Installing Windows 10 to dual boot with WIndows 7

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
K

Knuttyman

Reputable
Feb 11, 2015
16
0
4,510
I have 64bit Windows 7 installed on one SSD and I have a 2nd SSD available for a future 64bit Windows 10 installation. I also have a Windows 7 installation disk and 2nd licence and I have a Windows 8 upgrade disk so I am able to upgrade to Windows 10 in isolation.

I wish to create a 2 disk dual boot Windows 7 + 10 setup so seek the best way of creating a Windows 10 setup using the currently available resources including the free Windows 10 upgrade? I can't see how I can create a dual boot setup alongside the existing Windows 7 when not doing a full Windows 10 install from scratch, which I presume requires a purchased Windows 10 installation disk.

 
Sort by date Sort by votes
azaran

azaran

Splendid
Feb 17, 2010
3,594
0
26,960
OK so I'm gonna reword this so we're clear on what you're trying to do.
SSD 1 curently has Win7 64bit on it.
SSD2 is currently empty. You have an additional licensed copy Windows 7, with a Windows 8 upgrade disk if need be that can be installed on to SSD 2.
You want to install Windows 10 on to SSD 2. By upgrade or other means.

The second Win7 copy is the important part. For this setup, you must have a total of two valid licenses for Windows 7.

There are a couple of ways you can do this. You could just pop in the drive, run the install disk for Win10 and point it to the second drive and it should install everything and setup a dual boot. The only problem with is, if something in the boot process get courpted you could lose both drives unless you know how to fix a lot of little crap.

You could just install the OS's on each drive and then switch out via bios which drive to boot in to. This isnt as handy, but it keeps each drive separate from messing with the others boot loader.

My recommendation would be to do a combo. Install on separate drives and use either BCDedit tools, or just straight up command lines to dual boot the separate drives. You get the convenience of a proper dual boot, with the security of the drives being separate entities.

0. Go here, install the tool and setup an install USB drive.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
1. Since SSD 1 already is setup, we just need to set up two things. First go in and Name the drive Win7. Then go in to an Admin command prompt (must be admin) and type in "bcdedit /export c:\bcdeditbackup" without the quotes.
This creates a backup of your current configuration in case you need it. Better safe than sorry.
2. Now take SSD1 out of the computer.
3. Install SSD2 in as the primary boot drive. Usually Sata0. Just make sure it is, and will stay as the primary boot device.
4. Install Windows 10. Don't bother with Win7 and upgrading, you just use your second Win7 license key for the install. Name the drive as Win10, this keeps things easier to deal with.
5. Following what we did in step 1, "bcdedit /export c:\bcdeditbackup" without the quotes. Now both drives, should something go wrong can be reverted back to default boot state and work
6. Install SSD 1 back in to the system, make sure you're keeping SSD 2 as the boot, and SSD1 as just another drive in the system.
7. Boot in to your SSD2 drive. From there I'd recommend one of two options. Either learn the commands of BCDEDIT, or if your not a fan of the command line (I dont blame you) use a freeware tool like EasyBCD and set up your drives in to a dual boot. You can determine boot order, time to boot in to the drive, etc. You can get it here free for personal use http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
K

Knuttyman

Reputable
Feb 11, 2015
16
0
4,510


1) I want Win 7 to remain not upgraded on original disk.
2) I want to be able to dual boot Win 7/10 but continue using Win 7 as my primary OS until support ends.
3) I want Win10 on a 2nd disk, obtained by an upgrade using a 2nd Win 7 licence, or by a clean install if that is possible using available resources and without having to purchase a Win 10 installation disk.
4) Would my objectives be achievable with a Win 10 'ISO' disk?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SkyNetRising

SkyNetRising

Titan
Jan 4, 2016
29,855
3,853
111,640
This is not true. Hardware is the same. Why would anyone want 2 licenses of win7 on the same computer?

You can just clone win7 from 1st SSD to second and upgrade the cloned win7 installation.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
K

Knuttyman

Reputable
Feb 11, 2015
16
0
4,510


 
Upvote 0 Downvote
K

Knuttyman

Reputable
Feb 11, 2015
16
0
4,510
Thanks, that looks a good solution. I can't believe how you've managed to provide such a detailed response so quickly. Perhaps you've been on a speed typing training!

