App Review How to Dual Boot Windows 7 and Windows 8 (Britec09)

[Plexx]

This video should help some users who would like to dual boot Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Video by Britec09

 

[Littlebits]

Excellent guide, but beware I have to re-active Windows 7 after installing dual boot with Windows 8. Windows 7 came up not genuine, I had to enter the license key from my CD and activate again.

I don't know what the problem was but the first few times I booted into Windows 8 then rebooted back into Windows 7, I had to re-active each time.

With some tweaking using EasyBCD, I was able to fix the problem.

Enjoy!!

 

[Plexx]

Excellent guide, but beware I have to re-active Windows 7 after installing dual boot with Windows 8. Windows 7 came up not genuine, I had to enter the license key from my CD and activate again.

I don't know what the problem was but the first few times I booted into Windows 8 then rebooted back into Windows 7, I had to re-active each time.

With some tweaking using EasyBCD, I was able to fix the problem.

Enjoy!!

I got a laptop here with W8 pre-loaded and the user wishes to dual boot his windows 7 home premium.

Since it belongs to a friend and he is busy in a trip with family I have around a week to do so.

Mind if I ask what tweaks/fixes you applied to fix the problem? Just in case I stumble upon the same issue as you.

 

[Littlebits]

Excellent guide, but beware I have to re-active Windows 7 after installing dual boot with Windows 8. Windows 7 came up not genuine, I had to enter the license key from my CD and activate again.

I don't know what the problem was but the first few times I booted into Windows 8 then rebooted back into Windows 7, I had to re-active each time.

With some tweaking using EasyBCD, I was able to fix the problem.

Enjoy!!

I got a laptop here with W8 pre-loaded and the user wishes to dual boot his windows 7 home premium.

Since it belongs to a friend and he is busy in a trip with family I have around a week to do so.

Mind if I ask what tweaks/fixes you applied to fix the problem? Just in case I stumble upon the same issue as you.

I'm not sure if my tweaks will help you with your situation.
From what I read, if you want to have Dual Boot with Windows 8 you first have to install the older version of Windows, then install Windows 8 last.

EasyBCD needs to be launched on Windows 8 after it is installed in order to setup it up properly. Windows 8 will recognize its installed hard drive as "C", then though when booting into Windows 7, the same hard drive will have another drive letter mine is "E". You have to make sure the Boot loader is setup according to how Windows 8 has your hard drives listed.

I believe what messed up the Windows activation was when I changed Windows 7 as the default OS to boot it changed the partition info, Windows thought it was installed on another system and required re-activation. The boot loader is installed in the "System Reserved" part of the partition which can mess up Windows activation.

I advise you to have the Windows discs handy in case you need to re-activate or have problems and need to run manual repairs. Not all Dual boot setups work as intended.

Enjoy!!

 

[Exterminator]

I installed windows 8 side by side with windows 7 on the same drive without any problems at all.Partitioned the drive and installed windows 8.During Windows 8 installation it will ask you what OS you want as the default boot.I set it to Windows 7.I havent tried it on separate hard drives with windows 7 & 8.I have a dual boot on one desktop with XP & windows 7 on separate drives and had to use EasyBCD but didnt have any problems.

I have no issues whatsoever with booting or Windows having to be reactivated.

Here is a good tutorial on it also http://lifehacker.com/5840387/how-to-dual+boot-windows-7-and-windows-8-side-by-side looks to be pretty much the same as the video