Vista Tutorial - Boot Partition - Default

**Brink** · **METHOD ONE:**

How to Change the Default Boot Partition Settings in Vista

Information

This will show you how to select or change which operating system (OS) you would like to load as the default at startup when you dual boot with multiple operating systems. You will also see how to turn on or off and adjust how much time to display the operating system selection during boot up.

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Windows Boot Manager

METHOD ONE:
Through Startup and Recovery Options

1. Open the Control Panel (Classic View).
A) Click on the System icon.

B) Go to step 3.

OR

2. Open the Start Menu.
A) Right Click on Computer and click Properties.

3. Click on the Click to Play button in the video below.

4. To Change the Default Operating System to Start Up -
A) Click on the OS to highlight it. (See frame 5 in video)

B) Click on the Set as default button.

5. To Change the Amount of Time to Display the List of Operating Systems at Boot -
NOTE: Also known as the Windows Boot Manager.
A) Uncheck the Time to Display the List of Operating Systems at Boot box to turn off the display list at boot up. (See frame 4 in video)

B) Uncheck and Check the Time to Display the List of Operating Systems at Boot box to reset to the default time of 30 seconds.

C) Check the Time to Display the List of Operating Systems at Boot box to adjust the time you want to display the list.
NOTE: Typing 0 (number) will effectively remove the OS choice at boot. The default time is 30.

6. To Change the Amount of Time to Display the Recovery Options When Needed -
A) Uncheck the Time to Display the Recovery Options When Needed box to turn off the display of options at boot up. (See frame 4 in video)

B) Uncheck and Check the Time to Display the Recovery Options When Needed box to reset to the default time of 30 seconds.

C) Check the Time to Display the Recovery Options When Needed box to adjust the time you want to display options.

7. Click OK. (See frame 6 in video)

8. Click OK. (See frame 7 in video)

METHOD TWO:
Through System Configuration

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type msconfig and press Enter.

3. If prompted, click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

4. Click on the Boot tab. (See screenshot below)

5. To Change the Default Operating System to Boot to -
A) Click on the OS to highlight it. (See screenshot above)

B) Click on the Set as default button.

C) Go to step 8.

6. To Change the Amount of Time to Display the List of Operating Systems at Boot -
A) In the Timeout field, enter a number between 3 and 999 seconds you want to have to make a OS choice at boot up. (See screenshot below step 4)

B) Check the Make all boot settings permanent box. (See screenshot below step 4)

C) Click Yes to confirm.

D) Click on the Restart button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you do not see this box, then you have checked the Don't show this message again box at some earlier time before. Be sure to restart the computer to apply the changes anyway. To restore this Restart box, see: How to Restore the System Configuration Restart Prompt in Vista
WARNING: This will restart the computer immediately. Make sure you save and close anything open you do not want to lose.

E) If the OS selection wait time is to short or long, then just repeat these steps and make the time changes.

7. To Delete a Operating System from the Boot List -
NOTE: Vista will not let you delete the OS that is set as the Current OS; Default OS. You will need to change it to another OS listed first in step 5.
A) Click on the OS you want to remove from the boot list to highlight it. (See screenshot below step 4)

B) Click on the Delete button.

8. Click OK. (See screenshot below step 4)

That's it,
Shawn

**toml_12953** · 01-28-2008

I don't get it. How does opening Control Panel in Classic mode change the boot partition? Are there steps missing?

**z3r010** · 01-28-2008

Did you click Play when the video loaded?

**Brink** · 01-28-2008

Hi toml 12953,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

You would click on Classic View in the upper left corner of the Control Panel to see the icons instead of links.

There are 8 frames in the video. Be sure to click on Click to Play on the video after it loads. You may need to reclick it if it did not play properly.

Shawn

bennys · 08-13-2008

Hello!
I have two questions:
1. Can I unchecked the Time to Display the List of Operating Systems at Boot box so it will be 0 second AND do the msconfig method at the same time too? If yes, must they be set at the same amount of seconds and what is the minimum #?
2. Since I was in this msconfig mode, I wandered to the startup option, this is my startup screenshot:

Is there any program in this startup that I can disable to speed up without hindering my comp use?
Thanks.

**Brink** · 08-13-2008

Hi Bennys,

Your attached image seems to be not working.

Setting this setting in either location will change it in both locations. There is no need to do it in both of them. Setting it to 0 is the same as unchecking it from either location.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

bennys · 08-13-2008

second try:

**Brink** · 08-14-2008

Sorry, but no.

See if you are using this method to upload and attach them to the post.

Vista Forums - FAQ: Reading and Posting Messages