How to change OS name in Vista’s bootloader

Windows Vista uses its own bootloader and gives very undescriptive names to previous operating systems.

If you want to dual boot Windows XP and Windows Vista, first install Windows XP, then install Windows Vista on a 2nd hard drive.

The Vista bootloader will then call the Windows XP install “Previous version of Windows”. To change this run the following command from a Vista command prompt with administrator elevation.

Quote:

BCDEDIT /set {ntldr} description “Windows XP”

You can also rename Windows Vista in the bootloader by running the following command.

Quote:

BCDEDIT /set {current} description “Type new name here”

You can set Windows XP as the default OS in the bootloader by running the following command.

Quote:

BCDEDIT /default {ntldr}

And change the default back to Vista by running…

Quote:

BCDEDIT /default {current}