Which one of the two Windows 7 partitions should be active?

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  1. DrGhobar
    Posts : 38
    windows 7 ultimate, a 32bit and a 64bit
       New #1

    Which one of the two Windows 7 partitions should be active?


    There are two installations of Windows 7 on two different partitions of a computer. Which partition should be active?
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  3. samuria
    Posts : 3,788
    win 8 32 bit
       New #2

    The PC boots from the active one so which one you want to boot too set that active
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  4. Megahertz07
    Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       New #3

    On a legacy-MBR disk, BIOS take the boot process to a MBR on a disk that takes to a a partition that has a Boot Loader and is marked as active.
    - Most OEM computers has a System partition (not M$ reserved) that has the boot loader and is marked as active. This partition has some OEM programs (like maintenance and Factory recover).
    - If you have installed Win 7 on a disk, the boot loader is on C: drive / partition and is marked as active.

    As you have two Win installations, only one will be marked as active (last installed).
    If you want to dual boot, you have to modify the boot loader to add the second option.
    Use easyBCD EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies (non comercial - Register - Download)
    Last edited by Megahertz07; 05 Feb 2018 at 08:53.
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  6. DrGhobar
    Posts : 38
    windows 7 ultimate, a 32bit and a 64bit
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    Megahertz07 said:
    On a legacy-MBR disk, BIOS take the boot process to a MBR on a disk that takes to a a partition that has a Boot Loader and is marked as active.
    - Most OEM computers has a System partition (not M$ reserved) that has the boot loader and is marked as active. This partition has some OEM programs (like maintenance and Factory recover).
    - If you have installed Win 7 on a disk, the boot loader is on C: drive / partition and is marked as active.

    As you have two Win installations, only one will be marked as active (last installed).
    If you want to dual boot, you have to modify the boot loader to add the second option.
    Use easyBCD EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies (non comercial - Register - Download)
    I had a dual boot with two Windows 7. I wanted to remove the older Windows 7 on C: partition. Hence I formatted partition C:. As a result booting into the newer Windows 7 became impossible too: when I started the laptop, the blinking cursor appeared and nothing else happened. In situation like this, EasyBCD cannot help because it is not bootable.
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  7. Megahertz07
    Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       New #5

    The win 7 you deleted had the boot loader, that is why you can't boot on the remaining installed win 7.
    Boot from the win 7 installation disk, go to repair - Boot repair.
    The installation disk (32 or 64b) must be the same as the installed win 7.
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  8. DrGhobar
    Posts : 38
    windows 7 ultimate, a 32bit and a 64bit
    Thread Starter
       New #6

    Megahertz07 said:
    The win 7 you deleted had the boot loader, that is why you can't boot on the remaining installed win 7.
    Boot from the win 7 installation disk, go to repair - Boot repair.
    The installation disk (32 or 64b) must be the same as the installed win 7.
    1. Boot repair of the installation disk, could not solve the problem.
    2. Do you know of a bootable tool that can do what EasyBCD can do?
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  10. Megahertz07
    Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       New #7

    How did you formatted C: partition?
    Is the partition with the remaining Win 7 marked as active?
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  11. DrGhobar
    Posts : 38
    windows 7 ultimate, a 32bit and a 64bit
    Thread Starter
       New #8

    Megahertz07 said:
    How did you formatted C: partition?
    Is the partition with the remaining Win 7 marked as active?
    I formatted C: by bootable Minitool Partition Wizard.
    Yes it was active.
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  12. Megahertz07
    Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       New #9

    Did you delete the active partition?
    Boot with bootable Minitool Partition Wizard and make the remaining Win 7 as active.
    Then try to boot from the win 7 installation disk, go to repair - Boot repair.
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  13. DrGhobar
    Posts : 38
    windows 7 ultimate, a 32bit and a 64bit
    Thread Starter
       New #10

    Megahertz07 said:
    .
    Do you know of a bootable tool that can do what EasyBCD does?
    Last edited by DrGhobar; 07 Feb 2018 at 02:59.
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