Startup Options - Enable or Disable in Windows 8

How to Enable or Disable New Startup Options Boot Menu in Windows 8 and 8.1

information   Information
This will show you how to enable or disable the new Startup Options GUI boot menu in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.

If disabled, you will see the old Windows Boot Manager screen like in Windows 7 and Vista at boot instead.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this tutorial.

Note   Note

  • You will only see the new Windows 8 Startup Options GUI boot menu if you either multi-boot Windows 8 with another OS (ex: Windows 7 or Vista) with Windows 8 set as the default OS to run at startup, added Safe Mode to the Windows Boot Manager, use the Startup Options menu shortcut inside Windows 8, or boot from your Windows 8 installation media (ex: DVD/USB).
  • If you dual boot Windows 8 with another OS (ex: Windows 7 or Vista), and the other OS (ex: Windows 7 or Vista) is set as the default OS to run at startup, then you will not see the new Windows 8 Startup Options GUI boot menu. Instead, you will only see the old Windows Boot Manager screen.
  • If you added Safe Mode to the Windows Boot Manager and Safe Mode is set as the default OS to run at startup, then you will not see the new Windows 8 Startup Options GUI boot menu. Instead, you will only see the old Windows Boot Manager screen.
  • This tutorial does not affect the Startup Options screen if opened using your Windows 8 installation media (ex: DVD/USB), or the Startup Options menu shortcut inside Windows 8.
  • If you have fast startup (hybrid shutdown) turned on and do a hybrid shutdown from the Power menu, then you will still get the Windows 8 Startup Options GUI boot menu at boot no matter if you have set Windows 8 Startup Options GUI boot menu to be enable or disabled in this tutorial.
  • If you disable the Windows 8 Startup Options GUI boot menu, then it will only not show at boot when you do a full shutdown or restart of the computer.
  • If you disable the Windows 8 Startup Options GUI boot menu, then you will be able to press F8 at boot to boot to the Advanced Boot Options screen.


EXAMPLE: Windows 8 "Startup Options" GUI Boot Menu Enable or Disabled
Standard.jpgOLD.jpg




Here's How:

1. Open an elevated command prompt or a command prompt at boot.

2. In the command prompt, type bcdedit, and press Enter.

3. From under a Windows Boot Loader section, look for the description that has Windows 8 listed, and make note of it's identifier number (ex: {current} (in Windows 8) or {default} (at boot) ) . (see screenshots under step 5 or 6 below)

4. Do either step 5 or 6 below for what you would like to do.

5. To Enable the Newer Windows 8 "Startup Options" GUI Boot Menu
NOTE: This is the default setting.

A) In the command prompt, type the command below and press Enter.​
NOTE: Substitute identifier number in the command below with your actual Windows 8 identifier number from step 3.​
bcdedit /set {identifier number} bootmenupolicy Standard
For example:​
I would type this command below exactly since my Windows 8 identifier number is {current}.​
bcdedit /set {current} bootmenupolicy Standard
Enable.jpg
B) Close the command prompt, and go to step 7.​

6. To Disable the Windows 8 "Startup Options" GUI Boot Menu to have the old "Windows Boot Manager" Screen Instead
A) In the command prompt, type either command below and press Enter.​
NOTE: Substitute identifier number in the command below with your actual Windows 8 identifier number from step 3.​
bcdedit /set {identifier number} bootmenupolicy Legacy
OR
bcdedit /deletevalue {identifier number} bootmenupolicy
For example:​
I would type either command below exactly since my Windows 8 identifier number is {current}.​
bcdedit /set {current} bootmenupolicy Legacy
OR
bcdedit /deletevalue {current} bootmenupolicy
Disable.jpg

B) Close the command prompt, and go to step 7.​

7. If you like, restart the computer to see the change.



That's it,
Shawn


 

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Last edited by a moderator:
I don't remember changing Windows 7, but it is possible - it hasn't be used seriously since installing Windows 8.
DiskLayout.JPG
 
That looks like that could be why.

Boot to Windows 7 (64), and change it to standard using bcdedit to see how it does.

Is Windows 8.1 still set as your default OS to run at startup? If not, it would need to be.
 
Last edited:
Windows 7 gives me an error "element data type not recognized" for "bootmenupolicy". Windows 8 (not 8.1 - Dell says the Inspiron 1750 is not compatible) is set to default boot.
 
Are you able to delete the bootmenupolicy entry in Windows 7?

If not, then post what it gives you in the command prompt when trying.
 
