Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 use new boot mechanism called: Windows Boot Manager to load the Operating System stack. Windows Boot Manager utilizes the BCD Stores to load the Operating System data for Windows Server 2008/Windows Vista and Legacy Operating Systems. The BCD store is created when you install the Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008. The below list shows the features of BCD:
- BCD is replacement for BOOT.INI found in previous versions of Windows
- There are three components of BCD: Stores, Objects, and Elements. Store is collected of Objects, and Objects are collection of Elements.
- Windows Boot Manager controls the BCD Stores
- BCD System Store, which is created by default when you install the Operating System (Vista/Windows Server 2008, is located at C:\BOOT\BCD.
- BCD Store also creates a registry hive and is located at HKLM\BCD000000
- Well Known-GUIDs are created for System Objects. These GUIDs are used by the Windows Boot Manager to identify the new and legacy Operating Systems.
- BCD can be managed using the following tools:
- Setup BootStrap (At the time of booting)
- System Applet
- MSCONFIG.exe
- BCDEdit.exe
- WMI Scripts
- Registry Editor (Regedit.exe)