Quad-Boot Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 8.1 question

Hello,

I have a quad-boot(I do not know if the term is correct here) Win 7 Ultimate (each partition has it's own setup with the programs I use --say, one partition for CAD etc / one partition for Engineering SPC etc and so forth). There are 4 partitions in a Western Digital 500gb drive. Let's say that it's:

Partition C
Partition D
Partition E
Partition F

I plan to install Windows 8.1 on Partition F and the remaining partitions will still be Windows 7 Ultimate. This is only a trial to test if my programs especially CAD and Engineering SPC applications will work properly in Windows 8.1. If all goes well I will push through with Windows 8.1 in 3 partitions and just retain 1 partiton with Windows 7 Ultimate.

For easy booting I use EASYBCD/iReboot so when I wanna boot to say Partition F in the windows environment it will be easy and not wait to restart and select it from the boot menu.

Please kindly guide me in this endeavor as I am not a techy person. What shall i do first for a smooth Win 8.1 installation and then onwards to be able to boot to either Win7 and Win 8.1?

Is it possible using EasyBCD/iReboot, that there will still be a boot menu via the tray icon of iReboot like below..?



How is the System Reserve now? The existing Win 7 System Reserve is with Partition C at the moment.

Again thank you and please do guide me.

:)

You got 4 Win7 Installs just for different programs? :)
I guess you shouldn't be needing to do anything special to boot from Win8. It will adjust the bootmgr.

Suggested Steps To Take Installing And Setting Up Windows 8 perhaps will help.

In addition to the question above and to help you gurus visualize the setup I have attached an image of the Computer Management below. Also I have read some of the posts here. re: "How to Do a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista" Published by Brink 15 Sept 2011 Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista and do allow a couple of more questions please:

1. There1. There it is stated that if there are any drives without an OS that I have to disconnect it all for the period of the Win 8.1 installation, correct?

2. Kindly see the computer management of the pc that I will install Win 8.1. Previously I have stated that I want to install Windows 8.1 on the last partition of a 500gb drive. I have decided to not use that 500gb and unplug it so it will remain untouched. I ahve recovered a system image of that 500gb drive onto a reserved 320gb drive.



The image shows the same exact 4 partitions that I use with WD_V [E:] partition as the intended Windows 8.1 Pro partition.
Shown also are the 2 data drives to be disconnected [both 1TB drives].
Now the Primary drive is WD_Y [C:] and the System Reserve is there with that drive. It is also mentioned in the above post.

3. Can that setup be okay for the Windows 8.1 installation on the last partition which is WD_V [E:]..? [I have currently quick-formatted that partition for the Win 8.1 installation].

4. I plan to mount the Windows 8.1 ISO onto a drive via PowerISO, go to the "sources" folder run that setup.exe from there.

or

I should extract the ISO onto the WD_Y[C:] desktop and go to the "sources" folder run that setup there..? Which is better...?

5. The System Reserve for the setup is in WD_Y[C:], if I proceed with the Windows 8.1 installation how will the System Reserve be for Windows 8.1 for now....? Will it merge with the System Rerserve of WD_Y[C:] or create a new one inside WD_V[E:] or create one outside all 4 partitions?

WD_Y[C:] -- Win 7 -- System Reserve is currently HERE.
WD_X[F:] -- Win 7
WD_Z[D:] -- Win 7
WD_V[E:] -- Win 8.1

If the System Reserve for Win 8.1 wll merge with Win7 System Reserve whihc is at WD_Y[C:], can I image WD_V[E:] --which is by now Win 8.1 with Acronis True Image 2010 and recover that same image atop say, WD_Z[D:]...?

6. Can I still use EasyBCD / iReboot to be able to boot the partition / OS I want to or will the new Windows Boot Manager of Windows 8 takeover..?

7. I understand from the posts here about dualbooting Win 7 and Win 8 that the Win 8 will be the default OS. And once it is restarted, it will show the new Windows Boot Manager of Win8, is there any chance that I can set the default partition to be always WD_Y[C:] and always boot to it..? If so how can I do that?

Then when I am confident that I can do a 3 partiton Win8 and 1 partition Win7, how can I set it up to boot to a WD_Y[C:] with Windows 8.1..? Will I reformat the WD_Y[C:] to a Windows 8.1 or

8. In relation to question 5,

When all this trial with "1 partition Win8.1 and 3 parititon with Win 7" is finished, I plan to triple boot to 3 partition Windows 8.1 and 1 partition Windows 7

from:

WD_Y[C:] -- Win 7
WD_X[F:] -- Win 7
WD_Z[D:] -- Win 7
WD_V[E:] -- Win 8.1

to:

WD_Y[C:] -- Win 8.1
WD_X[F:] -- Win8.1
WD_Z[D:] -- Win8.1
WD_V[E:] -- Win 7
[theoretically but I prefer Win 7 to be WD_X[D:] because I need the Engineering SPC programs there like that in the office pc which is using Win 7 Ultimate].

