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As any SSD owner can tell you, fast boot times are a wonderful thing! Except for, well, when they're not. Microsoft's been working hard at reducing the boot times in Windows 8 and to hear them tell it, your home screen pops up so fast that there simply isn't enough time to mash on the trusty ol' F2 or F8 if you need to muck around in the BIOS or enter Safe Mode. Rather than shrugging their shoulders and leaving users to press a key in a 200ms window, Microsoft instead created a new "Boot Options" menu.
Basically, you won't be able to access boot options during the actual boot-up process anymore unless some sort of error prevents Windows 8 from starting properly, in which case the Boot Options menu you see above will appear. You'll also be able to access the Boot Options from the Advanced Startup portion of the General options menu, after the PC has launched. Finally, holding down the Shift key and clicking "Restart" on the shut down menu will restart the PC and bring up the Boot Options menu.
One caveat: some of the new options -- booting to firmware settings and booting directly to a device -- only apply to computers with a UEFI BIOS. Don't have UEFI? You'll still get the button-mashing prompt during boot-up. Check out the Building Windows 8 blog for waaaaaay more information, or watch the video above to get a sense of just how fast the Windows 8 boot times can be.
Comments are closed on this article
mesiah
May 24, 2012 at 9:24pm
I see a potential security risk here. Many viruses and malware are great at preventing users from accessing things like task manager and need to be removed in safe mode. If you can only trigger the boot menu from within the OS, I foresee viruses and malware that are designed to prevent users from triggering the boot menu. This is a bad idea.
erima
May 24, 2012 at 8:43pm
just as Micheal said I'm dazzled that anyone can get paid $5387 in 1 month on the computer. did you look at this web site NuttyRich.com
Engelsstaub
May 24, 2012 at 12:27am
I don't use Bootcamp at the moment, but I'm seriously considering buying a copy of Windows 8 for my MBP off Newegg when it comes out. The preview worked pretty well in VirtualBox.
You know what would be pretty embarrassing? If Win8 booted up faster than OS X on Apple's hardware :P I remember Snow Leopard being pretty fast but not like this. Nothing like competent competitors keeping the fires lit under each other's asses.
biggiebob12345
May 23, 2012 at 3:15pm
"unless some sort of error prevents Windows 8 from starting properly,"
Yeah yeah yeah, my mobo also supposedly has "overclock recovery" where if you overclock too far it'll detect it and rollback to stock after 3 restarts. Guess how many times that's worked? ZERO.
MS just better make sure the "button mashing" method still works.
JohnP
May 23, 2012 at 1:56pm
C'mon Brad,
The UEFI BIOS screen boot has NOTHING to do with the operating system. That is entered into by the delete key or F1. The POST time for the BIOS can be modified in the BIOS itself and I usually set mine for a 4 second window.
What you are talking about here is the WIN8 OPERATING SYSTEM window of opportunity which is entered with the function keys. The time for that can be modified with the change timer selection already so this is NOT news as it has been this way for over a year now:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4935-startup-options-menu-boot-windows-8-a.htmlQUOTE from another post:
Clicking the Change the timer lets you specify the amount of time before default operating system runs automatically; you can select 5 minutes, 30 seconds, or 5 seconds boot delay options.Here is your options in WIN8 startup screen:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4924-advanced-boot-options-menu-boot-windows-8-a.html
bloodgain
May 23, 2012 at 1:02pm
We're long overdue for a standard hardware-based way to start up with config/boot options, the way you've always been able to hold down the power button for a few seconds to force power down. Even a standard key press would work. Maybe holding Shift or Ctrl on boot/reboot is a good choice, since some compact keyboards don't have F#-keys.
Blaze589
May 23, 2012 at 12:17pm
Yeah it's nice but there's an SSD in there; it's to be expected.
The "Boot Options" menu looks nice though.
TheRyGuy
May 23, 2012 at 12:09pm
This looks promising, I could see the frustration of potentially not getting into the BIOS. I'm sure if there were a problem, a patch would be quickly released. I don't see the need to upgrade from Windows 7 at this point.
Neufeldt2002
May 23, 2012 at 11:39am
Judging by the metro screen it is not a standard install. Before anyone complains, it is in their best interest to make this as fast as possible in the video to show how fast it can boot. However there is a difference from booting to a menu and booting to a usable OS. Which I severely doubt they have accomplished. It would be nice if I am wrong, but I doubt it.
Cregan89
May 23, 2012 at 1:12pm
Windows 8 CP does in fact boot to Metro this fast on UEFI based PC's with SSD's that I have at home and at the office. Switching to the desktop interface takes an additional 1-2 seconds.
So unless boot times get worse between the CP and RTM, then Windows 8 absolutely will boot this quickly if you have UEFI and an SSD.
damicatz
May 23, 2012 at 11:38am
No thanks. I don't need Microsoft infiltrating my computer's firmware.
What happens if I replace Windows with Linux? How do I get to the BIOS options then?
Cregan89
May 23, 2012 at 12:55pm
Microsoft isn't 'infiltrating' your computer's firmware. It's UEFI, an open standard designed to replace the ageing BIOS. Naturally Microsoft is taking advantage of the new features that UEFI offers over the classical BIOS.
Linux does the exact same thing. If you replace Windows with a UEFI capable Linux distro then the Linux bootloader replaces the Windows bootloader, at which point it's completely up to the Linux bootloader to decide how you get to the BIOS options. If you replace Windows with a non-UEFI capable Linux distro, then it's up to the motherboard manufacturer to decide how you access the BIOS options. In most hardware, the default behaviour is to simply resort to a classical BIOS style F2 prompt.
BlazePC
May 23, 2012 at 11:19am
If these boot times are for real, this makes a strong, long over-due case improvement in Win 8. I like this boot option screen approach in general.
TerribleToaster
May 23, 2012 at 10:19am
If it works it is a good idea, not good enough for me to upgrade to win8, but still a good idea that addresses a concern of mine.
If it doesn't work, I am willing to predict the total failure of win8 since this would effectively lock you out of the bios.
BlazePC
May 23, 2012 at 3:13pm
And to think Chacos patted you on the back.
"total failure"
I laughed.MaxPC is going down the tubes.
Busch league without a doubt.Cregan89 should apply for that Editors job.
But then again, for this outfit?
Probably not a good idea...
