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How to get a dual boot? My PC ignores Windows 7 after installing Windows 8! SOS

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  • Windows 7
  • Dual Boot
  • Windows 8
Last response: in Windows 8
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September 24, 2014 10:22:23 AM

I got my new SSD today and I installed Windows 8.1 in it.
I had Windows 7 pre installed in another hard drive..

After everything was installed, I have noticed that the system directly boots into my SSD (Windows 8.1) How do I get the system to at least ask me what OS I need? I am planning to install Linux too.. So I really need to get a solution to this.

I searched the web a bit and got guides to edit my boot manager and other boot files, which I think is too complicated..

Can anyone offer a simplified solution??

This is what I want my PC to do(or something close to this):

*Switch on PC*
//Before Booting Screen displays the following

"Please choose the OS you want to boot"
1) Windows 7
2) Windows 8.1
3) Linux



Please free to respond. Im having a tough time going into bios and selecting what drive to boot from everytime i want to use Windows 7. Thanks for reading...

More about : dual boot ignores windows installing windows sos

a b $ Windows 7
a b * Windows 8
September 24, 2014 10:46:41 AM

Third party boot manager like GRUB from Linux would probably do it.

Only way to get Windows to see two options is to modify the boot.ini as you have already read.
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October 11, 2014 11:48:11 AM

I think there is a tool called EASY BCD , you can try using it (long time since i have use it so, might be wrong)
it has a really simple interface
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a c 633 $ Windows 7
a c 492 * Windows 8
October 12, 2014 3:02:11 AM

Was the Windows 7 drive connected when you installed Win 8.1? If so, the Win8.1 boot manager should have created the option to choose which to boot into.
Mine did.

Yes, this shows the Win 10 Tech Preview. But it was exactly the same with Win 8/8.1
This is on 2 partitions on a laptop.
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