Change default boot on dual-boot system?

Number of posts: 6 Registration date: 2009-02-09

Hi,

I am running Vista Ultimate, but have installed W7 on a separate partition, (separate hard disk, actually) and now have a choice when booting, to choose W7 or Vista.

However, the default is W7, which will boot up if the PC is unattended.

Is there a way to change this, to make Vista the default?

Thanks,
Smile

Mike

Number of posts: 376 Registration date: 2008-10-14 Location: Birmingham UK

This is for XP, but should be similar to Vista.

Control Panel > System > Advanced > Startup and Recovery > Settings.
Then in the drop-down box chose which OS you want as the default boot option.

Another option you could use/try is to install this tiny program called "EasyBCD" - Vista bootloader.
This will also give you the option of chosing which OS to boot into, plus you can also alter the time it takes when displaying the choice of boot options.
(However, I know this works for XP & Vista duel boot as I use it myself, but not sure with regards to Windows7" but still worth trying.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/EasyBCD.shtml

_________________
If it ain't broke.
Don't fix it.

Number of posts: 6 Registration date: 2009-02-09

Thanks for the info.

cheers,
Smile

Mike

Number of posts: 376 Registration date: 2008-10-14 Location: Birmingham UK

Your welcome, I have since read that EasyBCD does also work with Windows7.
hope it works out for you.

_________________
If it ain't broke.
Don't fix it.

Number of posts: 6 Registration date: 2009-02-09

Thanks,

I found that changing the settings as described above worked ok, haven't yet decided to try EasyBCD... Afraid I might stuff up something that (kinda) works.

cheers
Smile

Mike

Number of posts: 376 Registration date: 2008-10-14 Location: Birmingham UK

The main advantage I found with EasyBCD was not having to wait 10/15 seconds each time my PC re-booted as I had changed it to 3 seconds.

PS.
Just a note on Dual Booting.
You "will" find that you lose your System Restore points in Vista each time you boot into Windows7 or visa versa (or XP etc). So do not rely on system restore, regard it as "if it's there, then good" if not HELP.
So a disc imagining program such a Norton Ghost etc is recommended for backing-up your HDD's

_________________
If it ain't broke.
Don't fix it.

Number of posts: 6 Registration date: 2009-02-09

Hmmm... Thanks for that... :/

I did install the program, on my W7 partition, it worked a treat, (deleted a "dead" entry from a previous installation) and the "iReboot" feature alone is worth the price of admission. Smile

Might just give these guys a donation...

cheers,
Smile

Mike

Number of posts: 376 Registration date: 2008-10-14 Location: Birmingham UK

Thanks for the update.
Glad to hear you can install it on the Windows7 drive and not just the Vista drive.

_________________
If it ain't broke.
Don't fix it.

Number of posts: 6 Registration date: 2009-02-09

Funny you should say that.

iReboot (and everything else) works just fine on the W7 drive, but then WON'T install on the Vista drive.

One or the other, it seems.

Pity, 'cause I like the iReboot feature.

Oh well...
Mike

Number of posts: 376 Registration date: 2008-10-14 Location: Birmingham UK

idealist wrote:

Funny you should say that.

iReboot (and everything else) works just fine on the W7 drive, but then WON'T install on the Vista drive.

One or the other, it seems.

Yes, funny you should say that.

I also had the same or similar problem with trying to install on both drives. (XP & Vista)
So I removed the installation on XP and kept the Vista install and everything works fine.

Although it works, I don't think iReboot is that brilliant, as all it does is to boot into the chosen drive but it's just as quick to do a normal re-boot and select the opposite drive during the boot sequence with the up/down cursor on the keyboard.

***************************
Possibly just a word of caution!
At some point during my ~~first attempt at changing my dual boot, booting sequence~~ playing around, somehow I got to a point where "in my case Vista" would not boot at all until after carrying out a Vista repair by inserting the Vista disc, re-booting and selecting the "Repair" option, although it sounds quite dramatic, it's not, and only takes about 3 minutes.
All it does is to repair the MBR (Master Boot Record).

I don't really know.
But the problem was "possibly" caused with attempting to install EasyBCD on two HDD's at the same time.

_________________
If it ain't broke.
Don't fix it.

Number of posts: 6 Registration date: 2009-02-09

Sounds fair enough.

Looks like you can only install it on one drive at a time. As you say, it's no big deal to just select the OS you want at boot time.

At least EasyBCD allowed me to (very easily) delete a redundant boot entry, (I had replaced the W7 hard disk with another) and change the boot default to Vista.

Happy with that... Smile

Mike