Boot Configuration Data (BCD) files provide a store that is used to describe boot applications and boot application settings. The objects and elements in the store effectively replace Boot.ini that was used by Windows XP.
BCDEdit is a command-line tool for managing BCD stores. It can be used for a variety of purposes, including creating new stores, modifying existing stores, adding boot menu options, and so on. BCDEdit serves essentially the same purpose as Bootcfg.exe on earlier versions of Windows, but with two major improvements:
- BCDEdit exposes a wider range of boot options than Bootcfg.exe.
- BCDEdit has improved scripting support.
EasyBCD is a freeware software for tweaking the new Windows Vista / Windows 7 bootloader. EasyBCD is a GUI application, so it is much easier than BCDedit. EasyBCD allows to set up and configure Windows boot entries as well as entries for Linux, Mac OS X, or BSD.
EasyBCD is geared for users of all kinds. Whether you just want to add an entry to your old XP partition or want to create a duplicate for testing purposes; if you're interested in debugging the Windows Kernel or septuple-booting your seven test operating systems, EasyBCD is the key.