EasyBCD
Encyclopedia
EasyBCD is a free program developed by NeoSmart Technologies to configure and tweak the Boot Configuration Data (BCD), a boot database first introduced in Windows Vista. EasyBCD can be used to set up multi-boot environments for computers on which various versions of Windows, Linux, BSD and Mac OS X can be simultaneously installed; EasyBCD can also be used to add entries to bootable tools and utilities, as well as modifying and controlling the behavior of the Windows boot menu. As of June 20, 2011 with the release of EasyBCD 2.1, it is no longer free for use in commercial environments which require the purchase of a paid license, however it remains free for home and non-profit use without limitations.
, Windows 2000
, and Windows XP
are supported by handing off the control of boot to either NTLDR
or the EasyBCD-specific EasyLDR, which bypasses NTLDR and boots directly into the OS. MS-DOS
, Windows 3.x
and Windows 9x
can be chainloaded via modified versions of IO.sys and the Windows 9x boot sector. Linux
and BSD are loaded either by handing off control of the boot process to GRUB or LILO
or by using EasyBCD's own NeoGrub module (which is based on GRUB4DOS). Mac OS X
is loaded via the Darwin bootloader. Other operating systems are also supported by means of chainloading their specific loader environments.
configure the bootloader.
From the "Manage Bootloader" section of EasyBCD, it is possible to switch between the Windows Vista and Windows XP bootloaders in the MBR (BOOTMGR and NTLDR, respectively) from within Windows by simply clicking a button. EasyBCD also offers a feature to back up and restore the BCD (boot configuration data) configuration files for recovery and testing purposes.
In the "Diagnostics Center," it is possible to reset a corrupt BCD storage and automatically create the necessary entries for the current operating system, as well as search for and replace missing/corrupt boot files. This latter feature can be taken advantage of to install the Windows Vista BCD bootloader.
EasyBCD can be used to change the boot drive, rename or change the order of any entries in the bootloader, and modify existing entries to point to a different drive.
Newer versions of EasyBCD also support creating bootable USB disks, by deploying BOOTMGR and the BCD onto a removable disk and performing the necessary actions to make the drive bootable, after which it can be loaded into EasyBCD to add and remove the various supported entry types in order to create bootable repair USB sticks.
EasyBCD also supports changing the boot partition/drive that PC boots from, changing the default boot entry, re-ordering menu entries, and modifying the timeout behavior of the boot menu.
Depending on the version of Windows being added in EasyBCD, certain other options may be available. These include enabling support for unsigned drivers on 64-bit Windows installations, booting into the various flavors of safe mode, limiting to Windows to a certain amount/number of memory or CPU cores, verbose boot logging, and enabling/disabling of both PAE and DEP/NoExecute.
As of version 2.0, EasyBCD uses a new method for booting into Windows NT/2000/XP that does not use NTLDR in order to avoid a two-level boot menu (the BCD boot menu followed by the NTLDR/BOOT.INI boot menu for cases where multiple legacy NT operating systems are installed). Instead, EasyBCD uses a boot-time helper developed by NeoSmart Technologies called EasyLDR, which replaces NTLDR and bypasses boot.ini entirely, directly loading the operating system in question without showing the user a second selection menu.
are supported under a separate module in EasyBCD. EasyBCD can boot into two different Windows PE 2.0 systems:
EasyBCD supports booting into WinPE 2.0/3.0 WIM images stored on any local partition by providing the path to the WIM file. It automatically re-configures the BCD to add support for the WIM format. It can also boot into a Windows PE filesystem extracted to the root of a mounted drive letter.
by one of two means:
The traditional chainloading method creates an image of the GRUB/LILO
bootsector on the local disk and loads this image during boot-time in order to chainload the second bootloader which should already be configured to boot into Linux or BSD. EasyBCD has profiles for and officially supports the chainloading of GRUB (Legacy), GRUB2, LILO, eLILO, and Wubi (for Ubuntu).
EasyBCD also ships with NeoGrub, a customized build of Grub for Dos, which can be configured by editing C:\NST\menu.lst with the standard Legacy GRUB syntax for directly booting into the needed Linux or BSD partitions, or chainloading another bootloader to load the OS in question.
team. This module works in tandem with the BTX bootloader to support booting into BSD systems in both BIOS (MBR) and UEFI (GPT) environments, and the PC-BSD setup wizard has been developed with this capability and module of EasyBCD in mind.
setups, and can currently be used with either MBR or EFI configurations.
EasyBCD can create entries that boot into hard disk images (both VHD and raw disk image formats), ISO images, WinPE 2.0 and 3.0 WIM files, floppy disk images, and BIOS extenders.
Supported Operating Systems
EasyBCD runs on Windows modifies the Windows Boot Configuration Data (BCD) to add support for other operating systems. Windows NTWindows NT
Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix. It was intended to complement...
, Windows 2000
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...
, and Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
are supported by handing off the control of boot to either NTLDR
NTLDR
NTLDR is the boot loader for all releases of Windows NT operating system up to and including Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. NTLDR is typically run from the primary hard disk drive, but it can also run from portable storage devices such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, or floppy disk...
or the EasyBCD-specific EasyLDR, which bypasses NTLDR and boots directly into the OS. MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
, Windows 3.x
Windows 3.x
Windows 3.x can refer to either an individual or all of the following versions of Microsoft Windows:*Windows 3.0*Windows 3.1x*Windows 3.2...
and Windows 9x
Windows 9x
Windows 9x is a generic term referring to a series of Microsoft Windows computer operating systems produced since 1995, which were based on the original and later modified Windows 95 kernel...
can be chainloaded via modified versions of IO.sys and the Windows 9x boot sector. Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
and BSD are loaded either by handing off control of the boot process to GRUB or LILO
Lilo
Lilo may refer to:People* Lilo , a French actress and singer, the leading lady in the Broadway production of Can-Can* Lilo, nickname of Carmine Galante, American mobster* lilo, nickname of Rob Levin, founder of the freenode IRC network...
or by using EasyBCD's own NeoGrub module (which is based on GRUB4DOS). Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
is loaded via the Darwin bootloader. Other operating systems are also supported by means of chainloading their specific loader environments.
