I have installed Windows 7 (x64) in triple-boot with Vista and Windows 7 (x86) operating systems. Windows 7 SP1 (x64) is my primary operating system and I boot into Windows 7 (x86) and Vista just once or twice in a month. Though I am happy with Windows 7, I get irritated whenever I reboot my PC to complete Windows update installation or to finish other software installation.
The problem is Windows Boot Manager which appears when you have two or more boot entries. Though one can reduce the boot menu timeout in the System Configuration tool, you can’t completely skip or hide the boot menu using System Configuration utility.
If you are running Windows 7 in dual boot with Vista or Windows 8, you might want to hide the boot menu especially if you are not using other operating systems. For example, if you use Windows 7 on a regular basis, you can set Windows 7 as the default, and then skip or hide the boot menu to avoid selecting the OS every time you turn on your PC.
Since System Configuration utility in Windows doesn’t allow you skip or hide the boot menu, you need to use the native Startup and Recovery utility. You can also use popular EasyBCD software for the same job.
Skip the boot menu in Windows 7 and Vista
Step 1: Right-click on the Computer icon present on your desktop and select Properties to open the System Properties window. You can also use Windows + Pause/Break keys to quickly launch System Properties.
Step 2: In the left pane, click Advanced system settings to lunch System Properties dialog- box.
Step 3: Under Advanced tab, click Startup and Recovery Settings and then disable Time to display list of operating systems option. You can also change the default operating system in the boot menu (boot manager) by selecting another operating system entry in the drop-down list. Click the OK button to save the change.
Step 4: You are done! From now onwards, the Boot Manager will not appear during startup. The default OS will automatically be loaded every time you switch on or restart your PC. Enjoy!
