Dual booting Windows 7/8

[Laurysss]

I wanted to dualboot because windows 8 has compatibality issues with some games that i really want to play. The problem is - Microsoft says this. And I have win 8.1 already installed.

Warning

• You must install the older operating system first, and then install the more recent operating system. If you don't (for example, if you install Windows Vista on a computer already running Windows 7), you can render your system inoperable. This can happen because earlier versions of Windows don't recognize the startup files used in more recent versions of Windows and can overwrite them.

[Speedbird]

Do you have an 8.1 disc available?

 

You can install 7, then boot from the 8.1 disc, open the command prompt and type 'bootrec.exe /fixmbr' without the quotes.

[Laurysss]

Do you have an 8.1 disc available?

 

You can install 7, then boot from the 8.1 disc, open the command prompt and type 'bootrec.exe /fixmbr' without the quotes.

I have a win 7 and win 8.1 disc. Can you explain me more about this command? And a full guide? Is it safe to install windows 7 on windows 8.1? Microsoft says that its not safe ^.

[Speedbird]

I have a win 7 and win 8.1 disc. Can you explain me more about this command? And a full guide? Is it safe to install windows 7 on windows 8.1? Microsoft says that its not safe ^.

It is safe. This command rewrites the Windows 8.1 bootloader. I use it all the time to remove the Linux GRUB bootloader if I don't want Linux anymore. You can try 'bootrec.exe /fixboot' too.

[Laurysss]

It is safe. This command rewrites the Windows 8.1 bootloader. I use it all the time to remove the Linux GRUB bootloader if I don't want Linux anymore. You can try 'bootrec.exe /fixboot' too.

So what i have to do to dual boot? I have windows 8.1 already installed so i just install windows 7 to a new partition? For example if i make a 20 gb partition for win 7 will i have acess to other partitions?

i dont understand why i would want to overwrite the 8.1 bootloader. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU7HpwzqbAg Is this guide good? As ms said "you can render your system inoperable" - is this really safe? Like ms made windows they know what are they talking about.

[Speedbird]

So what i have to do to dual boot? I have windows 8.1 already installed so i just install windows 7 to a new partition? For example if i make a 20 gb partition for win 7 will i have acess to other partitions?

Yes and yes.

[Laurysss]

Yes and yes.

So is this guide good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU7HpwzqbAg? If its safe than why microsoft says that? 

[Speedbird]

So is this guide good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU7HpwzqbAg? If its safe than why microsoft says that? 

Yup, this guide is good. The reason why MS says that is because XP uses a different bootloader than the newer OSs, so if anyone wants to dual-boot XP and 7, they would have to install XP first.

[Laurysss]

Yup, this guide is good. The reason why MS says that is because XP uses a different bootloader than the newer OSs, so if anyone wants to dual-boot XP and 7, they would have to install XP first.

Well they could write that in the guide ... One more question - how much space should i give to win 7? I want to play like 3 games that dont work on win 8. How much will win 7 ultimate 64 bit take?(GB)

[Speedbird]

Well they could write that in the guide ... One more question - how much space should i give to win 7? I want to play like 3 games that dont work on win 8. How much will win 7 ultimate 64 bit take?(GB)

It takes about 30GB, give it 60-100GB depending on your hard drive capacity.

[Laurysss]

It takes about 30GB, give it 60-100GB depending on your hard drive capacity.

Windows 8.1 Pro takes up 15 gb after ~1 month.

[Speedbird]

Windows 8.1 Pro takes up 15 gb after ~1 month.

8.1 is smaller because it has to run on tablets with 32GB storage.