Windows 7: dual boot

Peter,

It all comes down to the EULA that I posted above. When you by an upgrade copy, Microsoft gives you a price break by you not having to buy a more expensive "full" copy when you have a qualifying OS (ex: Windows 7) that you want to replace with Windows 8, and you agreeing to the EULA for that.

If you purchased an upgrade copy of Windows 8, then you can do a clean install or upgrade install with it. However, to abide by the EULA, you must uninstall or upgrade from your say Windows 7.

If you purchased a system builder copy of Windows 8, then you can install it and still be able to use your Windows 7.

Hope this helps to clear it up better.

Yes, I think I have it. Technically, I should have either Win 7 or 8 but not both as I only paid full price for the one that came preinstalled in my computer.
I os per one license.
I will try to use Win 8 in my desktop and keep Win 7 in my laptop until i can fully transition.
Thank you once again.
P.S. It may interest you to know that I am in correspondence with friends across the pond and they maybe not aware of the legality but there are dual booting 7+ 8 and say they have no issues. I am not advocating mind you, just commenting as they advised me to do it. That is why I was looking into doing it before you advised me.
I am happy with the results here.

The main difference between 7 and 8 besides the RT/8 touchscreen gui and no longer seeing the Start button and menu is at the core level which includes some compatibility issues. For planning a dual boot if you go for the OEM type media release seeing 8 set up as a stand alone install on a totally separate drive and then later adding a boot entry into 7 is the best route. You can leave the 7 drive set as the default boot device.

The reason for that is running into a variety of problems that came up when booting into 7 from the 8 RP install. I can't say for sure that MS has fixed an apparent bug that may have lingered on into the retail release and why a stand alone is recommended.

For the second case I have here I ended up with a 7 Pro upgrade disk but not having any OS on a new build recently while still having older XP and Vista media on hand. The clean install was hesitant at first but was able to be activated there. With an 8 upgrade disk?

That's still up in the air at this time if the same would work since you now have to enter and watch as the product key is verified before the Windows installation will proceed. I haven't heard from anyone who has seen a clean from an 8 upgrade go and activate without the second install over the first required.

In my attempt to find the easiest way to put Win 8 in my pc I guess I asked too many questions and watched too many tutiorials as there are conflicting ideas and methods.
I have a Dell which is mavericky to begin with. It has a recovery partition and the C: drive when I can see at system restore.
I don't know if I should buy a retail disc, order one, all to get the program for $40 rather than pay $300.
Then again I like Win 7 and it should be around for a while.
My goal was to dual boot but there were too many conflicting ideas.
Then I thought I might install Win 8 on one pc until I am ok with it and keep Win 7 on the other for my wife until I can instruct her with Win 8.
Now I am in a state of flux. I thought I knew where to download from but I have several sources now. There too many crs and other acronyms.
I thought I was supposed to remove all partitons but I was just told to keep the Win 7 and recovery ones.
I was told to do an upgrade then told to do a clean install - not knowing the difference makes that hard to perform.
I really am in a quandry.
What do you say about the type of install (iso to burn) (clean vs upgrade and how)and also (the partitions to keep or remove), the source ie retail or MS download)?

The first question you have to ask yourself is, Will I ever want to restore Windows 7 on this computer? If no, then here is what I would do.

1. Get the $39 download: Buy Windows - Microsoft Windows
2. Create an .iso during the download. Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant - Download and Run
3. Burn a DVD or create a bootable flash drive from the .iso.
3. Do a Clean install using the DVD or flash drive. Delete all partitions and create a new one during the install that encompasses the entire disk.

If you have an external hard drive, do an image backup of the current entire drive first.

I definitely have to agree with seeing a full system image created before making any large change there. As far as the availability of the Release Preview you can see for yourself that now that 8 is out the option to buy is all you will find at this time. That is any "Genuine MS" downloads would be the retail 8 only!

The decision is yours to make however on which to buy and your actual plans for seeing a dual boot. You wouldn't see it buying an upgrade disk too easily while the OEM disk would be the disk that can easily perform a full clean install of 8 onto a second primary.

That won't cost any $200+ or $300+ like prices seen for previous versions however! You can grab a 64bit 8 Pro disk for $99-. Once you have the 8 media you can also create a new iso to written to a flash drive mage bootable to see the Win 8 install go a little faster then the hour by dvd average time. You can even mount iso images which can speed things up a bit since 8 does take a lot longer then 7 to go on!

Hi Z - Even as you gave directions, my lack of ? does not allow me to understand.
Examples;
1- What about the programs I lose like bluetooth etc(per assistant). Other people are complaing about losing the Office 2010 which I also have.
*2- Your directions seem to say, in order, get the program and create an iso, THEN or NEXT, get the upgrade assistant and download and run. I find the sequence confusing.

After that I understand about burning the dvd and installing Win 8.

What about the programs that I had with Win 7 like bluetooth?
Do you buy them again or are you unable to use them in Win 8?

Likely, until I overcome some of these nonintuitive issues I will accept Win 7 until it is no longer supported; it may outlast me, seriously.
Meanwhile I have a substantial system that will do all I ask of it.
I am disappointed that I was not up to the task.

On a personal note, may I add, you have had a tremendous amount of patience with my short comings which I am realy thankful for.
I always enjoy our little dialogues so any time, during a thread, you think you are getting frustrated, just click delete. I will understand.
Peter

We all learn from discussions like this.

As for my #2 response. I was basically pointing you to Step #17 which shows you how to create a .iso of the download. Should have said that.

Clean install, you lose everything you currently have, software (programs ... blue tooth, office) and data thus a image backup is the way to go.

Staying with Windows 7 is not a bad choice. I upgraded to 8 mainly because it was cheap and I wanted to play with it. I have Win 7 and Vista on my other computers. I don't use the Metro interface (apps) at all, don't like it, find it ugly so I now have Windows 8 looking and feeling exactly like Windows 7 so I'm happy. $40 poorer but happy

That's one other thing found with 8 is that so far there isn't any option to perform any type of repair install on Windows if you want to save a present installation and just see system files refreshed. The PC Refresh option wipes everything on 8!

At least with 7 you run the installer while booted in Windows and select the upgrade option to install over the existing 7 install while keeping the programs as well as your files and folders intact less the need to reinstall some device drivers.

Essentially 8 amounts to an updated core of a desktop edition while MS stripped things out like the Media Center, dvd playback support in WMP, and simply slapped the Windows RT for Surface Tablets main gui on. The gui or Metro(Modern) was designed with Tablets and swipe touchscreens in mind but is awkward when applied to any desktop release!

With a large amount invested in softwares that run well on 7 you will be in for a disappointment when a few or even several may not run on 8. Just another to mention here. This would be due mostly to compatibility issues often seen when going from one version to a newer version of Windows.

Ironically the 32bit 7 saw far more XP drivers even run as well as old XP programs that would not on the 32bit Vista for the same reason. The backward compatibility factor saw a large improvement in 7 and lost again in 8 it seems.

(And you wonder why MS had to drop the prices way down for 8 with all that going against it?)

I did find that I could go to Dell after upgrading and install the one I lost then update the drivers, at least that is advice from Shane at Tweaking.

However, it has been a learning experience just trying to decide what to do.
Contrary to my compulsive nature, I am glad I did not pull the trigger and will stick with seven.
I can't complain as it does everything I need but I sure would have likes to have played with 8.
I think I shouldd not install new over old but, when necessary, buy new and take what comes with it.
Thank you again and c u soon, as the kids say.