How to Install Windows 7 Over Windows 8 | Dual Boot

yup windows 8 is the default operating system now but I still see black screen bootloader.

Be sure to double check each item in the blue NOTE box at the top of the tutorial below to make sure you meet the requirements to see the new W8 GUI boot screen.

Startup Options - Enable or Disable in Windows 8

I will try a full shutdown this time and will post back the results.

Well, I may have found a way. My system is a throw away and I can mess with it all I want, so this is a disclaimer about being careful with yours.

But I was able to restore the Win 8 GUI in your situation, by booting to the Windows 8 install media, select troubleshoot, advanced options, command prompt. By opening an administrative command prompt in Windows 8 and typing the bcdboot c:\Windows command, which replaced the BCD store. Of course, c: is the Windows 8 install partition since Win 8 is in the first partition, and Win 7 in the second on the drive.

I now know, thanks to gregrocker, the command will not allow using the F8 "Repair your Computer" options in Windows 7. But in this case, it appears the option is still available in Windows 7 but not Windows 8, if it ever was.

I will be re-running the test to see if I can duplicate, I will edit this post as to whether the second test worked also.

Edit: Now confirmed with second test command does restore the Windows 8 boot GUI, but it does look like the Windows 7 F8 options are gone. This may be normal for a Windows 7/Windows 8 install, not sure. Exporting your BCD store before doing the operation might be a good idea, so you can import it back later if needed.

HTML Code:

Windows Boot Manager
--------------------
identifier              {bootmgr}
device                  partition=C:
description             Windows Boot Manager
locale                  en-us
inherit                 {globalsettings}
default                 {current}
resumeobject            {624f2e1a-ee99-11e1-a36b-8df5e69c0a13}
displayorder            {current}
                        {19b54205-ee91-11e1-a697-ff2d5db0e5dc}
toolsdisplayorder       {memdiag}
timeout                 30
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {current}
device                  partition=C:
path                    \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description             Windows 8
locale                  en-us
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice                partition=C:
systemroot              \Windows
resumeobject            {624f2e1a-ee99-11e1-a36b-8df5e69c0a13}
nx                      OptIn
bootmenupolicy          Standard
detecthal               Yes
Windows Boot Loader
-------------------
identifier              {19b54205-ee91-11e1-a697-ff2d5db0e5dc}
device                  partition=D:
path                    \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description             Windows 7
locale                  en-US
inherit                 {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence        {19b54206-ee91-11e1-a697-ff2d5db0e5dc}
recoveryenabled         Yes
osdevice                partition=D:
systemroot              \Windows
resumeobject            {19b54204-ee91-11e1-a697-ff2d5db0e5dc}
nx                      OptIn

Saltgrass said:

boyans said:

The display of text-metro boot menu is simple and clear:

Startup Options - Enable or Disable in Windows 8

You have "metro" boot menu if Windows 8 is default loader and bootmenupolicy is set to standard.

I think Evil Nemesis would agree, this will not help if Windows 7 is installed last...

I have not found the exact problem which keeps the GUI from starting with the OP's install process. But if you watch the installs, when Win 8 is installed after Win 7, the install shows the GUI when rebooting. If you install Win 7 after Win 8, your get the text for reboots...maybe means something.

Also, if you set the bootmenupolicy to Standard on the Windows 7 bootloader, you will not get the boot menu if Windows 7 is set as default.

From this, I suppose I have learned, the bootmenupolicy Standard setting causes any boot menus to be skipped.

I installed Windows 8 first, then Windows 7 last, and it works the same for me as in the NOTE box in that tutorial.

Windows 8 must be set as the default OS to run at startup.

You must set bootmenupolicy to Standard for the Windows 8 identifier.