bcdedit.exe is the Boot Configuration Data Editor. This utility is used to configure (add, delete, edit) configuration parameters in the boot database (aka «boot configuration data store»). in order to control the boot loading process.
Previously, these parameters where stored in the Boot.ini file (BIOS-based Windows systems) or in non-volatile RAM intries (EFI (UEFI?) based).
Command line options
Commands that operate on a store
/store
Used to specify a BCD store other than the current system default.
/createstore
Creates a new and empty boot configuration data store.
/export
Exports the contents of the system store to a file. This file can be used later to restore the state of the system store.
/import
Restores the state of the system store using a backup file created with the /export command.
/sysstore
Sets the system store device (only affects EFI systems, does not persist across reboots, and is only used in cases where the system store device is ambiguous).
Commands that operate on entries in a store
/copy
Makes copies of entries in the store.
/create
Creates new entries in the store.
/delete
Deletes entries from the store.
/mirror
Creates mirror of entries in the store.
Run bcdedit /? ID for information about identifiers used by these commands.
Commands that operate on entry options
/deletevalue
Deletes entry options from the store.
/set
Sets entry option values in the store.
Run bcdedit /? TYPES for a list of datatypes used by these commands.
Run bcdedit /? FORMATS for a list of valid data formats.
Commands that control output:
/enum
Lists entries in the store.
/v
Command-line option that displays entry identifiers in full, rather than using names for well-known identifiers. Use /v by itself as a command to display entry identifiers in full for the ACTIVE type.
Running bcdedit by itself is equivalent to running bcdedit /enum ACTIVE.
Commands that control the boot manager
/bootsequence
Sets the one-time boot sequence for the boot manager.
/default
Sets the default entry that the boot manager will use.
/displayorder
Sets the order in which the boot manager displays the multiboot menu.
/timeout
Sets the boot manager time-out value.
/toolsdisplayorder
Sets the order in which the boot manager displays the tools menu. table }
Commands that control Emergency Management Services for a boot application
/bootems
Enables or disables Emergency Management Services for a boot application.
/ems
Enables or disables Emergency Management Services for an operating system entry.
/emssettings
Sets the global Emergency Management Services parameters.
Command that control debugging
/bootdebug
Enables or disables boot debugging for a boot application.
/dbgsettings
Sets the global debugger parameters.
/debug
Enables or disables kernel debugging for an operating system entry.
/hypervisorsettings
Sets the hypervisor parameters.
Command that control remote event logging
/eventsettings
Sets the global remote event logging parameters.
/event
Enables or disables remote event logging for an operating system entry.
For an alphabetical list of topics in this help file, run bcdedit /? TOPICS.