Time out wont stick

B

Boriqua

Member
I have been using Easy BCD for a while and its a great program. I have run into a problem I cant figure out.

I am using Easy bcd 2.0.2. I am dual booting 64 bit Vista Home and Windows xp. This setup was working fine.

Starting last week the boot options go past to fast for me to make a selection between the operating systems. I see the menu flash by as if the timeout were set to 1 second. I have it set to 10.

I have reset the BCD and added my entries, I have changed the timeout to several times to several different time periods but still the boot menu option .. it just flashes by faster than I can react. I see the choice between vista and xp but dont have time to click it.

If I tap F8 as it is loading I come to the menu that lets me decide what media to start from. if i select my hard drive the boot process works as it did before and the next screen has the option to boot from xp or vista and stays on the screen for the amount specified in the Timeout.

Any thoughts?


Default: Microsoft Vista
Timeout: 20 seconds
EasyBCD Boot Device: C:\

Entry #1
Name: Microsoft Vista
BCD ID: {current}
Drive: C:\
Bootloader Path: \Windows\system32\winload.exe

Entry #2
Name: Microsoft Windows XP
BCD ID: {0d4b6840-2fa0-11e0-a5bc-00248c5e52e9}
Drive: C:\
Bootloader Path: \NST\ntldr


Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}
device boot
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e}
default {0d4b683e-2fa0-11e0-a5bc-00248c5e52e9}
resumeobject {1f8184a2-14de-11df-9734-f08c6d8c50b0}
displayorder {0d4b683e-2fa0-11e0-a5bc-00248c5e52e9}
{0d4b6840-2fa0-11e0-a5bc-00248c5e52e9}
toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
timeout 20
resume No
displaybootmenu Yes

Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {0d4b683e-2fa0-11e0-a5bc-00248c5e52e9}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Microsoft Vista
locale en-US
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {368a78e5-2fa0-11e0-ae33-806e6f6e6963}

Real-mode Boot Sector
---------------------
identifier {0d4b6840-2fa0-11e0-a5bc-00248c5e52e9}
device partition=C:
path \NST\ntldr
description Microsoft Windows XP
 
There's the possibility that you're editing a different store than the one Windows is booting from... If you add or remove an entry in EasyBCD, do you see it at boot time?
 
I see both the Vista and XP boot options. I reset and loaded the vista (default) entry . I restarted and Vista showed up in boot menu as it flashed by. I then added the xp and it showed up in the boot menu but it just races by the part of the boot sequence that allows you to choose between the two operating systems.
Alex
 
Any chance that you've somehow managed to get 2 BCDs on the system and the one you keep changing isn't the one being used to boot the OS ?
You don't need to "click" an option within the timeout limit. You can hit the keyboard down arrow, and that will freeze the clock and give you all the time you need to make a selection.
If that helps you get in, try setting the names in the "edit menu" tab to something that will confirm that you're in the same BCD when you freeze that menu.

Addendum:

Sorry about the duplication. I somehow missed that CG had already replied !
The tip about the down arrow still applies though.
 
Last edited:
OK, this is a very silly suggestion, but what happens if you reboot with all USB and input devices unplugged?

I ask because what you're describing is something very weird!

When you say you "reset and loaded" do you mean you actually did EasyBCD -> "Reset BCD Store" or do you mean just that you deleted it and re-created it?
 
In BCD "Backup/repair" I hit Reset BCD Configuration and then added Vista. Restarted and then added XP. Both show up but they just fly by without letting me select.

Terry .. I should have been more clear .. my fault .. In normal operation when my boot was working I would get a message that said "to continue press any key"

I would hit enter. Then I would come on the screen which gave me the option to choose XP or Vista. I used the arrow key to move between them and hit enter and the one I selected would start up. Right now .. I dont get the time. I see the screen with the option but it is as fast as a blink and then loads the default. I cant select either.

I just renamed "windows xp" to "test XP" and I can see "test XP" as the menu flashes by.

and like I said .. If I tap F8 I do get the 20 seconds to select which operating system to boot into.

Weird.

Alex
 
That's weird. I don't know where that "press any key" comes from. There shouldn't be anything except the BIOS splash before you see the bootmgr menu, and the BIOS splash doesn't wait. It needs to be interrupted if you want to communicate with it, same as bootmgr.
Are you using some 3rd party boot manager ?
 
What was the last change you made before this started, and do you have a restore point going back that far ?
Can you post a screenshot of your Disk Management (instructions in the sticky if needed)
 
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