How do I edit the boot menu / boot.ini?

Windows Vista uses a brand new bootloader that no longer uses the boot.ini file for the boot menu. This change was made to support EFI.

Windows Vista includes a command-line tool called bcdedit to edit the boot menu. For more information on this tool, read the TechNet article (external link).

The easiest way to edit the boot menu is by using a third-party tool. I recommend Vista Boot Pro (external link), which allows editing the Vista boot menu from both Windows Vista and Windows XP.

If you choose to use the bcdedit command-line tool, you will need to run it from an elevated command prompt. To do this:

  1. Click Start
  2. Type: cmd
  3. Right-click cmd when it shows up under Programs
  4. Click Run As Administrator

Why is this necessary?