How do I make XP the default at startup?

[n19htmare]

I installed Vista on my second hard drive to try out. Now every single time, it asks me which windows I want to start up with.
I want Windows XP to be default, I even unplugged/reformatted the hard drive Vista was on and it still asking me.

It's pissing me off, did a search and have come up empty handed. How can I get rid of this?

 

[stash]

bcdedit: http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVi...7c-b035-c2719d4af7781033.mspx?mfr=true

 

[redbeard1]

If Vista is like XP, that choice gets set in the boot.ini. The setting, if it is the same place, is found in: system properties> advanced> startup and recovery> settings> default operating system.

 

[Aberforth]

Why did you format Vista HDD? don't you know how to uninstall Vista and get rid of boot manager?? You guys blame vista for everything.

1. Boot your computer in to Windows XP.
2. Ensure you have the Vista DVD.
3. Go to ?Start? and ?Run?. Type in ?e:\boot\bootsect.exe /nt52 ALL /force? (without quotes, and replacing e: with the drive letter of your Vista DVD).
4. Restart the computer, and you will notice the boot selection menu is gone.
5. Remove two files (Boot.BAK & Bootsect.BAK) on your XP drive?s root folder (C🙂, these were backup files of your previous bootloader, now no longer useful.
6. Optional: Restart to ensure it still works.

 

[stash]

If Vista is like XP, that choice gets set in the boot.ini.

It's not, check out my link 😉

I missed the part about removing the Vista HDD though, so bcdedit is not really an option. Aberforth's instructions are good, or you should be able to boot into XP recovery mode (off the XP CD) and issue the fixboot and fixmbr commands.

 

[imported_eppenoire]

I was just writing an article on this...here is the unedited version:
http://mattkent.com/archive/2007/03/01/1.aspx

 

[Bluestealth]

Originally posted by: stash

If Vista is like XP, that choice gets set in the boot.ini.

It's not, check out my link 😉

I missed the part about removing the Vista HDD though, so bcdedit is not really an option. Aberforth's instructions are good, or you should be able to boot into XP recovery mode (off the XP CD) and issue the fixboot and fixmbr commands.

OMG I hate bcdedit... was it really required to make a boot loader so ridiculous cryptic? Anyways, its much faster to try Vista Boot Pro First, I simply installed it once, copied the program to my flash drive and can quickly work with the boot loader on any Vista system. I prefer the command line but bcdedit makes me shake my head. I don't think it was designed for humans.

 

[cubby1223]

Oh, nevermind, you don't have access to Vista anymore.