FAQ

EasyBCD Frequently Asked Questions

What is EasyBCD?

EasyBCD is NeoSmart Technologies free bootloader management and configuration tool for Windows Vista. You're now reading the EasyBCD FAQ, you can download it here, or view some screenshots here.

Do you have a Beta Version available?

It depends. This thread in the forums has available beta versions, they may or may not be more recent than the latest stable release.

What if I find a bug?

Head over to NeoSmart BugCentral.

Is EasyBCD free?

Yes. It's totally, completely, and forever 100% free. But you can donate, and we won't say no!

Does EasyBCD work on x64 versions of Windows Vista?

Of course! If it were anyone else asking that question, we'd be insulted!

Does EasyBCD work without Windows Vista?

The official answer is no. But in reality, EasyBCD doesn't actually require Windows Vista itself – just the bootloader that comes with it. You can follow these steps to install the Vista bootloader on a non-Vista machine — once that's done and working, EasyBCD should run without a problem and with no limitations.

What are EasyBCD's System Requirements?

Take a look at this page: System Requirements.

EasyBCD Corrupted my MBR!!

No it didn't. Read on.

Does EasyBCD modify my MBR or Bootsector?

Nope. EasyBCD is a very special and unique application in that it doesn't even touch your bootsector or MBR, yet it's still the most powerful bootloader on the planet! Vista installs the "BCD Bootloader" to your MBR and Bootsector. EasyBCD simply adds functionality to the BCD files on your Windows Vista installation to add features and make it a more capable bootloader. EasyBCD never touches the MBR unless you specifically ask it to, namely when attempting to fix a corrupted bootloader, switch bootloaders, or backup/restore MBR images.

Can it boot into xxxxx?

We don't really need to know what operating system it is that you're asking about, because at the moment, there's nothing that EasyBCD doesn't boot into! So yes, it can. You can check the list of all verified operating systems to make doubly sure though. Also, many operating systems are "guaranteed" supported while others have been only minimaly tested or not at all.

How much does it cost again?

Yeah, we know it's hard to believe; but EasyBCD really is just 100% free. Sometimes we too wake up in the middle of the night in a cold-sweat thinking that EasyBCD isn't free – but no worries, it is and always will be. (Donations are gladly accepted.)

How is EasyBCD different from bcdedit.exe?

Unlike the other Windows Vista bootloader editors out there, EasyBCD isn't just a pretty GUI for bcdedit.exe, the command-line BCD editor that ships with Windows Vista. EasyBCD does a lot of low-level work, processing and prepping bootsectors, copying MBRs, and dynamically reading & configuring your system settings to work with your desired boot configuration. It's a lot of work keeping all those operating systems' various bootloaders and configurations in sync!