BCD System Store Settings for UEFI

For a typical deployment scenario, you do not need to modify the BCD store. This topic discusses the various BCD settings in the BCD store that you can modify. On UEFI systems, this includes settings for the following boot applications:

The following sections describe the available settings for each of these boot applications in detail and how to modify each application for UEFI systems.

For simplicity, the BCDEdit examples in this section modify the BCD system store. To modify another store, such as a copy of the BCD-template, include the store name in the command line.

Windows Boot Manager Settings for UEFI

Windows Boot Manager ( ) manages the boot process. UEFI-based systems contain a firmware boot manager, Bootmgfw.efi, that loads an EFI application that is based on variables that are stored in NVRAM.

The BCD settings for the device and path elements in Windows Boot Manager indicate the firmware boot manager. The template that is named BCD-template for Windows includes the following settings for Windows Boot Manager.

Device Setting

The device element specifies the volume that contains Windows Boot Manager. For UEFI systems, the device element for Windows Boot Manager is set to the system partition volume letter. To determine the correct volume letter, use the Diskpart tool to view the disk partitions. The following example assumes that the system has a single hard drive that has multiple partitions, including a system partition that has been assigned a drive letter of S.

The following Diskpart commands select disk 0 and then list the details of the volumes on that disk, including their drive letters. It shows volume 2 as the system partition.

If the system partition does not have an assigned drive letter, assign one by using the Diskpart assign command. The following example assumes that the system partition is volume 2 and assigns it S as the drive letter.

After you have determined the system partition volume, set the device element for Windows Boot Manager to the corresponding drive letter. The following example sets device to drive S.

Path Setting

The path element specifies the location of the Windows Boot Manager application on that volume. For UEFI systems, path indicates the firmware boot manager, whose path is \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\Bootmgfw.efi.

You can confirm that BCD-template has the correct path by enumerating the values in the store, as follows:

To explicitly set path to \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\Bootmgfw.efi, use the following command.

Other Settings

You should set Windows Boot Manager to be the first item in the display order of the UEFI firmware, as shown in the following example.

You should also specify the topmost Windows boot loader application in the Windows Boot Manager display order. The following example shows how to put a specified Windows boot loader at the top of the display order.

In the preceding example, is the identifier for the specified Windows boot loader object. The next section discusses this identifier in greater detail.

NoteВ В A multiboot system that has multiple installed operating systems has multiple instances of the Windows boot loader. Each instance of the Windows boot loader has its own identifier. You can set the default Windows boot loader ( ) to any of these identifiers.

Windows Boot Loader Settings

A BCD store has at least one instance, and optionally multiple instances, of the Windows boot loader. A separate BCD object represents each instance. Each instance loads one of the installed versions of Windows that has a configuration that the object’s elements have specified. Each Windows boot loader object has its own identifier, and the object’s device and path settings indicate the correct partition and boot application.

BCD-template for Windows has a single Windows boot loader object that has the following settings.

The identifier for this Windows boot loader is <9f25ee7a-e7b7-11db-94b5-f7e662935912>. You can use this GUID on your system or let the BCDEdit tool generate a new GUID for you.

To simplify BCDEdit commands, you can specify one of the Windows boot loaders in the BCD system store as the default loader. You can then use the standard identifier ( ) in place of the full GUID.The following example specifies the Windows boot loader for EFI as the default boot loader, assuming that it uses the identifier GUID from BCD-template.

Device and OSDevice Settings

The following elements specify key locations:

The device element specifies the partition that contains the boot application.

The osdevice element specifies the partition that contains the system root.

For the Windows boot loader for EFI, both elements are usually set to the drive letter of the Windows system partition. However, if BitLocker is enabled or a computer has multiple installed versions of Windows, osdevice and device might be set to different partitions.BCD-template sets both elements to drive C, which is the typical value. You can also explicitly set the osdevice and device values, as shown in the following example. The example also assumes that you have specified the Windows boot loader for EFI as the default boot-loader object.

Path Setting

The path element of a Windows boot loader specifies the location of the boot loader on that volume. For UEFI systems, path indicates the Windows boot loader for EFI, whose path is \Windows\System32\Winload.efi.

You can confirm that BCD-template has the correct path value by enumerating the values in the store. You can also explicitly set the path value, as shown in the following example.

Windows Memory Tester Settings

The Windows memory tester ( ) runs memory diagnostics at boot time. The BCD settings for the application’s device and path elements indicate the correct application.

NoteВ В Note: Intel Itanium computers do not include a Windows memory tester and do not require settings.

BCD-template for Windows has the following settings.

Device Setting

For UEFI systems, the device element for the Windows memory tester is set to the system partition drive letter. The following example assumes that the system partition is drive S, as used in earlier examples.

