The noexecute switch can come in four different flavors. /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN Optin enables Data Execution Prevention for core system images and those specified in the DEP configuration dialog. Optin enables DEP only for operating system components, including the Windows kernel and drivers. Administrators can enable DEP on selected executable files. Easy Recovery Essentials for Windows – our repair and recovery disk. It’s an easy-to-use and automated diagnostics disk. It’s available for Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista. It’s also available for Windows XP and Windows Server. Read more at Windows Recovery Disks.
-->This section is a practical guide to editing the boot options on a computer running Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, or Windows 7 or later. It suggests a step-by-step procedure for customizing the basic elements of boot options.
This section describes a method of using BCDEdit, a tool included with the operating system. For information about BCDEdit command syntax, type bcdedit /? or bcdedit /? TOPICS in a Command Prompt window. See BCDEdit Options Reference for more information.
Note
Before setting BCDEdit options you might need to disable or suspend BitLocker and Secure Boot on the computer.
For help on editing boot entry parameters to enable and disable Windows features, see Using Boot Parameters.
To configure operating system features in boot options:
Add a new boot entry for the operating system by copying an existing boot entry from the same operating system.
Change the friendly name of the newly created boot entry so that you can identify it in the boot menu.
Add parameters to the boot entry that enable and configure Windows features.
Then, to make testing quicker and easier:
Make the new boot entry the default entry.
Change the boot menu time-out. You can shorten the boot menu time-out so that Windows boots quickly. Or, lengthen the boot menu time-out so that you have ample time to select the preferred boot entry.
Caution
Administrative privileges are required to use BCDEdit to modify BCD. Changing some boot entry options using the BCDEdit /set command could render your computer inoperable. As an alternative, use the System Configuration utility (MSConfig.exe) to change boot settings.
This guide explains how to use the BCDEdit (bcdedit.exe) utility for the following Windows versions: Vista, 7, 8, 8.1or10
BCDEdit is the command-line utility that you can use to manage BCD stores on your computer. BCDEdit works similarly to Bootcfg.exe available on Windows XP systems, but with more options available and various improvements.
Contents
You must be logged-in as an Administrator in order to use BCDEdit.
Always create a backup of your current BCD file before using the utility with the help of the /export
parameter:
To open bcdedit, you need to:
When you type bcdedit
in Command Prompt, the output is your computer’s current BCD configuration:
Windows XP doesn’t have a bcdedit.exe utility available, but the bootcfg.exe utility instead. Bootcfg.exe is part of the Windows XP’s Recovery Console.
To read about bootcfg, follow our guide: Bootcfg – Guide for Windows XP.
To run bcdedit.exe on a Windows Vista system, you have these options available:
If you have the Windows Vista installation DVD, follow these steps:
Windows Vista System Recovery Options
If you have the “Repair Your Computer” option available, you can access Command Prompt from there:
If you use Easy Recovery Essentials Command-line:
To download Easy Recovery Essentials, click here.
The options to run bcdedit.exe on Windows 7 systems are similar to those of Windows Vista.
If you have the Windows 7 installation DVD available, follow these steps:
If you have the “Repair Your Computer” available at “Advanced Boot Options” (most Windows 7 systems have these recovery tools installed), follow these steps:
Advanced Boot Options on Windows 7
If you use Easy Recovery Essentials Command-line:
To download Easy Recovery Essentials, click here.
On Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 systems, you need to have the original installation media (DVD or USB drive) in order to access Command Prompt.
If you have the installation media, follow these steps:
Troubleshoot in Windows 8 recovery options screen
If you use Easy Recovery Essentials Command-line:
To download Easy Recovery Essentials, click here.
On Windows 10 systems, you need to have the original installation media (DVD or USB drive) in order to access Command Prompt.
If you have the installation media, follow these steps:
If you use Easy Recovery Essentials Command-line:
To download Easy Recovery Essentials, click here.
For the complete list of commands and parameters you can use with BCDEdit, type:
Whenever you are using this utility to modify a BCD store, make use use of these parameters:
/createstore
to create a new empty boot configuration data (BCD) store./export
to export the current configuration of the BCD store./import
to import a previously exported configuration file./create
to create a new entry in the BCD store./delete
to delete an entry from the BCD store./deletevalue
to delete a specified value./set
to set a new value./default
to specify the default entry./timeout
to specify the timeout at startup value.For example, to create a new entry in the BCD file to load Windows XP, run these commands:
Read more at Windows Recovery Disks.
This Windows-related knowledgebase article applies to the following operating systems: