Bios changing boot priority to Windows Boot Manager

[JerryC]

I've been happily using BootIt UEFI 1.35 in my desktop PC: I have a couple of Windows, some Linux... you know, the stuff I usually need.

I've been even able to upgrade my main Windows 10 to 11 without issues... so far so good.

Some days ago I booted into a Windows 10, and after that my boot menu disappeared and my PC always booted directly to the same Windows 10.

I promptly made a total backup and found that I didn't need to reinstall BootIt: it was still there, but that a config in my BIOS had changed.

The boot order showed Windows Boot Manager on top... if I put BooIt UEFI in the first place, it works exactly like before.

The problem is that after a while the Windows Boot Manager is on top again, the BootIt menu disappears and I have to enter the Bios again to revert the situation.

How do I get rid of that pesky Windows Boot Manager, as I have already stated that I don't need it?

Thank you.

[TeraByte Support]

The only justifiable reason would be that fast startup is enabled and you shutdown and the system is hibernated. It should boot back to Windows, but should restore the boot order. Start with ensuring fast startup (in windows) is disabled.

[JerryC]

I have checked: fast startup is disabled.

Is it possible to remove the Windows Boot Manager option in BIOS, maybe deleting some file or partition?
I have a Windows RE partition that I don't intend to use.

If that's no WBM, the system should boot every time as it should.

[TeraByte Support]

You may want to contact the maker of the system to ask why it may be changing.

Anyway.. If you really want to, Scripting has options for that. You can't delete the Windows Boot Manager entry without the undocumented /wbm option.


"help list uefi" to find what exists.
"help set uefi" which will give you commands you can use to set items
"help add uefi bootitem" for how to add items
"help del uefi bootitem" for how to delete one.

list uefi bootitems /a
0) 0x0000 Windows Boot Manager
1) 0x0001 UEFI:CD/DVD Drive
2) 0x0002 UEFI:Removable Device
3) 0x0003 UEFI:Network Device

del uefi bootitem 0 /wbm


To put back:

To get list of HD IDs
list hd 0
list hd 1
etc..

when have HDNUM (0..n) and ID of EFI System partition.


assuming HD0, ID 0x1
set uefi bootitem 0 0x1 "Windows Boot Manager" 0 \EFI\MICROSOFT\BOOT\BOOTMGFW.EFI

(There is no parameters added but should be enough otherwise you'd have to reset BIOS to factory settings to restore it).

[Bob Coleman]

JerryC,

Not that I necessarily thought it would solve this, but my first thought was that I'd update BIU from 1.35 to 2.10, but then I realized that's probably a paid version upgrade and you may not want to do that.

Another thought was that I've seen similar things happen and booting the BIU installation media ant reactivating BIU has fixed it.

Probably not useful at this point, but just in case.

[JerryC]

Hi Bob,

thank you for your suggestions.

I do use a paid version, have to check if I have the rights to use the new version.

I tried to boot from my USB BootIt dongle the first time it happened, but it offered to reinstall it, not reactivate.
I had reactivated in similar occasions, but this time I thought that it was a too aggressive method to try... after a while I discovered that BootIt was still there, only the boot order had changed in BIOS.

I suspect that it was triggered by some Win10 update while I was at it, but go figure...

Later I will try to delete the offending entry and post the results.

[JerryC]

Solved by reinstalling BootIt.

I first deleted the WBM using the scripting as explained before. I dind't follow the full procedure and recreate the WBM, simply deleted it.
Result: it created again by itself and it behaved exactly as before. Failed.

Then I bite the bullet: inserted the BootIt USB media and reinstalled, let it choose the directory and finally all was OK.
The start menu with my OS was there, no need to touch anything else.
Tried to switch between OS and all was fine.

By the way, if I choose to upgrade to 2.10 I have to buy the bundle again with a 50% off.
I have to check what are the changes.

Thank you for your support.