe -displayorder
{c84b751a-ff09-11d9-9e6e-0030482375e6} -addlast
I say again, you have to use your GUIDs and not mine; test by
re-running the command: bcdedit. The key point is to synchronize
with the rhythm of the syntax, -displayorder space curly bracket os1
curly bracket space curly bracket os2 curly bracket.
bcdedit -default
Here is the classic switch to control what happens after the timeout
expires.
Note 1: In the above example setting the -default in
this way changes the bcd code, as a result my computer now boots into
Windows 8.
Just to remind you that tweaking the default GUID only makes sense if
you have a multi-boot machine.
Identifying Then
Changing the Default Boot Manager
I have to say that I am not finding bcdedit easy to use. Here
is an example where you examine the setting for the default boot manager.
bcdedit
-enum all -v
Guy
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service with its 'Traps' and 'Communities'.
It may be reassuring that if your editing destroys the bcd file (as
happened to me), then with skill and a little luck it is possible to rebuild
the boot configuration data. For this you need a bootable DVD with the
Windows 8 .iso file.
Boot from the DVD. Really do 'Press any key to continue
...'
Select a language and a keyboard. Next ...
'Repair your computer' (Key step. Look down at the bottom
of your screen)
Troubleshoot
Advanced Options
Command prompt
Switch to the C:\
Optionally run this command: bcdedit /export c:\GuyBcdBak
Take a minute to remove the attribute restrictions: attrib bcd -r
-s -h
Now go for it use the BootRec utility thus: BootRec /RebuildBcd
Take out the DVD and reboot your computer, hopefully you should now
have a full set of boot options.
If you need to intercept the boot process to repair Windows 8 then press
F8 soon after you press the power button, here are options to help with a
repair:
Refresh your PC - Reload Windows 8 keep your personal documents and
photos
Reset your PC - Return to original configuration
Advanced options - System Restore, System Image Recovery, Automatic
Repair or Command Prompt
My technique is to keep the F8 key depressed, then let it up for 5
seconds, down, up for 5 seconds until I saw the boot loader screen.
BcdBoot.exe (note the boot syllable) is a built-in Windows 8 command-line tool. It has the
specialist function of copying boot files to the system partition, it also
creates a new system BCD store.
Bcdboot - Bcd boot file creation and repair tool.
The bcdboot.exe command-line tool is used to copy critical boot files to
the system partition and to create a new system BCD store.
source Specifies the location of the windows system root.
/l Specifies an optional locale parameter to use when initializing the
BCD store. The default is US English.
/s Specifies an optional volume letter parameter to designate the
target system partition where boot environment files are copied. The
default is the system partition identified by the firmware.
/v Enables verbose mode.
/m If an OS loader GUID is provided, this option merges the given
loader object with the system template to produce a bootable entry.
Otherwise, only global objects are merged.
/d Specifies that the existing default windows boot entry should be
preserved.
/f Used with the /s command, specifies the firmware type of the target
system partition. Options for <firmware> are 'UEFI', 'BIOS', or 'ALL'.
/addlast Specifies that the windows boot manager firmware entry should
be added last. The default behavior is to add it first.
bcdboot
<source> [/l <locale>] [/s <volume-letter> [/f <firmware>]] [/v] [/m [{OS
Loader ID}]] [/addlast] source Specifies the location of the windows
system root.
/l Specifies an optional locale parameter to use when
initializing the BCD store. The default is US English.
/s Specifies an
optional volume letter parameter to designate the target system partition
where boot environment files are copied. The default is the system
partition identified by the firmware.
/v Enables verbose mode.
/m
If an OS loader GUID is provided, this option merges the given loader
object with the system template to produce a bootable entry. Otherwise,
only global objects are merged.
/d Specifies that the existing default
windows boot entry should be preserved.
/f Used with the /s command,
specifies the firmware type of the target system partition. Options for
<firmware> are 'UEFI', 'BIOS', or 'ALL'.
/addlast Specifies that the
windows boot manager firmware entry should be added last. The default
behavior is to add it first.
BootCFG
Is an old command-line program that's a refugee from XP. I have yet
to find a use for BootCFG in Windows 8.
In Windows 8, BCD and bcdedit replace the boot.ini found in XP and older Windows operating systems.
The idea is to configure what happens when the computer starts-up.
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