BootNext Help - boot any device or operating system

 

1. Start screen

Click "Grant "Run as administrator"...." button to continue.

 

2. Main screen

Helpful information displayed:

• boot device (usually hard disk partition)
• os device (usually hard disk partition)
• firmware type (BIOS or UEFI)
• secure boot setting (yes or no)

 

3. Available boot options - loaders and devices

As you can see on UEFI firmware you can directly boot to:

a) devices - USB, CD/DVD, Hard drive (using MBR booting)

b) loaders/applications

• all installed Windows versions (Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows Server 2008/2012 R2)
• Linux descendants like Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint etc (image shows two default loaders for Ubuntu 14.04 - grub and shim loader)
• safe mode loaders for Windows Vista and later
• recovery loaders for Windows Vista and later
• memory diagnostic

(entries marked with # are UEFI firmware loaders and devices)

On BIOS firmware you can boot directly all installed systems and applications which have boot entries in BCD (boot configuration data)

 

4. Safe mode options

You can select from 3 modes:

• safe mode (minimal)
• safe mode with alternate shell (default shell is command prompt - you can set another shell, see end of document)
• safe mode with networking

 

5. Create Safe mode loader

Steps:

1) Select Windows loader (OS) for which you want to create safe mode loader.

2) Select safe mode option

2a) Eventually mark check box for inclusion in boot menu (default is unchecked)

3) Click on "Create safe mode loader" button.

 

6. Direct access to UEFI firmware setup

Click button "UEFI firmware setup" and confirm.

 

7. System shut down

Click button "System shut down" and confirm.

 

8. Help button

On click displays this help page (internet connection assumed).

 

 

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Advanced topic!

 

9. Setting alternate shell

You can change the default value - "cmd.exe" - for alternate shell by using another compatible program.

The value is stored in registry hive "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" key "SYSTEM" subkey "CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot" and string value name "AlternateShell"

Be careful when manipulating the registry ! (You should know what you are doing)

Always make backups so you can restore - either make complete system backups or just backup the registry in this case.

 

 

It takes some time and effort to code apps and maintain a website, and liters of coffee ;)