How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows  

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows

    Published by
    17 Apr 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Options Menu at Startup in Windows


    If you have more than one operating system installed on your PC, you will see a Choose an operation system (Windows Boot Manager) screen at startup with the name (description) of each installed OS (boot loader entry) listed on the boot options menu.

    See also: Removing and deleting a boot entry | Microsoft Hardware Dev Center

    This tutorial will show you how to delete a boot loader entry of an installed operating system on the boot options menu at startup in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to delete boot loader entries on the boot options menu.

    Deleting the boot loader entry of an installed operating system (ex: "Windows 7") will not uninstall the operating system. It will only remove the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") from being displayed on the boot options menu.

    How to Remove and Uninstall Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 from Dual Boot PC



    Contents

    • Option One: Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Options Menu in System Configuration (msconfig)
    • Option Two: Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Options Menu in Command Prompt



    EXAMPLE: Boot options menu at startup for Windows 10
    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-windows_10_boot_options_menu.png






    OPTION ONE

    Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Options Menu in System Configuration (msconfig)


    1 Press the Win + R to open the Run dialog, type msconfig into Run, and click/tap on OK to open System Configuration.

    2 Click/tap on the Boot tab, select the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") you want to delete on the boot options menu, and click/tap on the Delete button. (see screenshot below)

    Make sure the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") you want to delete is not currently set as the Default OS.

    If it is, then you will need to choose a different listed OS to be the Default OS first before deleting the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") you want.

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-delete_boot_entry_msconfig-1.png

    3 When finished, click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-delete_boot_entry_msconfig-2.png

    4 Click/tap on Restart to restart the computer immediately and verify the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") has been removed. (see screenshot below)

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-delete_boot_entry_msconfig-3.png






    OPTION TWO

    Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Options Menu in Command Prompt


    1 Open an elevated command prompt or a command prompt at boot.

    2 Type bcdedit in the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    3 In the Windows Boot Manager section at the top, look to the right of default to see what the identifier value (ex: "{current}") is for the current default OS (ex: "Windows 10").

    Make sure the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") you want to delete is not currently set as the Default OS.

    If it is, then you will need to choose a different listed OS to be the Default OS first before deleting the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") you want.

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-delete_boot_entry_command-1.png

    4 Make note of the Identifier value (ex: "{{323e174d-c50d-11e9-a727-93f7b7756ebc}}") for the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") you want to delete from the boot options menu. (see screenshot below)

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-delete_boot_entry_command-2.png

    5 Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    bcdedit /delete {identifier}

    Substitute {identifier} in the command above with the identifier value (ex: "{323e174d-c50d-11e9-a727-93f7b7756ebc}") from step 4 for the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") you want to delete from the boot options menu.

    For example: bcdedit /delete {323e174d-c50d-11e9-a727-93f7b7756ebc}

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-delete_boot_entry_command-3.png

    6 When finished, close the command prompt.

    7 Restart the computer to verify the boot loader entry (ex: "Windows 7") has been removed.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 46
    Windows 10
       #1

    Hi!
    I have tried a few Linux distros. Once I tried Mint and it destroyed my UEFI. There are visible old entries, and Windows entry has named UOS. Previously I have deleted old entries with bcdedit, but now there are visible only Windows entries, not any signs of Linux. Can I somehow delete those old entries? Should maybe update the UEFI?
    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-bootentries.jpg
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 7,607
    Windows 10 Home 20H2
       #2

    @pirix, can you find the old entries under the "Boot" tab shown below?

      My Computer


  3. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #3

    Hi there

    @pirix

    I know this is a Windows Forum but this is a case where the Linux method is so simple compared with convoluted Windows commands and messing around with BCDEDIT etc - and you obviously have some experience with Linux so :

    1) Boot up up any Linux Live distro

    2) ensure package efibootmgr is installed - use pacman / dnf or whatever the package manager is to install - often this package is installed by default anyway on UEFI systems..

    3) simply then run (as root or sudo) the following to display the entries --- efibootmgr you should then see something like this

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-screenshot_20201116_101506.png

    4) Then to delete the entry/entries you want run the command efibootmgr -b <bootnum> -B

    <bootnum> is the boot number (in hex) e.g 0007

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 46
    Windows 10
       #4

    @jimbo, thanks! Now I have clean boot manager!
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 316
    Pro 20H2
       #5

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-bcdeditdelete.jpg
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,954
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Hello @thename,

    What does it show in msconfig?
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 316
    Pro 20H2
       #7

    It shows the three.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,954
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    thename said:
    It shows the three.
    Are you able to successfully delete them in msconfig?
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 316
    Pro 20H2
       #9

    How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows-msconfigdelete.jpg

    Notice iin previous screenshot that recoverysequence ID was not this.
    Last edited by thename; 22 Jun 2021 at 08:26.
      My Computer


 

Tutorial Categories

How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows Tutorial Index Network & Sharing Instalation and Upgrade Browsers and Email General Tips Gaming Customization Apps and Features Virtualization BSOD System Security User Accounts Hardware and Drivers Updates and Activation Backup and Restore Performance and Maintenance Mixed Reality Phone


  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 22:37.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums