Dual boot windows 7 and windows server 2008 r2

[Xeldore]

Hello!
I have already installed windows 7.
I want to install windows server 2008 r2 on VHD.
Can someone post guide or something how to do that? Please.

 

[VistaUltimate]

First of all,do you have enough space?
Anyway,the procedure can be a little confusing.You have to boot from the DVD and start the installation from there.In the Install now page,press Shift+F10.The command prompt will appear.Type diskpart.Diskpart will launch.Type the following:select vdisk file="C:\pathtovhd.vhd".The path to vhd is the one where you have created the vhd file.Then type attach vdisk.Close the command prompt.Choose the custom installation.Then select the disk your vhd file is.If your real disk is 300GB,your vhd may be 80GB,so select the correct partition,or you will delete the windows 7 partition without wanting it.

 

[Berton]

My question to folks wanting to dual-boot any OS with a Server version is Why? By definition the Server OS is intended to be running all the time so other computers can access it or files on it. Rebooting to Win7 or other OS will shut down the Server.

 

[doctore]

I run this setup on one PC and the process is very simple - boot into Win7, run the dvd (or the image) and do a Custom Install. That's it.

My question to folks wanting to dual-boot any OS with a Server version is Why? By definition the Server OS is intended to be running all the time so other computers can access it or files on it. Rebooting to Win7 or other OS will shut down the Server.

Simple - in my case I got a refurbished desktop, which already came with Win7 installed. Why not keep both? Of course, in my case it's just a lab, not an actual production environment.

 

[VistaUltimate]

There is another way to install Server 2008 R2 on a VHD,which can be shorter or longer,depending on what you have.
This is a way on how to apply a WIM image on a partition.
What you need:

Windows AIK (Windows Automated Installation Kit)

If you have installed WAIK,select from its folder in the Start Menu command prompt for developing tools with administrator privileges. Connect the VHD using Disk Management. If you downloaded the evaluation from the Microsoft site,want to install Standard and burned it to a DVD or have a DVD,type in the prompt without quotes:"imagex /Info e:\sources\install.wim". Assume that you have the evaluation. You will see some indexes like 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8. These are different versions which you can install. If you downloaded the evaluation,indexes match the following versions:
1 Standard Full
2 Standard Server Core
3 Enterprise Full
4 Enterprise Server Core
5 Datacenter Full
6 Datacenter Server Core
7 Web Server Full
8 Web Server <Server Core>



If your VHD has the letter G:,type this (if your DVD drive letter is different than E:\,choose the correct one): "imagex /apply e:\sources\install.wim 1 g:\". This will apply index 1 of install.wim,so you will install Standard Full. If you want another version,type something different like:
"imagex /apply e:\sources\install.wim 2 g:\"
"imagex /apply e:\sources\install.wim 3 g:\"
After applying the image file,you need to create boot files. Go to Start,then type cmd,right click and choose "Run as administrator". Type "bcdboot g:\windows".It will say that boot files were created successfully. To continue installation,reboot and select Windows Server 2008 R2. It will bring you to the last steps,where you need to select country,time and currency format and language input. It will restart again.

Of course,you don't need a Server OS if you use it like everyone who wants it for music,videos,pictures and surfing the Internet.Use it if you are a developer and the rest.Server OSes are not targeted to the common user,just the experienced one. That's why Media Center is not there.

Hope this helps and shortens your waiting time to finish installation.