In this article, you'll learn about the three ways Microsoft provides to access the Windows 8 boot options menu. You'll also learn what the new menu offers and how Windows handles failed boot processes.
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Episode 120 – 3 Ways to Access the Windows 8 Boot Options Menu
As I mentioned in the previous article, Windows 8 users will have to get used to the fact that they will no longer be able to interrupt the PC boot order directly with F8. They will also no longer be able to use Shift+F8 to access advanced tools such as Safe Mode in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), or access the motherboard BIOS configuration with F2, F12, or Esc. All of this will change.
In the Building Windows 8 blog, the company explains that Windows 8 boots very quickly and using the keyboard to access the operating system's troubleshooting tools is no longer a reliable option. There is only 200ms between the PC POST and the time when the "Windows Boot Manager" takes over – this window of time is too short to detect a key press, but there are various solutions for the different scenarios where Windows 8 troubleshooting is required.
In Windows 8, all options are now grouped into a single menu called the “Boot Options Menu”. There you have access to all repair tools and can change the behavior of Windows startup settings such as enabling troubleshooting, disabling driver signature, booting in safe mode, recovery, and several other advanced startup options.
