Windows 8 BCDEdit – Boot Configuration

Edit Windows 8 BCD (Boot Configuration Data)

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.

Understanding the Boot Configuration Settings

• Getting Started with Windows 8 BCDEdit
• Windows 8 BCDEdit Switches
• Editing Your Windows 8 BCD Settings
• Windows 8 BCDBoot – Boot File Repair Tool
• See More on Windows 8 Boot

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What You Can Do with BCDEdit

• Change the default boot settings on multiboot computers.
• Adjust the timeout.
• Alter the descriptions of boot menu items.

Getting Started with Windows 8 BCDEdit

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

Urgent, Important – Backup 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’.

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.

• Free BCDEdit here

Windows 8 BCDEdit Switches

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

BCDEdit Commands

CLS
BCDEdit /enum all /v

Part of the output from the above command.

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

bcdedit /default {466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c}  (Meaning XP)

To be fair to Windows 8, perhaps it’s because I am not familiar with these hex numbers that I have difficulty getting in tune with bcdedit.

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SolarWinds’ Config Generator is a free tool, which puts you in charge of controlling changes to network routers and other SNMP devices.  Boost your network performance by activating network device features you’ve already paid for.

Guy says that for newbies the biggest benefit of this free tool is that it will provide the impetus for you to learn more about configuring the SNMP service with its ‘Traps’ and ‘Communities’. Try Config Generator now – it’s free!

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Editing Your Windows 8 BCD Settings

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 2:
-displayorder {3b1cb4c9-5398-11dd-88aa-a0b620d5ce11} {9f25ee7a-e7b7-11db-94b5-f7e662935912}

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.

bcdedit -default {GUID}

bcdedit -default {3b1cb4c9-5398-11dd-88aa-a0b620d5ce11}

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

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Here is a free tool to troubleshoot network connection and latency problems.  Key concept: this is a free tool from SolarWinds that analyzes network packets captured by Wireshark (also a free tool).

When you inspect the data in the Response Time Dashboard, if you hover over an application such as Teredo or TCP, then you get an orange box showing a breakdown of network and application response times, note the 'Peak value' in addition to the 'Average'.

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If All Else Fails – BootRec /RebuildBcd

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.

• See more bcdedit examples from Windows Server 2008
• Vista BCDEdit
• Microsoft’s information on BCDEdit

Check the New Windows 8 Boot Loader Menu

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.

Windows 8 BCDBoot – Bcd Boot File Creation and Repair Tool

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.

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.

See more bcdedit examples here

Summary of Windows 8 BCDEdit Boot Configuration

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.

Microsoft Windows 8 Boot Topics

• Windows 8 Overview  • Windows 8 BCDEdit  • Windows 8 Dual Boot  • Windows 8 Bootable USB Drive

• New Features Windows 8  • Windows 8 Uninstall  • Windows 8 Install & Boot  • Free Wake-on-Lan Tool

• Windows 8 MSConfig Startup  • Windows 8 Event Viewer  • Windows 8 Boot  • Windows 8 MinWin