Windows 8 Dual Boot and Advanced Options Demo

Boot has evolved considerably in Windows 8 compared to the traditional Windows startup process, delivering a new level of performance, an enhanced user experience as well as a new set of options.

In the video embedded at the bottom of this article, Billie Sue Chafins, senior program manager lead, Windows User Experience Team, demonstrates what dual boot looks like on a next-generation NUI form factor, and goes on to showcase a number of advanced options.

Since Windows 8 was built with natural user interfaces in mind, it was only fit to equip the operating system with touch interaction capabilities, enabling users to leverage the soft keyboard even before during the boot process.

“We know that some of you love to customize your machines by changing OS settings, booting from a physical device, or performing boot troubleshooting in Windows RE. You are not only getting a seamless experience every time you boot, you’re also getting a beautiful, touch-first experience even if you are someone who wants to look under the hood,” Chafins stated.

Even when it comes down to selecting the platform to startup in a dual boot configuration, customers will have at their disposal a high-fidelity, immersive UI which they can touch.

The same UI, sporting the same capabilities will be available as they navigate through the advanced options at their disposal as a part of the Windows 8 boot process.

“We did a thorough inventory of all the advanced features available and designed an experience that gives a consolidated view of the functionality you may want before entering the OS. Unlike in previous versions of Windows, the advanced boot options in Windows 8 can be reached easily, are simple to navigate, and look and feel harmonious,” Chafins added.

Essentially, what the software giant did was to dig up functionality buried into the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store and bring it to the surface, saving users the trouble of turning to bcdedit for even the simplest changes to the boot process.

In the video below, Chafins will also demo troubleshooting in Windows RE, and the steps needed to launch command prompt and starting to use it. Again, the soft keyboard is sufficient, customers don’t have to connect any other peripherals.

“We recognize that many of you boot to devices, for example, to a bootable USB stick. Today, this requires entering the BIOS boot options menu which could be under one of many Function keys, depending on the hardware/firmware vendor,” Chafins said.

“But with UEFI firmware, the OS can call back into firmware to enumerate the BIOS boot options. This means that advanced boot options that were formerly only available from BIOS menus will be available alongside the Windows-provided functionality.”

Windows 8 Developer Preview Build 8102 Milestone 3 (M3) is available for download here.