Path Setting

The path element specifies the location of Windows Test Manager on the volume that the device element has specified. For UEFI systems, path indicates the EFI version of the application (\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\Memtest.efi).

You can confirm that BCD-template has the correct path value by enumerating the values in the store. You can also use the BCDEdit tool to explicitly set the path value, as shown in the following example.

Set Windows 10 As Default OS When In Dual Boot With Ubuntu

Last Updated on April 2, 2019 by admin 2 Comments

Plenty of computer users install Ubuntu in dual boot with Windows 10. If you install Ubuntu after installing Windows 10, Ubuntu will be your default operating system.

When Ubuntu is set as the default operating system, the GRUB boot loader gives you ten seconds to select Windows 10 (or the Windows Boot Manager) and boot into Windows 10 instead of the default Ubuntu. Selecting Windows 10 each time you turn on the PC becomes an annoyance if you use Windows 10 more often than Ubuntu.

Like everything else, you can change the default GRUB configuration to set Windows 10 as the default operating system.

Method 1 of 2

Make Windows 10 default OS from Windows 10

If you would like to make changes to GRUB from Ubuntu, refer to the directions in Method 2 (scroll down to see).

Step 1: First of all, get Grub2Win software from this official page. Extract the zip file and run the setup file.

Step 2: The setup file will start downloading all the files required to install the software.

Step 3: Next, select a target partition (we recommend the “C”). Click the Setup button to proceed.

Step 4: When you get the following screen, wait for Grub2Win complete the setup. Once done, click the Return To The Setup Menu button.

Step 5: Click the Close The Setup Program button to close the setup window.

Step 6: Launch Grub2Win. Click Set EFI Firmware Boot Order button.

Step 7: Use the arrow icons next to Windows 10 or Windows Boot Manager entry to move the Windows 10/Windows Boot Manager entry to the top of the list and make it as the default operating system.

Finally, click the Apply updates button to set Windows 10 as the default OS.

Method 2 of 2

Make Windows 10 default OS from Ubuntu

Step 1: On your Ubuntu, you need to install a software called Grub Customizer. To install Grub Customizer, run the following commands at the Terminal window:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:danielrichter2007/grub-customizer

Press Enter key.

When you are asked to enter the password, please do so and then hit the Enter key.

Press Enter key again when you asked to do so.

Step 2: Next, run this command:

sudo apt-get update

Press Enter key.

Step 3: Now, run this command:

sudo apt-get install grub-customizer

Hit Enter key.

When you get the following “Do you want to continue?” message, press the “Y” key to continue.

Step 4: Launch Grub Customizer using the search. Enter the account password, if asked.

Step 5: Select Windows 10 or Windows Boot Manager from the list and then use the arrow keys to move the entry to the top of the list. That is, Windows 10 or Windows Boot Manager should be the first in the list.

Click the Save button to save the changes. That’s it! When you restart your computer, you will see that Windows 10 (Windows Boot Manager) is the default operating system.

Change Default Operating System In Boot Menu In Windows 10

With Windows 8, Microsoft made changes to the boot experience. The simple text-based boot loader is now disabled by default and in its place, there is a touch-friendly graphical user interface with icons and text. Windows 10 has this as well.

In a dual boot configuration, the modern boot loader shows a list of all installed operating systems. After the specified timeout, if the user has not touched the keyboard, the default operating system will be started. You might want to change the boot entry which is used by default. Let’s see how it should be done.

Change Default OS In Boot Menu Using Startup Options

To change the default operating system in the boot menu in Windows 10, do the following.

1. In the boot loader menu, click the link Change defaults or choose other options at the bottom of the screen.
2. On the next page, click Choose a default operating system.
3. On the next page, select the OS you want to set as the default boot entry.

Tip: You can boot Windows 10 into Advanced Startup Options, and pick the item Use another operating system. See the following screenshots.

The same can be done with the built-in console utility «bcdedit».

Change Default OS In Boot Menu Using Bcdedit

Open an elevated command prompt and type the following command:

This will show the list of available boot entries, as follows.

Copy the value of the identifier line and execute the next command.

Replace the portion with the required value. For example,

Change Default OS In Boot Menu Using System Properties

The classic System Properties applet can be used to change the default OS in the boot menu.

Press Win + R keys together on the keyboard. The Run dialog will appear on the screen. Type the following into the text box and press Enter:

Advanced System Properties will open. Press the Settings button in the Startup and Recovery section on the Advanced tab.

Select the desired item from the Default operating systems drop down list:

Change Default OS In Boot Menu With MSCONFIG

Finally, you can use the built-in msconfig tool to change the boot timeout. Press Win + R and type msconfig in the Run box.

On the boot tab, select the desired entry in the list and click the button Set as default.

Click the Apply and OK buttons and you are done.

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About Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer from Russia who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.