Solved How do I remove leftover entries from the Win 8 bootmenu?

Dark Rider

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I have installed a couple of Linux distros a copy of XP etc that have been removed from the system. The entries are still left showing up in the bootmenu. How do I delete these unwanted entries?

Note, currently I have Zorin 8 installed dual booting with Windows so it's grub's boot loader that shows up first. This is fine with me and the way I prefer it. On choosing to go to my windows bootmenu I then get the bootmenu screen with all the unwanted entries.

If I am not mistaken, I should be able to delete these entries so when choosing to boot Windows, the system then should boot right into windows without giving me that extra windows bootmenu screen ( because it's not needed - there will be no other choices in that menu to choose from)

How can I do this? Thanks (BTW, I don't want to use a 3rd party tool like BCDEdit)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 64 bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion G7-2251dx
    CPU
    AMD A-8 4500M
    Memory
    8 Gigabytes DDR3 sdram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Discrete ATI Radeon HD 7640G with 2 Gigs
    Sound Card
    IDT Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900
    Hard Drives
    500 gig
    Internet Speed
    3.5 mb/sec
Windows key + R. type msconfig and press Enter.
Click on the Boot tab.
Select the entries you want to remove and click the Delete button.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.0 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satelite C55D-A Laptop
    CPU
    AMD EI 1200
    Memory
    4 gb DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Raedon 340 MB dedicated Ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built in
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    640 GB (spinner) Sata II
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Touch pad
[DEL]MIles, he said I don't want to use a 3rd party tool like BCDEdit.[/DEL]

BCDEdit is part of Windows. EasyBCD is the 3rd party GUI that uses BCDEdit.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
MIles, he said I don't want to use a 3rd party tool like BCDEdit.
Since Bcdedit.exe is not a third party tool, that suggestion is the best to remove the entry from a Windows boot menu.

Maybe the OP is thinking of EasyBCD.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Grown
    CPU
    i7 3770K
    Motherboard
    ASUS P8Z77 -v Pro, Z87-Expert
    Memory
    16 G
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX 680 Classified (2)
    Hard Drives
    Kingston SSD 240 GB
MIles, he said I don't want to use a 3rd party tool like BCDEdit.
Since Bcdedit.exe is not a third party tool, that suggestion is the best to remove the entry from a Windows boot menu.

Maybe the OP is thinking of EasyBCD.

Ah.. By George you're right.. i was thinking of EasyBCD.. sorry..

I'll have a look at windows built in bcdedit.exe - Choosing Boot from Msconfig does Not show the entries that it shows in the bootmenu, it only shows the one Windows default.

Edit:

I can only pull up bcdedit.exe with a command prompt running in administrator mode but cant seem to "use" it - It doesn't seem to have instructions or a help file like many command prompt programs do - this app needs a real Graphical User Interface. I'll have to look up how to use this tool from the command prompt.

Edit# 2

I did not want to use EasyBCD because I have had problems with it in the past. That app is said to be just a Graphical User Interface for bcdedit.exe but it is Not - it is more than that with functions that can get you into trouble having it's settings manager not play right with Windows built in BCD.

Looking at the instructions for bcdedit confused me even more so I went looking for a Graphical User Interface and lo and behold I did manage to find a straight Only Graphical User Interface called Visual BCD Editor and it worked perfectly to remove my unwanted entries.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 64 bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion G7-2251dx
    CPU
    AMD A-8 4500M
    Memory
    8 Gigabytes DDR3 sdram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Discrete ATI Radeon HD 7640G with 2 Gigs
    Sound Card
    IDT Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900
    Hard Drives
    500 gig
    Internet Speed
    3.5 mb/sec
It needs a gui?

That is what easybcd is, LOL.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    7/8/ubuntu/Linux Deepin
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Miles, sorry for the wrong response. I was also thinking of EasyBCD.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
MIles, he said I don't want to use a 3rd party tool like BCDEdit.
Since Bcdedit.exe is not a third party tool, that suggestion is the best to remove the entry from a Windows boot menu.

Maybe the OP is thinking of EasyBCD.
What suggested by Ztruker is perfectly right and easy. Deleting entries from the Boot tab effectively remove the entries in BCD.
@Ztruker, +1 4 U

Again folks.. you cannot trust the Boot tab from MsConfig - I used Visual BCD Editor to remove 4 unwanted entries - MsConfig's boot tab did not list any of these entries.

Check my Edit #2 in my post above. EasyBCD is not just a straight Only Graphical User Interface. The way it works can conflict with and mess up your BCD.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 64 bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion G7-2251dx
    CPU
    AMD A-8 4500M
    Memory
    8 Gigabytes DDR3 sdram
    Graphics Card(s)
    Discrete ATI Radeon HD 7640G with 2 Gigs
    Sound Card
    IDT Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17.3
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900
    Hard Drives
    500 gig
    Internet Speed
    3.5 mb/sec
Miles, sorry for the wrong response. I was also thinking of EasyBCD.

After I read the instructions for bcdedit.exe I thought your suggestion of msconfig looked like the simpler method. bcdedit seems a bit on the confusing side. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.0 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satelite C55D-A Laptop
    CPU
    AMD EI 1200
    Memory
    4 gb DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Raedon 340 MB dedicated Ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built in
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    640 GB (spinner) Sata II
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Touch pad
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