How to enable/disable new boot menu in Windows 8

Precisely the very first thing you notice when Windows 8 starts is the new boot experience. Windows 8 comes with high-fidelity, immersive, touchable UI boot manager that gives the same experience from tablets to laptops to all-in-ones with large, high-definition screens.

I was working around Windows 8 Consumer Preview and found a new entry option bootmenupolicy in Windows 8 BCD (Boot Configuration Data) store that enables/disables old boot manager/boot menu.

windows 8 boot manager

Windows 8's high-fidelity, immersive, touchable UI boot manager

Although the old boot menu still exists and is enabled by default for Windows 8 Server Beta.

How to:

  1. Run Command Prompt as Administrator
  2. Type and execute the following command to turn off new boot menu:
  3. Bcdedit /deletevalue {current} bootmenupolicy

    Or execute it turn on new boot menu:

    Bcdedit /set {current} bootmenupolicy Standard

  4. Close Command Prompt and restart your PC to take effect.

Note: {current} is Windows boot loader’s identifier and denotes current running Windows OS in BCD store.

If your PC is running Windows 8 on multi boot system then the above trick comes in handy to prevent a subsequent restart while switching OS.

About RKonit

He is a technologist, writes code for fun and work out of his home office, and has been Microsoft MVP for 4 years, specializing in Windows and also became Microsoft .Net Rockstar.