EasyBCD 2.2

Overview

If you’re looking for a better way to manage a multi-boot system or maybe you’re looking into adding another operating system to your setup, EasyBCD is an extremely useful tool for managing the boot sector on your system. If you’re currently setup with a multi-boot option for say Windows XP, Windows 7, and Linux, EasyBCD is a great way to manage how you boot into those operating systems. For instance if you have Windows 7 as your default boot choice and you want to change it to be a Linux OS you’d normally have to go through the process of using expert-level commands to make changes to your boot order. EasyBCD gives you a graphical user interface giving ease to making changes to your boot order.

Multi-boot goes further than just having a larger line-up of operating systems, you can also use EasyBCD to add utilities like anti-virus and recovery tools to your boot menu. So if you have your own favorite “Ultimate Boot Tools” CD or USB drive you can now build that directly into your system giving you the option to use your pre-boot tools without having to worry about having a disk or thumb drive handy. Adding this kind of option with EasyBCD is as storing an image file like .ISO or .IMG on your local disk and using EasyBCD “Add New Entry” option and choosing to load the image from memory so that it will run your .ISO or .IMG file as if it was in a CD-ROM drive.

Even if you’re currently satisfied with your current boot order you can use EasyBCD to make a backup of your boot order or even re-name the title of your options to display differently. Another way EasyBCD can become a life-saver is when you have to re-install an operating system on a multi-boot setup. Often times when re-installing a OS that’s currently on a multi-boot machine can throw your boot order out of whack, with EasyBCD and a couple of clicks in the “Bootloader Setup” menu you can restore your boot order back to the way you like it.

Installation

Installation of EasyBCD is as easy as 1 2 3, with no adware or special configuration you should have EasyBCD setup within a few short minutes. EasyBCD currently works with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8.

Interface

EasyBCD makes making changes to your boot sector easier than ever with a side-bar “EasyBCD Toolbox” you’ll get several different options to choose from including adding new boot entries, backup and repair, or additional utilities to add to your system. Even though EasyBCD has a simple and easy to use interface many of the options make significant changes to your system, so make sure to always make a backup when changing your bootsector.

Pros

• Making changes to your boot sector with an easy to use GUI
• Free for personal use
• Offers backup and repair utilities

Cons

• It’s difficult to find any down-side to an application that makes something like changing your boot sector as simple as EasyBCD, but the application still requires some knowledge of how a boot order works.

Alternatives

DualBootPro is probably the main competitor that rivals EasyBCD, which is an elegant program that works well, but lacks the amount of features that EasyBCD provides. DualBootPro also currently carries a $9.95 price tag, which compared to EasyBCD’s free personal license it makes EasyBCD the optimal choice for most users.

Conclusion

If you’re currently using a multi-boot system or thinking of adding an operating system to your machines arsenal you really should consider downloading EasyBCD. It’s a free application with no strings attached. Even if the only feature you ever use is to change the order of boot or rename a OS it’s well worth the download as modifying the boot sector by traditional means can be a very difficult and even dangerous process for regular users.