Master Boot Record - Reduce Countdown Duration

Hi,

I recently installed Windows 7 Ultimate x64 on an SSD, such that it is now dual booting with another hard drive with Windows 7.

All I want to do is reduce the countdown size on the duel boot loader such that it is only 1s, instead of the default 20s.

Is there a way to do that? My research has not turned anything up.

Cheers

How about:

Control panel/system/advanced system settings/startup and recovery settings/ and then adjusting "time to display list of operating systems"??

The countdown value is contained in BOOT.INI on your "active" partition. But it's a "hidden" file (attribute H) and not normally shown in Windows Explorer.

You have to change your Tools -> Folder Options -> View tab, to check the "show hidden files, folders, and drives" in order to see it.

However it is also a "system" file (attribute S) and not normally eligible for editing. So you have to use some program capable of altering attributes to temporarily turn off that H attribute. You could even turn off both S and H at the same time, if you didn't want to change the "show hidden files" folder View option.

Anyway, if you eventually get it open with Notepad you can edit it, and save it. Then you can restore the S and H attributes, and you're in business.




Just don't screw up the editing. Probably a good idea to create a restore point before you do this, just in case.

ignatzatsonic said:

How about:

Control panel/system/advanced system settings/startup and recovery settings/ and then adjusting "time to display list of operating systems"??

Didn't know about that!! I've been using EasyBCD forever.

It can also be done with EasyBCD (if you have that installed to manage the boot manager menu). Just push the "edit boot menu" button to get the following, and change that "boot default OS after..." time value:

Thanks guys.

ignatzatsonic's suggestion worked a treat.
I did not even know about EasyBCD. I'll have to check it out.

Thanks again!