Windows 7 Dual Boot With Windows 10

[TechXero]

Hey guys.

 

I just had a brainstorming session with a friend recently, and as a result decided to Dual Boot Windows 7 on a machine with Windows 10 installed. I hate Windows 10 but need it to benefit from DX12 for games, so I want it just for that, as for everything else I want Windows 7 Ultimate.

 

My question here, is, how do I go by installing Windows 7 on a machine that already has Windows 10 on 2 separate drives of course ? I saw some posts on the net saying I can't go backwards, is that true or not ? One drive will have 7 (Samsung 960 Evo PCIe SSD) and other will have 10 (SATA SSD)...

 

Note : I really prefer not to format my Windows 10 partition...

 

Thanks for the help

[KarathKasun]

Confirm that your current OS boots with only the system drive.  If it does, just pull the main drive and install 7 with only its target drive in the PC.  Achieve dual boot by changing the boot device in the BIOS/UEFI.

 

Or go real hardcore and run Linux as a hypervisor and have 7 and 10 run with hardware passthrough.

[TechXero]

3 minutes ago, KarathKasun said:

Confirm that your current OS boots with only the system drive.  If it does, just pull the main drive and install 7 with only its target drive in the PC.  Achieve dual boot by changing the boot device in the BIOS/UEFI.

 

Or go real hardcore and run Linux as a hypervisor and have 7 and 10 run with hardware passthrough.

Thanks for quick reply, but I dunno what Linux Hypervisor is nor how to use it. I already use Linux Mint on Storage PC. I only need Win7/10 in dual boot the easy way. According to your method, only via bios ? Isn't there another way to switch ?

[KarathKasun]

4 minutes ago, TechXero said:

Thanks for quick reply, but I dunno what Linux Hypervisor is nor how to use it. I already use Linux Mint on Storage PC. I only need Win7/10 in dual boot the easy way. According to your method, only via bios ? Isn't there another way to switch ?

Not unless you want to muck about with the bootloader.  AFAIK 10 does not have the boot menu like 2k/xp/Vista/7 had.

 

If you do the procedure I mentioned earlier, you should be able to use something like rEFInd as a boot loader to get a boot menu.

[Master Disaster]

4 hours ago, TechXero said:

Hey guys.

 

I just had a brainstorming session with a friend recently, and as a result decided to Dual Boot Windows 7 on a machine with Windows 10 installed. I hate Windows 10 but need it to benefit from DX12 for games, so I want it just for that, as for everything else I want Windows 7 Ultimate.

 

My question here, is, how do I go by installing Windows 7 on a machine that already has Windows 10 on 2 separate drives of course ? I saw some posts on the net saying I can't go backwards, is that true or not ? One drive will have 7 (Samsung 960 Evo PCIe SSD) and other will have 10 (SATA SSD)...

 

Note : I really prefer not to format my Windows 10 partition...

 

Thanks for the help

You can install any number of any version of any OS you choose in any order you choose if you run them on separate drives.

 

The post you saw was referring to running multiple OSes on a single drive. In that case you must install the oldest version first and then the newer version afterwards so the newer version can detect the older version and add it to the boot menu.

 

4 hours ago, KarathKasun said:

Not unless you want to muck about with the bootloader.  AFAIK 10 does not have the boot menu like 2k/xp/Vista/7 had.

Yes it does although it boots Windows first before showing it unlike Windows 8 and earlier.

[TechXero]

Just now, KarathKasun said:

Not unless you want to muck about with the bootloader.  AFAIK 10 does not have the boot menu like 2k/xp/Vista/7 had.

Oh? I see.. So install Win 7 on its own drive then switch via F8 key during boot...

[KarathKasun]

Just now, Master Disaster said:

Yes it does.

Ive not seen it play nice since W8 honestly.

[TechXero]

Just now, Master Disaster said:

Yes it does.

Kindly elaborate please !

 

[Master Disaster]

1 minute ago, TechXero said:

Kindly elaborate please !

 

I already did

2 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

You can install any number of any version of any OS you choose in any order you choose if you run them on separate drives.

 

The post you saw was referring to running multiple OSes on a single drive. In that case you must install the oldest version first and then the newer version afterwards so the newer version can detect the older version and add it to the boot menu.

[KarathKasun]

https://sourceforge.net/projects/refind/

 

rEFInd is a really nice bootloader that would make the whole process nice and simple after you get it set up.

[TechXero]

Just now, Master Disaster said:

I already did

 

I see, but if I install Windows 7 on a machine with 10 already there how will it go by detecting older OS and how do I switch ? Do you have any guide ?

[Master Disaster]

Just now, TechXero said:

 

I see, but if I install Windows 7 on a machine with 10 already there how will it go by detecting older OS and how do I switch ? Do you have any guide ?

On the same drive or seperate?

[TechXero]

Just now, Master Disaster said:

On the same drive or seperate?

Already mentioned, Separate Win 10 SATA SSD, Win 7 PCIe SSD

[KarathKasun]

2 minutes ago, TechXero said:

 

I see, but if I install Windows 7 on a machine with 10 already there how will it go by detecting older OS and how do I switch ? Do you have any guide ?

In theory you get a menu that will prompt you what windows to load automatically, in practice it can be hit or miss depending on where the installer decides to put the bootloader.

[Master Disaster]

5 minutes ago, TechXero said:

Already mentioned, Separate Win 10 SATA SSD, Win 7 PCIe SSD

Seperate drives you simply use your boot menu in BIOS/UEFI. No mess no fuss.

 

The process would be...

 

Disconnect your Windows 10 drive entirely (and preferably all other drives except your Win 7 SSD).

 

Install 7 onto the SSD, do drivers and everything.

 

Reconnect other drives.

 

Use UEFI/bios to choose boot drive.

 

One last thing though, Windows 7 doesn't play nice with UEFI boot mode.

[NelizMastr]

10 minutes ago, TechXero said:

 

I see, but if I install Windows 7 on a machine with 10 already there how will it go by detecting older OS and how do I switch ? Do you have any guide ?

If you're already unfamiliar with editing bootloaders and dual booting in general, just switch between the operating systems via the BIOS boot menu. Worst case scenario, both W7 and W10 become unbootable.

 

If you want to learn things like this, use a test PC.

[KarathKasun]

Use rEFInd, if you want you can load it onto a USB stick, set it as the default boot device, and just leave it plugged in.

[TechXero]

Thank you all for your inputs. I guess the best method for now is using Bios Boot menu. I will barely use Win10 as am no gamer just play some Doom n Quake Champions to pass the time.

[Master Disaster]

1 minute ago, KarathKasun said:

Use rEFInd, if you want you can load it onto a USB stick, set it as the default boot device, and just leave it plugged in.

Stop overcomplicating the matter, there is ZERO need to use an external bootloader to dual boot Windows. Windows bootloader is fully backwards compatible with other versions of Windows.

[TechXero]

1 minute ago, Master Disaster said:

Stop overcomplicating the matter, there is ZERO need to use an external bootloader to dual boot Windows. Windows bootloader is fully backwards compatible with other versions of Windows.

You are confusing me dude. I will just do the no fuss Bios way.

[Master Disaster]

17 minutes ago, TechXero said:

You are confusing me dude. I will just do the no fuss Bios way.

Sorry I wasn't responding to you, I was responding to guy insisting you use an external bootloader when it's simply not required.

[TechXero]

7 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

Sorry I wasn't responding to you, I was responding to guy insisting you use an external bootloader when it's simply not required.

So best method is Bios Boot menu?