Bootloader Configuration
EasyBCD has a number of bootloader-related features that can be used to repair andconfigure the bootloader.
From the "Manage Bootloader" section of EasyBCD, it is possible to switch between the Windows Vista and Windows XP bootloaders in the MBR (BOOTMGR and NTLDR, respectively) from within Windows by simply clicking a button. EasyBCD also offers a feature to back up and restore the BCD (boot configuration data) configuration files for recovery and testing purposes.
In the "Diagnostics Center," it is possible to reset a corrupt BCD storage and automatically create the necessary entries for the current operating system, as well as search for and replace missing/corrupt boot files. This latter feature can be taken advantage of to install the Windows Vista BCD bootloader.
EasyBCD can be used to change the boot drive, rename or change the order of any entries in the bootloader, and modify existing entries to point to a different drive.
Newer versions of EasyBCD also support creating bootable USB disks, by deploying BOOTMGR and the BCD onto a removable disk and performing the necessary actions to make the drive bootable, after which it can be loaded into EasyBCD to add and remove the various supported entry types in order to create bootable repair USB sticks.
EasyBCD also supports changing the boot partition/drive that PC boots from, changing the default boot entry, re-ordering menu entries, and modifying the timeout behavior of the boot menu.
Windows
EasyBCD supports a number of different Windows entries, and can be used to install and configure the following:- MS-DOS 6.x
- Windows 95-ME
- Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
- Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
- Windows 7
- Windows 8
Depending on the version of Windows being added in EasyBCD, certain other options may be available. These include enabling support for unsigned drivers on 64-bit Windows installations, booting into the various flavors of safe mode, limiting to Windows to a certain amount/number of memory or CPU cores, verbose boot logging, and enabling/disabling of both PAE and DEP/NoExecute.
As of version 2.0, EasyBCD uses a new method for booting into Windows NT/2000/XP that does not use NTLDR in order to avoid a two-level boot menu (the BCD boot menu followed by the NTLDR/BOOT.INI boot menu for cases where multiple legacy NT operating systems are installed). Instead, EasyBCD uses a boot-time helper developed by NeoSmart Technologies called EasyLDR, which replaces NTLDR and bypasses boot.ini entirely, directly loading the operating system in question without showing the user a second selection menu.
Windows PE
Windows PE 2.0 and 3.0Windows Preinstallation Environment
Windows Preinstallation Environment is a lightweight version of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 R2 that is used for the deployment of workstations and servers...
are supported under a separate module in EasyBCD. EasyBCD can boot into two different Windows PE 2.0 systems:
- Compressed Windows PE WIM images
- Windows PE partitions
EasyBCD supports booting into WinPE 2.0/3.0 WIM images stored on any local partition by providing the path to the WIM file. It automatically re-configures the BCD to add support for the WIM format. It can also boot into a Windows PE filesystem extracted to the root of a mounted drive letter.
Linux
EasyBCD can boot into LinuxLinux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
by one of two means:
- Chainloading GRUB/GRUB2/LILO/etc.
- NeoGrub
The traditional chainloading method creates an image of the GRUB/LILO
Lilo
Lilo may refer to:People* Lilo , a French actress and singer, the leading lady in the Broadway production of Can-Can* Lilo, nickname of Carmine Galante, American mobster* lilo, nickname of Rob Levin, founder of the freenode IRC network...
bootsector on the local disk and loads this image during boot-time in order to chainload the second bootloader which should already be configured to boot into Linux or BSD. EasyBCD has profiles for and officially supports the chainloading of GRUB (Legacy), GRUB2, LILO, eLILO, and Wubi (for Ubuntu).
EasyBCD also ships with NeoGrub, a customized build of Grub for Dos, which can be configured by editing C:\NST\menu.lst with the standard Legacy GRUB syntax for directly booting into the needed Linux or BSD partitions, or chainloading another bootloader to load the OS in question.
BSD
As of version 2.1.1, EasyBCD contains a module specifically tailored for booting into BSD-based operating systems which was developed in cooperation with the PC-BSDPC-BSD
PC-BSD is a Unix-like, desktop-oriented operating system based on FreeBSD. It aims to be easy to install by using a graphical installation program, and easy and ready-to-use immediately by providing KDE SC as the pre-installed graphical user interface. PC-BSD provides official binary nVidia and...
team. This module works in tandem with the BTX bootloader to support booting into BSD systems in both BIOS (MBR) and UEFI (GPT) environments, and the PC-BSD setup wizard has been developed with this capability and module of EasyBCD in mind.
Mac OS X
EasyBCD can chainload the Mac OS X Darwin bootloader in order to boot into OS X on another partition or physical disk. It doesn't require that Darwin be installed to the bootsector of the OS X partition. This facilitates multi-boot installation in OSX86OSx86
OSx86 is a collaborative hacking project to run the Mac OS X computer operating system on non-Apple personal computers with x86 architecture and x86-64 compatible processors...
setups, and can currently be used with either MBR or EFI configurations.
Removable Devices
In conjunction with EasyBCD's ability to create bootable USB drives, it also has the option of creating portable entries that can be used on the normal PC bootloader or more practically on bootable external media.EasyBCD can create entries that boot into hard disk images (both VHD and raw disk image formats), ISO images, WinPE 2.0 and 3.0 WIM files, floppy disk images, and BIOS extenders.