What may be the best way to achieve it?

When I started to 3 boot Win7 I started with WD_Y[C:], paritioned the remaining to 2 drives. Installed Windows 7 on one drive. Imaged that with Acronis. Recoverd that system image to the remaining partition.

Thank you for your insights again and will wait for your replies.



:)

PS: So sorry for the very late follow-up as we had an unexpected death in the family. We are in fact still hurting and are slowly healing but I guess healing do takes sometime for people. Again pardon for the late reply and I will wait for any help as to the follow-up questions. Pardon again as because of the loss I may not be as attentive enough to grasp ideas you guys will teach me. Please be patient with me because of that. Thanks all!

GokAy said:

You got 4 Win7 Installs just for different programs? :)
I guess you shouldn't be needing to do anything special to boot from Win8. It will adjust the bootmgr.

Suggested Steps To Take Installing And Setting Up Windows 8 perhaps will help.

Thanks for the reply. Will heck it out. I posted some follow-up so if there are any that you can add to please do so.

GokAy said:

1. True
2. System reserved is some other partition (you don't have one, not a problem, I don't too) Bootmgr is on C.
3. Yes, you can install Win8 on E.
4. I don't think it will work like that (possibly will upgrade your OS on C). Make a DVD or bootable USB (with Rufus for example).
5. As stated before you don't have a System Reserved, bootmgr will be modified and an extra option for Win8 will be added.
6. Win8 will probably change the bootmgr to make itself the default OS, you can run msconfig later and re-adjust it.
7. See answer 6
8. Should be doable, new ones should be added automatically and you can delete removed OS from the boot tab of msconfig. If not, EasyBCD should help.

- I would (after recovering any data if there is) format the partition and install clean Win8 (or don't format and upgrade if you wish) and see if bootmgr is correct. I don't think any other action is required.

Hopefully, more experienced members will comment too.

Hi,

Thanks for the prompt reply there. I will take yours into consideration. I'd like to wait for some other contributions/replies so I ca have more tips/tricks. Maybe you can prod some of the guru's to reply here. I know it may seem very elementary and off because it's rather late for me but it is in asking that I learn more :) Thanks to you guys for supporting the not so techy people who come here for help :)

That's a thousand bucks worth of Windows 7 licenses. I'm assuming you have legit product keys for each of them?

The way you describe your setup smacks of Rube Goldberg, nothing that I have every seen done or would want to do. You only need one perfect Win7 install for the licensed OS. Programs should all be installed on the OS partition since they integrate themselves by writing registry keys and need to remain with the OS until uninstalled.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to simplify the OS on an SSD which is faster than a new high-end rig without one. Programs need to fit onto the OS partition along with paging and Hibernate file so plan accordingly. Then when you run out of space move the User folders to a storage hard drive. User Folders - Change Default Location

gregrocker said:

That's a thousand bucks worth of Windows 7 licenses. I'm assuming you have legit product keys for each of them?

The way you describe your setup smacks of Rube Goldberg, nothing that I have every seen done or would want to do. You only need one perfect Win7 install for the licensed OS. Programs should all be installed on the OS partition since they integrate themselves by writing registry keys and need to remain with the OS until uninstalled.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to simplify the OS on an SSD which is faster than a new high-end rig without one. Programs need to fit onto the OS partition along with paging and Hibernate file so plan accordingly. Then when you run out of space move the User folders to a storage hard drive. User Folders - Change Default Location

@gregrocker

:) :) :) Well, this desktop came from the office and it is they who have paid for the licensing. The Autocad 2013 alone is worth more than a thousand plus and then there's JMP 7 and Minitab 15 Statistical software. I just isolated the office partition so when I do work at home (which almost always when I get home) that partition is the same as that of what I use in the office. Made 3 partitions for my use -- gaming, normal home use(for the wife), sometimes my kid --dedicated partition when he needs to use my desktop). The office is starting to use SSD now but my name is still on the second phase so I'll have to wait. The Windows 8.1 will also come from the office.

If you install multiple OS's on the same drive the last installed one should configure a Boot menu with the others. If not install EasyBCD (click Download - no Name or Email required) to add the others which won't boot. If already shown on a menu, delete their listings first.

Always unplug all other hard drives during install so that they are booted via the BIOS by setting to boot first, or using the BIOS Boot menu. If this isn't to your liking you can later add any OS to the Windows Boot Menu using EasyBCD and the hard drive will still remain independently bootable because you didn't let the boot manager be placed on another hard drive.

Keep in mind that everything changes the end of this month when the worthy successor OS to Win7 is released for free Upgrade of 7 and 8. I would not touch 8 or 8.1 with a stick, but maybe Windows 10 would work in place of those by doing the free Upgrade.

Now what exactly would you like to do simplifying things as much as possible?