Initial Startup Phase for EFI Computers

Startup for EFI computers initially differs from startup for BIOS computers. EFI computers have a built-in boot manager that enables the computer's hardware to choose from multiple operating systems based on user input. When you install Windows 7 on an EFI computer, Windows adds a single entry to the EFI boot manager with the title Windows Boot Manager. This entry points to the \Efi\Microsoft\Boot\Bootmgfw.efi 32-bit or 64-bit EFI executable program-the Windows Boot Manager. This is the same Windows Boot Manager that is eventually loaded on BIOS-based computers. Windows configures the EFI boot manager to display the EFI startup menu for only 2 seconds and then load the Windows Boot Manager by default to minimize complexity and startup time.

If you install a different operating system or manually change the EFI boot manager settings, EFI might no longer load the Windows Boot Manager. To resolve this problem, use the Startup Repair tool, as described in the section titled "The Process of Troubleshooting Startup" later in this tutorial. Alternatively, you might be able to update the EFI boot manager settings manually using your computer's built-in EFI tools. For more information about configuring EFI, consult your computer's documentation.