In theory, the so-called Windows boot manager at computer startup, as it is believed, can appear only if there are two or more installed operating systems on board. However, this is not always the case. For the most part, this may be due to the presence of one OS installed on top of another for which residual components have not been removed. Naturally, when transferring control from the BIOS to the operating system, it is proposed to choose which one to start. This is where the “Download Manager” works, since not every user knows how to delete boot entries or partitions. However, even despite this factor, you can disable the bootloader. But first, let's see what it really is.
Windows Download Manager: what is it?
As already clear, this service is designed to select the operating system when starting a computer device. It is compatible with all known operating systems and can load not only Windows, but UNIX-like systems like Linux. You should not flatter yourself - it is not designed for Mac OS X.
Nevertheless, problems often arise when starting Windows systems themselves. The same residual files that were not deleted during the installation of the new system on top of the old one (or when using the installation of the new OS in a virtual partition), “Download Manager” first analyzes all the startup records that are available in all sections (both physical and logical), after which offers to download a specific version of the OS. As already clear, this is quite inconvenient. It takes a long time to wait, especially if the files of the old system were damaged, but they are still physically located on the hard drive.
How to disable the service in the simplest way?
The issue of disabling is to use the system configuration settings, which can be reached by entering the msconfig command in the Run console.
In the download window, you can perform (at least) two main actions:
- select the bootable OS and use it by default;
- remove the boot of the second OS.
After saving the changes, the “Download Manager” will no longer appear.
System parameters
Also, for convenience, you can use the system properties section, called up via the PCM menu on the computer icon, where the transition to boot and recovery options is performed.
It is enough to choose your preferred operating system to start, specify the time interval for displaying a list of all installed OS and save the changes. It is clear that setting the zero value, expressed in seconds, to start the OS, the appearance of the “Boot Manager” during the subsequent restart of the system does not provide (if there are really two or more systems). But if the computer uses a virtual machine with a different OS, changing these settings is not recommended.
Command line debugging
It is much more advisable to use the command console. Ordinary users do not like working with it, considering the commands and executable processes too abstruse. But advanced users understand that the command console is almost the only salvation, even in case of critical system failures.
In our situation, you can do two things. The first solution is to log in to the selected system through the bootloader under the administrator, launch the command line (required as administrator) and execute the command bcdedit.exe / default {current} in it. Thus, the current operating system used to boot will be installed by default.
The second option also implies the use of a command console, but only in order to remove the extra system offered to start. Here the line bcdedit.exe / delete {ntldr} / f is used. The current OS (in which all actions are currently performed) remains unchanged, and the second (or its remnants) is excluded from the download.
Android Download Manager
Finally, a few words about mobile systems. We take Android devices solely as an example (in "apple" devices, such functions also exist).
Unlike stationary systems, this applet is presented either as a file downloader, or as a start-up application with a choice of loading between Windows and Android, which is found exclusively on Chinese fakes of smartphones and tablets. In the original devices there is no such function (unless the user himself installed the second operating system, which is unlikely).
The applet itself is a common tool for tracking and controlling the downloading of files and belongs to the category of programs called Downloaders. In some applications, there are additional functions in the form of system optimization or the presence of a VPN module, but all this has absolutely nothing to do with Windows analogs.
Roughly speaking, if you can install two Windows systems on the same terminal with a choice of different partitions, then in the case of smartphones or tablets based on Android, such tricks do not work. In general, if you are offered an Android device with several OSs on board, you can be sure that this is a cheap fake, since the original devices use only one OS.