Windows 7: Dual Boot Windows 7 twice

Hey Guys,

I had a hard drive which I installed windows 7 on, I then installed windows 7 on another hard drive and now I it only boots the last installation. I installed easybcd and vistabootpro but they only see one version of windows 7. I tried to create another installation within those two programs but I don't know if i'm doing it correctly because its not working. Should I got back and try to repair the first installation?

Thanks,
Pete

Hi Pete
If you didn't have both drives in the computer when you installed it, the boot configuration data won't have both, hence those programs can't see it.
First, raise a command prompt in admin mode and type bcdedit, to see if it finds both installation (probalby not).
If you can repair the instance of the OS that is not showing (back up your personal data if you have any there), it should add it to the BCD and you would be able to see both. You can also change names etc in the boot screen so you know which is which. This document from Microsoft has all details about BCDedit: http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...edit_reff.docx

Wally,

This is what I get when I do the bcdedit

The version of windows 7 that is working now is on my C drive (obviously) and the other is on the D drive, I think they are showing up on the bcdedit because I created a new one on bcdedit but it doesn't work.

Type msconfig into the start menu then press enter, what is showing under the 'Boot' tab (see pic below)

I'm asking this out of curiosity, but why would you want to dual boot the same OS?

Which is the easier way... Thanks OS
Pete, do you also have Vista in there? Your BCDedit brought Vista

Hello Pete,

You can use the tutorial below to change the default OS to have startup.

Default Operating System - Change Default Boot OS


If you have a 3rd Windows 7 listed from what you added using BCDEDIT, then you can delete it from the list once you are sure that is the one that does not work.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...list-boot.html


You might also consider changing one of the Windows 7 names listed in the boot manager to help know which one is which better.

Dual Boot - Change OS Name in Windows Boot Manager

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Msconfig only shows my windows 7 install.

It is showing vista because of something I did in easybcd or vistaproboot where it renamed it, but now i named it back to windows 7.

I want a second installation of windows 7 on another hard drive so i can reformat it often for some reasons.

Am I at the point where I need to try and repair my first installation, I'm just confused why the second installation messed up the first one. Do you have to rename them so that windows doesn't get confused?

Pete,

By default, the last OS installed becomes the default OS that is started at bootup automatically. If you want to restore the first installed OS as the default OS to start at boot after installing the second Windows 7, then you would need to change it back to the first one. That's all.

Default Operating System - Change Default Boot OS


Could you post a screenshot of Disk Management to help see how your hard drives are currently setup? This will help determine what is going on better as well.

But during reboot shouldn't it give me the option of what OS to boot up, its not.