How-To Change Default OS for Dual Boot System
Configure the default OS when using a Dual Boot setup on Windows 7
Recently I wrote an article which explains How-To Install Windows 7 into a .VHD (Virtual Hard Drive) and configure it to Dual Boot with Windows Vista and since then I’ve been getting tons of emails with questions. The question about how to set Windows 7 as the default OS for a Dual-Boot system is a popular one so I’ve decided to make a quick How-To so I can get the answer out of email and onto the site.
For those of you who aren’t following me, when you install 2 copies of Windows on 1 computer you create a Dual Boot System.
On dual-boot systems, you truly have 2 separate installations of Windows on 1 computer and at Boot time, you decide which OS you want to boot into. Normally users will create a Dual Boot system when they are deciding if they want to install the latest version of windows, do some testing OR they want to upgrade however an older application is not supported under the new Microsoft OS.
Anyway, let’s get back to the article.
Set Windows 7 as the Default OS on Dual Boot System Video
Set Windows 7 as the Default OS on Dual Boot System Step-By-Step
1.  Click Windows Start button and type msconfig and Press Enter (or click it with the mouse)
2.  Click Boot Tab, Click Windows 7 (or whichever OS you want to set as default at boot) and Click Set as Default. Click OK to
3.  Click either box to finish the process. The next time you boot your Default OS will be set.
4.  Default OS Shown Below
Any further groovy questions, please let me know.
5 Comments
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shockersh
June 2, 2009 at 8:42 am
Love the vid. First one ehh??
ben
July 18, 2010 at 1:52 am
so what act follow after setting the default os for win7? it’s obvious users want to delete the oldest os for getting back the space for other uses. if now i format the partition of olderst os for example, it reside in C:, win7 in D: , having formated the c:. will I able to log in win7 or will it boot on my pc.???????
MrGroove
July 19, 2010 at 9:13 am
yes. when you setup a dual-boot and put your Windows 7 OS on the D: the windows boot manager will allow you to boot into your D drive no problem. The system basically marks that as an active particion and it’s bootable. I did that on my laptop for example. My OS boots onto my D: now and my C: is used for storage and the like. It’s a little goofy but it’s fine.
Prahbakaran Lakshmanan
September 12, 2012 at 1:53 am
Searchng
for some OS settings over #DualBoot Selection on #Android OS and #Windows7 :)If anybody hav idea means,reply me in Twitter
@prabha_nomore
Dan G
May 5, 2014 at 9:21 am
Why does Microsoft make it so hard to set the default OS? By that I mean there’s *NO* option at the most obvious of places, which is the Boot Manager screen.