easybcd v2.4 multiboot select fails

V

vernonls

Member
I have xpPro64 installed on drive "C", Windows7Pro installed on drive "E" and Windows10Pro64 installed on drive "X". When I first set this up it booted to a graphical screen that allowed me to select any of the operating systems as the destination and Windows10 was set as the default. It all worked beautifully except that when I wanted to use Windows7, the computer had to go through the whole boot process twice before my Windows7 login screen came up. Since I am still mostly using Windows7, I wanted it to boot to Windows7 as the default. So, I changed the default boot system to be Windows7. Then, it booted to a text based screen that displayed XP, W7 and W10 as selections, however, the arrow keys and the tab keys would only move to the Windows7 selection so I could not select one of the other operating systems. I changed the default back to Windows10 and now it boots to the graphical screen again with the default being W10.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there some easy fix that will allow W7 as the default, yet allow me to select W10 or XP should I wish to do so?

thanks,
vern
 
Terry60 said:
I dual-boot W7/W10 with W7 as default using the Windows 7 non-gui bootmgr screen and it works perfectly.
What happens when you use the up/down arrows ?
(regarding the behaviour you describe in your 3rd line above, read
Windows 8 (or 10) boot problems ? Please read this before posting
for an explanation (and fix if you desire))
Click to expand...
Thanks. I did read the w8/w10 boot problems, but that does not seem to be the case for me. It makes no difference whether I shut down from Windows 7 or Windows10. fwiw, I checked in the Windows7 power menu and the power button is set to shut down (not hibernate). Attached are two screen shots of the easybcd entries.

In reply to your question, when I use the up/down arrows, the highlighted system jumps around briefly but goes right back to W7 only, not allowing me to select W10 or Wxp. The only way I have been able to fix this is to continue the boot process into W7, change the easybcd entry to select W10 as the default and then reboot.

I can post screen shots of the easybcd boot screens, but it will take a bit as I obviously have to shut off, take a picture of the boot process with easybcd set to boot with W10 as the default and then change easybcd to boot with W7 set as the default. All of that will take a bit.

Thanks and I appreciate easybcd as a great and free tool and also those who try to help here.

verneasybcd2.jpgeasybcd1.jpg
 
Ok, if it is helpful, I have attached pictures of the two different boot screens. On the DOS looking boot screen, I can move the cursor to Windows7 or Troubleshooting, but not to Wxp or W10. It just jumps over these selections. easybcd5.JPGeasybcd3.JPG
 
With regard to the link I gave you. There's no point looking in the W7 power settings. The problem is in the design of W10 (and W8 where it began) which pretends it's shutting down when in fact it's secretly hibernating (nothing to do with you choosing hibernate)
You need to follow the instructions to turn off "fast start", (in W10) otherwise choosing W7 from the boot menu after you've been using W10 will always result in that cycling through the boot process for the reason explained in the link.
As regards your main problem, that's a complete mystery.
I see from your 1st photo that the clock is running. The first action when you touch up/down arrows is to stop the clock.
That's how I have a 2 second timer ensuring that my normal W7 boot (99%) completes without waiting around before defaulting, whilst still giving me time to jump in for the 1% when I need to override the default and start W10 (for the monthly patches - I never actually use it)
As long as I tap the down arrow whilst waiting for the menu screen; as soon as it presents, the clock stops and I can take as long as I want to select W10 and hit enter.
Does your clock stop when you hit the down arrow ?
Do you ever use the arrows at any other time ?
The reason I ask is because I can't understand what happens except for the possibility that your keyboard is faulty if you get no response to the down arrow.
I'm also at a loss as to why you see the recovery console as an option.
I just see the entries from "view settings" W7 and W10.
Do you have other entries not visible in overview mode ? (click the "detailed mode" button)
Note, there is no clock. This screen just sat there while I went and got a camera
20181222_023925.jpg

If you have a spare keyboard, give it a try.
Otherwise, have you tried ticking "Use Metro Boot Manager" to use W7 default through the GUI version ?
 
I checked to see what happens with the clock when I am at the DOS type screen and yes, the clock stops the moment I use an arrow key to move the highlighted entry. Hmm, I don't know what the "Metro Manager" is? I will try a spare keyboard, but I don't think that is the problem as I never have a problem with keys when I am typing. I am using a Dell USB keyboard. This is a Dell T7500 with dual Xeon processors and 24 GB of RAM.

I don't think the Windows10 power settings have anything to do with the inability to select a system at the DOS type screen as I have just shut down (power off) from Windows 7. I will try a old keyboard with a mini-DIN connector instead of the usb connector to see if that makes a difference.

thanks for your continuing help.

vern
 
vernonls said:
except that when I wanted to use Windows7, the computer had to go through the whole boot process twice before my Windows7 login screen came up
Click to expand...
This is the part of your OP for which I referred you the W10 link, nothing to do with your inability to select a line on the boot menu.
Metro is the original name of the Blue GUI. (I believe MS stopped calling it that when someone else claimed copyright to the name)
 
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