Easily Change the Default Operating System for Startup in Windows 7/Vista/XP MultiBoot Configuration

If you are running a multi-boot configuration setup with more than one Windows operating systems and want to change the default OS to boot to? Well, it’s pretty easy to configure the default boot operating system from within the current default OS.

That is, if Windows 7 or Vista is currently your default operating system, then you will need to make this change from within Windows 7 or Vista, and not from Windows XP.

Follow the simple steps below to easily change the default OS for startup in Windows multi-boot (or dual-boot) configuration:

  1. First open System (in Windows 7/Vista) or System Properties (in Windows XP) by clicking on Start button > Control Panel > System and Maintenance (Performance Maintenance in Windows XP) > System.

    You can also use the keyboard shortcut key, [Windows Key] + [Pause/Break], to open System (System Properties in Windows XP) directly.

  2. Click on the Advanced System Settings (Advanced tab in Windows XP). If you are prompted for an administrator password or UAC confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

  3. Windows 7 and Vista users should now click on the Advanced tab, Windows XP users don’t need to as they have already selected the Advanced tab in the previous step.

    adv-system-settings

  4. Under, Startup and Recovery, click on Settings.

    startup-recovery

  5. Now, under System startup, in the Default operating system list, select the operating system that you want to set as your default operating system. Click on Apply and then OK for saving the settings.

    system-startup1

Note:

If you want to be able to choose which operating system to use when you turn on your computer systems, make sure that the Time to display list of operating systems check box is selected. Also, set the number of seconds that you want the list of available operating systems to be displayed before the default operating system starts automatically.

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