Windows 7: Dual Boot Problem with windows 8

Hello all,

This could go here or in the eightforums but anyway, my computer came with windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed. I just installed the Windows 8 preview in a 2nd partition. I am not able to boot back into Windows 7 even though all the files are there. When I go do msconfig or when I go to set the default OS in control panel, Windows 7 does not show up. All I see is windows 8.



I have tried advanced start up, but I don't get the option to set the default OS.

Thanks

William

Are you sure you installed Win 8 to the 2nd partition and didn't accidentally overlay the Win 7 partition? Post a screen shot of an full screen Disk Management window please.

To open Disk Management, press Windows key+r, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter or click GO. Make it full screen.

How to Use the Snipping Tool in Vista - Vista Forums (says it's for Vista but also works with Win 7).

Once you have the image saved, click on the Paperclip Icon next to the Smiley Icon. In the Manage Attachments window, click Browse and navigate to where you saved the image and select it.
Click the Upload button.
Close the Manage Attachments window.
Click on the Paperclip Icon again and select the image you uploaded. It will be placed in your post.

Here it is

I am 99% sure I didn't over ride because I named the partition windows 8 and selected that partition when I install W8.

All of the Windows 7 files are still on the C drive

Can you expand the 'Status' column so that one can see what is going on. Like this:

No problem

This is an interesting and unusual scenario.

1. You have a system partition (E) and judging by the amount of data it contains it seems to contain a bootmgr (probably that of Windows 7). But that partition is not 'active' and thus this bootmgr cannot function.

2. On the other hand you have an active C partition which seems to contain the Windows8 bootmgr (I assume that because I assume that your Windows8 does boot).

As a first test I would deactivate the C partition and activate the E partition. For that you need to download the bootable CD of Partition Wizard (last entry on the webpage). Burn that to CD and load from the CD. Highlight the partition you want to manipulate and the controls are in the Partition tab > Modify.

If my theory is right, your Windows7 should now boot - but most likely Win8 will no more boot. If that is the case, we'll see what we can do about that.

I will try that but I would like to choose what OS I boot into so both would have to be active for that. From what I have read, I should get a place to choose Windows 7 or W8.

The C drive contains windows 7 and W drive contains windows 8

I understand that. But the whole setup got mucked up and we'll have to go step by step to try to fix it.

Your other option is to restart with a new Win8 installation and hope it will work. But that also would require that you first activate E.

Alright, thanks WHS. That booted me into Windows 7. Is there a way to keep both partitions active or inactive so I can choose which OS to boot into?


If I select which partitions are on and off I can select what OS to boot into. That shows both installs are complete

You can try this ( Windows 7 - EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki ). Note that Windows8 is supported and that's what you want to add.

I have never used that function of EasyBCD but it looks promising for your case.

PS: I have to sign off now because it is late in my neck of the woods (Germany).