Windows 7: Installing Windows 7 alongside Windows 8

So I purchased a new Thinkpad and had it pre-loaded with Windows 8. Now I regret that decision for many reasons and would like to install Windows 7 while keeping Windows 8 intact. The partition Windows 8 is sitting was quite large so I shrunk the volume via 'Disk Management' and allocated more than enough to run both operating systems in their own partition. Everything looked good from there and I was ready to proceed with the install of Windows 7 with the use of my DVD until it got to the section where setup asks which partition to install to. Choosing the empty NTFS partition setup gives me the following message and I can't proceed, "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style." Is there any easy way around this? I'm guessing this is because Windows 8 was installed via UEFI and GPT...

You can install Windows 7 in dual boot first or second.
Follow Step one to five in this tutorial:
Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7

Than follow this tutorial:
Dual Boot Installation - Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista

Try to boot installation DVD the EFI way - see options in firmware.

You boot installation media the EFI way - GPT disk is expected as target
or
you boot installation media BIOS/legacy way - MBR disk is expected as target.

NOTE:
a) Dual-boot setup for BIOS way is widely known and there are plenty of tutorials.
b) EFI dual-boot is new teritory - you cannot find many tutorials on the subject.

If you think you are technically advanced go for EFI/GPT - you have W8 already installed.
After you install Windows 7 you will have to repair boot environment / reinstall W8 boot environment / and hopefully after that you will have a dual-boot menu.

Reinstalling boot environment is usually done with "bcdboot.exe" command - for EFI maybe one additional command is needed. Will post a link later on subject or just post the commands needed.

NO, repairs are need.

Thanks, could you post an attachment of "bcdedit /enum all /v" corresponding to layout posted ?

Do I understand right the proposed solution (all EFI mode):
1) clean existing Win 8
2) install Win 7
3) install Win 8
or am I wrong ?

When Windows 8 is install first, than Windows 7.




When Windows 7 is install first, than Windows 8.

Thank you for posting screenshots.
This does not answer completely the question.

Does it mean you install Windows 7 after W8, both in EFI mode, and you can dual-boot without problems ?

When Windows 8 is install first, than Windows 7, both in EFI mode.
When Windows 7 is install first, than Windows 8, both in EFI mode.

& on new OEM PC with Windows 8, with Secure Boot disabled

Ok. This is perfect.
No more dual-boot problems with newer Windows versions on UEFI.

Seems Microsoft has done a good implementation of UEFI loaders/boot managers.

Thank you.

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