In a previously NT-based Windows system, Windows uses NTLDR as the boot loader to boot the system-the so-called boot loader, a small program that is executed before the operating system kernel is run, through which the system initializes hardware devices, Set up the map of memory space and so on, put the software and hardware environment of the system into a suitable state, prepare the correct environment for the final call to the operating system kernel. -During startup, Ntldr uses the Boot.ini file to determine which operating system options to display during boot/boot, and our settings for startup options can be implemented by modifying the corresponding content in the Boot.ini file.
In Windows Vista, Microsoft introduced a new boot loader architecture, Windows boot Manager (Bootmgr.exe). Unlike Ntldr, which relies heavily on hardware, the new architecture in Windows Vista enables complete hardware independence and seamless integration with a variety of operating systems, making Windows Vista boot/boot processes faster and more secure. Also, transfer the content managed by Boot.ini in the previous Windows system to the new boot Configuration data (BCD: Startup settings), and of course, the new startup options Editing Tool, BCDEdit (BCDEdit.exe), To manage startup settings.
Bcdedit:windows Vista startup settings Editing Tool
In a traditional BIOS-based computer, if only Windows Vista is installed, you will find that the Boot.ini file is completely removed from the system, in addition to the very early version of Windows Vista test; If Windows is installed on the system Vista and previous Windows systems, such as Windows XP, can still find Boot.ini files, but this file only works on those systems and does not have any impact on Windows Vista startup.
In computers based on EFI (Extensible firmware Interface: Extensible Firmware Interface, and more PCs with this interface later), Boot.ini files are even more non-existent, and in the EFI based system, startup options are stored in the motherboard's memory. To modify the startup options, either through a tool that can read and write nvram, such as Nvrboot, or by using the bcdedit mentioned above.