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After installing Win7 32 bit and Win7 64 bit on 2 different partitions of the same computer, both show up as Windows 7 on the boot menu. So if I have 1 desktop and 1 notebook, I will have to remember which computer's top Windows 7 is the 32 bit and which one is 64 bit.

Is the way to change the wording by modifying boot.ini using Notepad like before? Is there a better way to do it?

To change the boot listing order, is that by the same way?

To change the default OS to boot, I think it is to use msconfig (type that in the box after clicking on the Start / Win7 icon on task bar). Any other methods? thanks.

nonopolarity
  • 9,886

2 Answers2

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Use EasyBCD.

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It will let you determine the boot order with a GUI, which helps a ton if you don't really know what the .ini files are about.

Furthermore, it gives you the opportunity to backup your current boot order, so if you mess up (as in delete the wrong entries) you can easily restore.

Note: messing with your boot order can do serious damage to your system!

Gareth
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djhowell
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There is no longer a boot.ini that you could carefully edit to rename boot configurations or add boot parameters. It's now in a special store, and you have to use tools other than notepad to modify it.

If you don't want a third party tool, use the built-in bcdedit.

  1. open an "Admin-enabled" command prompt.
  2. run bcdedit
  3. in the list that is displayed find the GUID identifier that corresponds to the partition where the 64 bit OS is installed. copy it into the clipboard.

  4. run (putting your GUID between the curly braces):

    bcdedit /set {abcdefg-4567-8912-1234-YourGUIDHERE} description "Windows 7 x64"

  5. repeat for the 32 bit install (no need to boot into it).

  6. More Questions?

DanO
  • 2,826