How to Install Windows 7 Over Windows 8 | Dual Boot

Hi I would like to install windows 7 X64 with my windows 8 RTM X64 so I could dual boot but I know installing windows 7 in D drive will remove the windows 8 MBR right ? I don't want to loose all my settings and apps in windows 8 and I don't know how to start this procedure, I'm doing this co'z Hitman Sniper challenge ain't running on windows 8 even with compatibility mode.

Plz help me. Thanks

Hello.


Just install Windows 7 to an Extended partition / Logical drive like I have Windows 8 below and it won't be able to steal the boot-loader from Windows 8 and removing Windows 7 will be as easy as a right click, delete when you're finished with it.

Partition / Extended : Logical Drives

click to enlarge

Hello S.Orangzeb,

If you like, you could just format the partition or drive that you want to install Windows 7 on so it is not "Unallocated space", then install Windows 7 to it at boot as usual.

Dual Boot Installation - Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista

Since Windows 7 was installed last, it will be made the default OS to run at startup and to use it's boot screen instead of the new Windows 8 GUI boot screen. To fix this, just set Windows 8 to be the default OS to run at startup again.

Startup Options - Choose a Default OS to Run at Startup in Windows 8

or

Default Operating System - Change Default Boot OS

Hope this helps,
Shawn

HI just came back after installing windows 7 x64 Ultimate over windows 8 RTM x64 Enterprises , and unlike previous windows versions I didn't had any MBR over-righting issue, GOOD, but now I can't see the GUI win8 bootloader ! is it even exist in RTM ? I tried your suggestions BRINK but I still see the old black screen bootloader.

I'm gonna try this now :

bcdedit /set {current} bootmenupolicy Standard.

edit : and yeah I didn't format my D drive as I had much stuff in that drive

nops, tried that command in CMD (as Admin) it said operation completed successfully but I still see the old black screen bootmanager.

Just to clarify. When you say, "after installing windows 7 x64 Ultimate over windows 8 RTM x64 Enterprises", do you mean that you installed W7 on the same partition that W8 was on to replace W8 with W7, or installed W7 on a separate partition/HDD to dual boot with W8?

If you installed on W8, then you replaced W8 with W7, and that is why you only have the old W7 boot screen.

i'm sorry if it was confusing but I didn't installed on c drive, I installed win7 on D drive but just didn't format the d drive. Now I don't have the GUI bootloader.

Ok. Did you have C connected at the time you installed W7? Could you also post back with a screenshot showing the full layout of your Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) window to see if it may help reveal why? :)

Well I only have 1 HD: screenshot attached.

I'm talking about getting this screen back :

IMAGE

Saltgrass said:

Any chance he needs to set the Windows 8 as default in the BCD store?

That's what I was thinking as well.

Evil Nemesis said:

Well I only have 1 HD: screenshot attached.

I'm talking about getting this screen back :

IMAGE

Have you already changed Windows 8 to be the default OS to run at startup as posted above?

How to Install Windows 7 Over Windows 8 | Dual Boot