Managing Windows Server 2008 Boot Configuration

Boot.ini really was the last of Microsoft's .ini files.  In Windows Server 2008, Boot.ini is superseded by BCD (Boot configuration data). Boot Configuration Data is a wonderfully descriptive expression, more importantly, it gives you control of what should happen when a Windows Server 8 computer starts. 

The BCD editor is not notepad, but a command-line program called BCDEDIT.

Difficulty Getting Started with BCDEdit

At the beginning I found it frustrating when I tried to set, or even change boot settings with BCDEdit.  My aim on this page is to provide you with strategies and detailed examples, as a result, you will soon learn how to editor the menu which appears when Windows Server 2008 boots.  Incidentally, the same techniques work with Vista.

Scenario:  We want to inspect, and then change the Windows Server 2008's boot options.  For example, reduce the timeout, or display an option to boot into a second operating system on a dual-boot machine.

Example 1 - Plain bcdedit

Trap: Before launching the command prompt, right click CMD and select, RunAs, administrator. 

Let us get started with plain: bcdedit

Here is the BCD code:

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------

identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=C:
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {default}
displayorder {current}
{3b1cb4c9-5398-11dd-88aa-a0b620d5ce11}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 7

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Microsoft Windows Server 2008
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {default}
nx OptOut

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {3b1cb4c9-5398-11dd-88aa-a0b620d5ce11}
device partition=D:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Microsoft Windows Vista
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
osdevice partition=D:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {3b1cb4ca-5398-11dd-88aa-a0b620d5ce11}
nx OptIn

Note 1:  Observe three sections of BCD code, one for the boot manager itself, followed by sections for the operating systems, in this instance Windows Server 2008 and Vista.

Note 2:  You could also append the verbose switch /v.  The advantage is that you can now see the GUID of the default identifier.

Guy Thomas is a computer consultant and writer with attitude and a great sense of humor.