boot - Since EasyBCD is no more free as beer, what can I use instead?

07
2014-07
  • mlvljr

    Is there an easy-to-use and reliable alternative?

  • Answers
  • Dave Rook

    The EasyBCD only costs for a commercial license.

  • Canadian Luke

    The built in BCDEDIT does a great job, as long as you read the help that follows along with it


  • Related Question

    windows 7 - Remove XP from XP/W7 dual boot (move boot manager)
  • J F

    Given this BCDEDIT table:

    Windows Boot Manager
    --------------------
    identifier              {bootmgr}
    device                  partition=Y:
    description             Windows Boot Manager
    locale                  en-US
    inherit                 {globalsettings}
    default                 {current}
    resumeobject            {3e25c382-bae5-11de-a75b-e7fc07f62dc4}
    displayorder            {ntldr}
                            {current}
    toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
    timeout                 0
    
    Windows Legacy OS Loader
    ------------------------
    identifier              {ntldr}
    device                  partition=Y:
    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        {3e25c384-bae5-11de-a75b-e7fc07f62dc4}
    recoveryenabled         Yes
    osdevice                partition=C:
    systemroot              \Windows
    resumeobject            {3e25c382-bae5-11de-a75b-e7fc07f62dc4}
    nx                      OptIn
    

    What should I do to remove the XP installation on Y: and completely remove that partition's dependency on booting, move the boot manager to C: and mark C: active (System) so I can boot from it?

    The "guides" I've found are a bit contradictory and some use bcdedit, some use bcdboot and some a manual thing with bootrec /fixmbr + bootrec /fixboot triage.


    I am going to answer this myself somewhat.

    I ended up doing this:

    • copied Y:\Boot\* to C:\Boot. Some files could not be copied. I expected this, and the next step should take care of it.

    • exported system store

    bcdedit /export C:\Boot\BCD
    • changed Windows Boot Manager location
    bcdedit /store C:\Boot\BCD /set {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795} device partition=C:
    • changed Windows Memory Tester location
    bcdedit /store C:\Boot\BCD /set {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d} device partition=C:
    • changed Windows Legacy OS Loader location
    bcdedit /store C:\Boot\BCD /set {466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c} device partition=C:
    • updated master boot code
    Windows_7_DVD:\BOOT\BOOTSECT /NT60 C: /FORCE
    • changed the active partition
    DISKPART
      select disk 0
      select partition 1
      active
    

    However, it didn't work anyway. I had to do a repair because "BOOTMGR is missing". I believe I should have also copied bootmgr from Y: to C:, but I'm not sure if that was all I missed.

    I'm still curious if this is a really bass-ackwards way of doing this process, and I would very much want to know where I went wrong.

    Thanks for all the contributions.


  • Related Answers
  • Community

    If you install EasyBCD it gives you a nice user interface to editing the BCD.

    Get it here . It's free too.

  • WARICK

    the best thing to do is first to log into the account u want to remove then take the necesssary backup from that drive (My Doc, My Pic, My Fav, etc etc.)

    then restart and log into the other O.S. then select the drive in which the other O.S. to be removed is installed Right click and format

    then restart

    u will notice that the boot option still exists

    for that log into the existing o.s. go to RUN on the start menu else type "Windows + R"

    a small screen comes up now write "msconfig"

    there seleact the BOOT tab Make the current os as default and delete the other one.

    now if asked select not to show the warning again. Restart

    there u go the un wanted os has been safely removed..............

    Enjoy ............!!!!!!!!!!!! WARICK

  • NT.

    Right click on My Computer>Properties>Advanced>Startup & Recovery>First remove the row which includes XP,then format the disk which includes XP.It should be OK.