Incidently I have already installed a 2 tray drive caddy so swapping SSDs is easy if necessary, but I'd prefer to leave both drives in place.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
K

Knuttyman

Reputable
Feb 11, 2015
16
0
4,510


 
Upvote 0 Downvote
K

Knuttyman

Reputable
Feb 11, 2015
16
0
4,510
Thanks for your speedy response. I expected it to be necessary to have separate licences for 2 OS installations on one PC, I've therefore obtained a 2nd Win 7 licence for the Win 10 upgraded so this isn't an issue for me.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
azaran

azaran

Splendid
Feb 17, 2010
3,594
0
26,960
I am fairly certain you need separate licenses on this. When you do the upgrade it locks the Win7 key as a Win10 key. Everything I've read on the upgrade process points to this situation needing two licenses. Easiest thing to do would be to contact MS directly and find out.

Edit * Yeah everything I'm finding all point to the same thing, It's against Microsoft's terms and conditions to use the original OS and the upgrade at the same time on the same computer. Hold on to that second license for this process.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
azaran

azaran

Splendid
Feb 17, 2010
3,594
0
26,960


Once you're used to it, its a very easy process. I do it via the command line on a weekly basis for setting up various builds in our labs so I'm more familer with it than with the easy tools stuff.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SkyNetRising

SkyNetRising

Titan
Jan 4, 2016
29,855
3,853
111,640
Can you provide link to any official microsoft source about that?

After you upgrade to win10, you can rollback the upgrade in 30 days. How would that work if win7 license would be no longer valid?

I had exactly the same situation as knuttyman.
Wanted to try win10 upgrade, but to keep win7 also in case something doesn't work so good after upgrade.

So - I used Acronis Disk Director to create separate partition for clone of current win7.
Had to:
use BCD editor to add cloned win7 to bootloader choice,
use regedit to change drive letters in cloned windows.

After that was done, I upgraded one of win7 installations to win10.
Now I can choose to boot win7 or win10 and no extra licenses necessary.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
azaran

azaran

Splendid
Feb 17, 2010
3,594
0
26,960
That isnt to say it cant be done, you can do all sorts of things that break licensing and get away with it. But by terms of your license, you are upgrading a specific license from 7 to 10. That licenses then becomes your license for win10. They give you the option to rollback to 7 before 30 days. But its all locked in to the license you use. Doing the upgrade does not give you a separate free copy you can use how you like.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SkyNetRising

SkyNetRising

Titan
Jan 4, 2016
29,855
3,853
111,640
When you upgrade win7 to win10, win10 license is tied to that hardware you did the upgrade. It is not a separate copy. You can't use it on another computer.
So efectively if you had win7 retail licence previously, after upgrade you have win10 OEM license.

I realy see no breaking of license here, if you have win7 and upgraded free win10 on the same computer.
And that link is from unofficial FAQ written by community moderator.
That can't be considered official microsoft source.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
azaran

azaran

Splendid
Feb 17, 2010
3,594
0
26,960


Good luck with the build. If the BCDedit stuff gets confusing hit me up with a message. I'll try to help if I can.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
K

Knuttyman

Reputable
Feb 11, 2015
16
0
4,510


 
Upvote 0 Downvote
K

Knuttyman

Reputable
Feb 11, 2015
16
0
4,510
I'm very much obliged to you for your generous assistance. I'm not in a desperate hurry to get on with this so it'll be a month or two before I do, hopefully there will be a final free period W10 update before then. I'm just laying the foundations now so I've everything in place & know what is the best options to embrace. Meanwhile I shall investigate BCDedit & EasyBCD.

Thanks again
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Paul_159

Paul_159

Commendable
Jul 20, 2016
1
0
1,510
I'm wondering why you need two Windows 7 licenses on a single computer. I understand Microsoft licenses Windows on a per machine basis and not on a per hard disk basis. You can use the same license on multiple hard drives provided they are used on the same machine.

My setup is really simple. I installed licensed Windows 7 on SSD1 which I removed later, then installed Windows 10 on SSD2 using the product key of Windows 7. After installing Windows 10, I reattached SSD1 to my computer. I now have the dual boot option by pressing F8 during boot and selecting which SSD to boot. Microsoft does not require that after a free upgrade to Windows 10, the user should stop using his/her Windows 7 license on the same computer.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
K

Knuttyman

Reputable
Feb 11, 2015
16
0
4,510
Many thanks everyone, I thought I'd responded on this one but evidently not, I used the solution detailed by Paul: one licence, two discs, SSD1 with W7, SSD2 with W10 the selecting whichever to use from the boot screen option. I had expected mhat W7 would be the default choice for along time but W10 soon became the default and the W7 disc - on a tray - is ejected.

Best wishes to all.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom