Dual Boot Windows 7 twice

[vettett15]

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

 

[wallyinnc]

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/download/9/c/5/9c5b2167-8017-4bae-9fde-d599bac8184a/BCDedit_reff.docx

 

[vettett15]

Wally,

This is what I get when I do the bcdedit

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.

 

[Orbital Shark]

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

 

[DeaconFrost]

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

 

[wallyinnc]

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

 

[Brink]

Hello Pete,

You can use the tutorial below to change the default OS to have startup.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2282-default-operating-system-change-default-boot-os.html


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.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2288-operating-system-start-delete-os-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.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5110-dual-boot-change-os-name-windows-boot-manager.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[vettett15]

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?

 

[Brink]

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.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2282-default-operating-system-change-default-boot-os.html


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.

 

[vettett15]

But during reboot shouldn't it give me the option of what OS to boot up, its not.

 

[Brink]

But during reboot shouldn't it give me the option of what OS to boot up, its not.

If they are both installed correctly, then it depends on what the the time to display the Windows Boot Manager is set for.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2285-operating-system-start-change-display-list-time.html

 

[Orbital Shark]

The default should be... Selected & 30 seconds

 

[SIW2]

You might try rt click D and mark it active.

Did you check Bios boot order and see if D ( Disk 0) is the first HD listed.

 

[vettett15]

It's fixed now, I just did a quick repair on the windows installation. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Brink]

Vettett,

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[Orbital Shark]

It's fixed now, I just did a quick repair on the windows installation. Thanks for all your help.

Great News