Source: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21741595-Windows-7-boot-manager-editing-questions
First, create a backup of the current boot loader setup
You can use the /export command to create a backup file of the current system store contents.
If you are in Windows 7, please remember when you go to the start menu, type in CMD (Sort for Command Prompt) right click before you open in and select "Run as Administrator" otherwise you will not have right to modify the boot manager.
The command and information: bcdedit /?
To backup up the current boot manager configuration do the following:
- bcdedit /export C:\BCDbak
- bcdedit /export C:\"BCD bak"
You can then use the /import command to restore the system store contents if any non-fatal errors are encountered.
Examples..
- bcdedit /import C:\"BCD bak"
- bcdedit /import C:\BCDbak /clean
My dual-boot system has Windows 7 64bit and an earlier install of XPPro 64 bit. For a full description of entry identifiers, I type..
- bcdedit /enum /v
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {9dea862c-5cdd-4e70-acc1-f32b344d4795}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {7ea2e1ac-2e61-4728-aaa3-896d9d0a9f0e}
default {07cf7f58-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
displayorder {466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c}
{07cf7f58-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
toolsdisplayorder {b2721d73-1db4-4c62-bf78-c548a880142d}
timeout 30
Windows Legacy OS Loader
------------------------
identifier {466f5a88-0af2-4f76-9038-095b170dc21c}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
path \ntldr
description Earlier Version of Windows
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {07cf7f58-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {6efb52bf-1766-41db-a6b3-0ee5eff72bd7}
recoverysequence {07cf7f59-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
nx OptIn
For output showing names for well-known identifiers and to show what system is active (current), I just type..
- bcdedit
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
displayorder {ntldr}
{current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30
Windows Legacy OS Loader
------------------------
identifier {ntldr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
path \ntldr
description Earlier Version of Windows
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {07cf7f59-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
nx OptIn
I want to change the "Windows 7" description to "Windows 7 Ultimate X64 beta" so I type..
- bcdedit /set {current} description "Windows 7 Ultimate X64 beta"
Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
displayorder {ntldr}
{current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30
Windows Legacy OS Loader
------------------------
identifier {ntldr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
path \ntldr
description Earlier Version of Windows
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7 Ultimate X64 beta
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {07cf7f59-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
recoveryenabled Yes
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {07cf7f57-e206-11dd-a0c8-bab28362099d}
nx OptInAny help, or clear as mud? ;)
*edit*
If I wanted to alter the XP boot settings, I would log on to XP and just edit the boot.ini by right-clicking "My computer" then "properties", etc