"bootmenupolicy" is not present:

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
integrityservices Enable
default {default}
resumeobject {997d486f-5f67-11e2-9198-d65a11bae4cc}
displayorder {default}
{current}
{b2e1dcfc-4ef4-11e2-ae77-f18f0e217593}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30
displaybootmenu Yes

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {default}
device partition=D:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 8 64
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {997d4871-5f67-11e2-9198-d65a11bae4cc}
integrityservices Enable
recoveryenabled Yes
custom:17000077 352321653
osdevice partition=D:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {997d486f-5f67-11e2-9198-d65a11bae4cc}
nx OptIn
custom:250000c2 1
debug No

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7 64
locale en-US
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {55d24cd2-4f5b-11e2-b3d9-806e6f6e6963}
custom:250000c2 0

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {b2e1dcfc-4ef4-11e2-ae77-f18f0e217593}
device partition=E:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Emergency 7 64
locale en-US
osdevice partition=E:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {92129852-4edc-11e2-8b2d-806e6f6e6963}
 
Last edited:
Go ahead and boot back to Windows 8, and post your bcdedit results from within it again.
 
Booted to Windows 8 and used the partition ID and changed the policy for Windows 7 to standard and it didn't make any difference - still get legacy boot menu.
 
You read my mind.

Double check the items in the blue note box at the top of the tutorial to see if there may be anything we missed.
 
I check hybrid shutdown and advanced options and it looks like it is all covered. One thing I noticed is that the UEFI option in Advanced Options was not present.
 
You wouldn't have a UEFI option unless your motherboard has a UEFI firmware chip instead of legacy BIOS.

If you haven't already, you might see if doing a system restore using a restore point dated before it stopped may restore it.
 
Not yet fully tested: Turned the computer off and went to bed. Got up this morning and it booted into standard. It may well be that the computer must be turned off rather than just restarted. Don't know that I want to mess with it since it is working, but if I do, I will get back. Thanks for the help...
 
Strange - I have a gadget with a shut down button and if I use that button, the PC boots up in Legacy. If I press the power off button it boots up in Standard. Boot option is set to Legacy.

Code:
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c %windir%\System32\shutdown.exe -s -t 00
 
Odd. Go ahead and post back with results from another BCDEDIT command to see what it shows. :)
 
Code:
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier              {bootmgr}
device                  partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {globalsettings}
integrityservices       Enable
default                 {current}
resumeobject            {997d486f-5f67-11e2-9198-d65a11bae4cc}
displayorder            {current}
                        {b2e1dcfd-4ef4-11e2-ae77-f18f0e217593}
                        {b2e1dcfc-4ef4-11e2-ae77-f18f0e217593}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 30
displaybootmenu         Yes

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {current}
device                  partition=C:
path                    \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description             Windows 8 64
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence        {997d4871-5f67-11e2-9198-d65a11bae4cc}
integrityservices       Enable
recoveryenabled         Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=C:
systemroot              \Windows
resumeobject            {997d486f-5f67-11e2-9198-d65a11bae4cc}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Legacy
debug                   No

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {b2e1dcfd-4ef4-11e2-ae77-f18f0e217593}
device                  partition=D:
path                    \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description             Windows 7 64
locale                  en-US
osdevice                partition=D:
systemroot              \Windows
resumeobject            {55d24cd2-4f5b-11e2-b3d9-806e6f6e6963}

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {b2e1dcfc-4ef4-11e2-ae77-f18f0e217593}
device                  partition=E:
path                    \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description             Emergency 7 64
locale                  en-US
osdevice                partition=E:
systemroot              \Windows
resumeobject            {92129852-4edc-11e2-8b2d-806e6f6e6963}
 
Interesting. I must admit that I'm not sure why is does that. Nothing in your bcdedit other than it set to legacy for Windows 8 x64.

The command from the gadget is nothing more than to instantly shut down the computer.
 
Evidently the physical input and software input are not the same entry point. It also adds to the confusion of UEFI vs non-UEFI. :confused:
 
The answer is "hybrid". I knew the power off button was set to hybrid so I added it to the shutdown command and got Standard on reboot. I had noticed that pressing the power button was taking a long time for the PC to actually turn off even though the display was blacked out.
 
I want to enable the standard blue GUI boot selector. I have a Windows 8.1 partition and a Windows 10 preview partition. Here's my bcdedit setup:
nPOoiMg.png
As you can see, both Windows bootmenupolicy options are set to standard, yet I always get the legacy boot manager screen upon startup.
 
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