Hi I have installed Windows 8.1 on a separate drive. Windows 10 (20h2) already installed on my Dell desktop. 8.1 was installed independent of 10 (drive disconnected) so the boot loader choices was not picked up
I have two questions :
1. Do or should I disable fast boot and secure boot in Bios?
2. I am using easy bcd to set up the dual boot option screen. Which bootloader should I use as default 10 or 8
1?
Any and all advise appreciated
Can you boot into 10.
If so follow this please, check when booted into 10 what drive letter is shown for the 8.1 - the windows 10 will be C more than likely
open admin cmd prompt
bcdedit /export c:\oldstore
bcdedit /createstore c:\emptystore
bcdedit /import c:\emptystore /clean
bcdboot c:\windows
that presumes that in 10 the drive is shown as C
remember that on a dual boot when you boot in 10 the drive letter is shown as C for instance and windows 8.1 is on another drive letter, but then when you boot into 8.1 - that is shown as C and 10 is on a different letter
For instance on this computer 10 when I am booted into it, is C and 7 is D
but when in 7 the letters change
So in 10 open This Computer and check what letter is shown for 8.1
you then add the cmd
bcdboot D:\Windows /d /addlast
or as I said whatever letter is 8.1 is whilst booted into 10
Then exit out of cmd prompt and reboot
You do not need to disable fast and or secure boot for this operation.
If you wish to use EasyBCD although I prefer the method above then follow this
Newer versions of Windows
In Red
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Thank you kindly for your detailed reply. I got it up and running. While in Windows 10 8.1 was listed as F drive. Only issue I have now is occasionally I do not get the menu screen and it boots straight to Windows 8.1. When that happens and I wanted to go to Windows 10, I press shift, than restart which brings me to the troubleshooting options, select different operating system select 10 and off it goes.
If you would have the time , can you explain a little bit about your first series of bcd commands you have me do? I am not that familiar with bcd edit, but would like to learn. I beleive the bcdboot D:\Windows /d /addlastis what adds the choice to the boot list. Again thank you for your time. It's greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Pleased to have helped
Yes the cmd I sent and the one you have highlighted in red is the cmd that adds the windows 8.1 boot to the boot configuration data.
Go to msconfig in 10 and change the boot order to make 10 the default
on left facing arrow select 10. On down facing arrow - default
apply and OK
These tutorials have steps for choosing the boot order (msconfig / command line):
Change Boot Entry Display Order in Boot Menu at Startup in Windows
Choose Default Operating System to Load at Startup in Windows 10
Dual Boot Windows 10 with Windows 7 or Windows 8
How to Delete Boot Loader Entry on Boot Menu at Startup in Windows
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Why aren't you launching the boot menu during post?
On BIOS, do you have Fast boot enabled? If you do set to Disable so you can launch boot menu.
Hi
On this machine a Dell 8910 desktop, I don't have the Bios option for fast boot. The only option for fast boot is in Windows 10. As I mentioned most of the time the boot manager choice does appear.
To clarify I want 8.1 to be the default boot with 10 optional, which I have it set up from the Windows 10 config. My menu choice screen in the black 8.1 type screen. Using easybcd to view the config it show's the same on both versions.
Thanks again for all your help
In that case on msconfig make 8.1 the default boot and increase the timeout if necessary to give you chance to select 10 or 8.1
see option 3
msconfig
and make permanent
Change Time to Display Operating Systems at Startup in Windows 10
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