Dual Boot Windows 7 twice

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  1. Posts : 8
    windows 7
       #1

    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
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,607
    Windows 7 x64 finally!
       #2

    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
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 8
    windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Wally,

    This is what I get when I do the bcdedit
    Dual Boot Windows 7 twice-bcdedit.jpg
    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.
    Last edited by Dwarf; 11 Sep 2009 at 14:33.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 6,305
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #4

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

    Dual Boot Windows 7 twice-capture.png
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 5,795
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
       #5

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


  6. Posts : 1,607
    Windows 7 x64 finally!
       #6

    Orbital Shark said:
    Type msconfig into the start menu then press enter, what is showing under the 'Boot' tab (see pic below)
    Which is the easier way... Thanks OS
    Pete, do you also have Vista in there? Your BCDedit brought Vista
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 72,043
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #7

    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 W7 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.

    https://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
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 8
    windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #8

    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?
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 72,043
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #9

    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.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 8
    windows 7
    Thread Starter
       #10

    But during reboot shouldn't it give me the option of what OS to boot up, its not.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Dual Boot Windows 7 twice-wtf.jpg  
      My Computer


 
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