My Win 7 Disk has 4 partitions, (2Drive letters) want to dual boot

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  1. Posts : 25
    Win7 Home Premium 64 bit
       #1

    My Win 7 Disk has 4 partitions, (2Drive letters) want to dual boot


    Would like to try out win 8, before committing.



    Can I use one of these unassigned partitions, a=100Mb, b=1GB? Obviously I would have to increase them in size and assign drive letter. Was thinking 40960MB for trial Win 8 install

    What is in these spaces?




    My Win 7 Disk has 4 partitions, (2Drive letters) want to dual boot-my-big-hdd-small-.jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails My Win 7 Disk has 4 partitions, (2Drive letters) want to dual boot-my-big-hdd-small-.jpg  
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  2. Posts : 10,796
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #2

    only try..not permanent?

    100MB=system reserved. It's the boot partition with bootmgr and bootmenu
    48GB=RECOVERY. Used to restore to factory settings in case you have severe problems. I don't understand why it has so much free space!
    1GB: Special for recovery as well. Maybe drivers for recovery.

    You want to keep 1GB and 48GB partition? They are useless most of the time! If you hardrive becomes faulty that isn't working as well. And if it is working... you go back to factory settings... AND YOU LOSE EVERY PROGRAM, DATA AND ALL SETTINGS!! You better backup to external disk. Do you have one?

    You can get rid of 100MB partition if you want. I can give you instructions how to move it to BOOT (C)

    At least one of those partitions must be deleted. Maximum number of partitions is 4!
    Also what's possible: 3 primary partitions and 1 extended. In extended parition can be a lot of logical partitions.

    Tell me what you want
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  3. Posts : 10,796
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #3

    First create a system repair disc. System Repair Disc - Create
    You need it later in the process
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  4. Posts : 25
    Win7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #4

    @Kaktussoft, thank you for reply, explanations and offer of further help.

    I want the choice at boot to select either Win 7 or Win 8. I don't want to addle my old head with logical partitions on extended partitions, et al. You may be asking me to make choices about areas that are completely beyond my needs.


    Thanks
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  5. Posts : 10,796
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #5

    Allright I let you change as less as possible

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  6. Posts : 25
    Win7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    @Kaktussoft; again thanks, looks like I will have to do some head-scratching after all.

    Ran mini partition wizard, tried to modify C: set as logical, and got alert "



    My Win 7 Disk has 4 partitions, (2Drive letters) want to dual boot-mintoolpartwizard.jpg


    OH I chose No
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails My Win 7 Disk has 4 partitions, (2Drive letters) want to dual boot-mintoolpartwizard.jpg  
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  7. Posts : 10,796
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #7

    dohouch said:
    @Kaktussoft; again thanks, looks like I will have to do some head-scratching after all.

    Ran mini partition wizard, tried to modify C: set as logical, and got alert "



    My Win 7 Disk has 4 partitions, (2Drive letters) want to dual boot-mintoolpartwizard.jpg


    OH I chose No
    choose YES! system boots from 100MB partition... so no problem at all. 100MB partition is ACTIVE.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 10,796
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #8

    If you don't feel safe.... you can always revert back so make it primary later in case of severe problmes. use Partition Wizard Bootable CD allows user to manage partition directly with partition manager bootable CD. for it
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  9. Posts : 25
    Win7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #9

    So have backed up HDD, have downloaded "Bootable Mini-partition Wiszard".

    So if you still have the time, what do I end up with after I make the Primary C to logical. Do I end up with 3 partitions, or what are the next steps, and how many steps are there?
    Thanks
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 10,796
    Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bits 7601 Multiprocessor Free Service Pack 1
       #10

    dohouch said:
    So have backed up HDD, have downloaded "Bootable Mini-partition Wiszard".

    So if you still have the time, what do I end up with after I make the Primary C to logical. Do I end up with 3 partitions, or what are the next steps, and how many steps are there?
    Thanks
    You end with 3 primary partitions and one extended. In that extended is your current C. But if you shrink C there's room for antoher partition. Be sure you shrink C as explained in tutorial, so shrink the large partition

    See #5

    After doing what is explained in #5 you can boot from win8 installation DVD and install win8 in the "unallocated space"
      My Computer


 
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