Two SSD Two OS

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

  1. Posts : 70
    windows 10
       #1

    Two SSD Two OS


    Is it possible to shrink a partition down 500mb and then use that 500mb as a system recovery partition?
    I like to try this instead of reinstalling the OS. The end game is I want to use my F8 key to select which SSD to boot
    to (Win 8 or Win 10) instead of using windows bootloader? I had to reinstall Win 10 and lost some stuff, trying to avoid
    this on the Win 8 SSD
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 6,247
    Windows 11 Pro - Windows 7 HP - Lubuntu
       #2

    I did not understand what you want to do with the shrink partition.

    To have Win 8 in one Drive and Win 10 on another and use F8 to choose witch OS to boot is the best solution.

    Please post a disk Manager image (full window and expand the columns so wee can read them)
    How to Post a Screenshot of Disk Management
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 4,512
    several
       #3

    From the OP it sounds like there is no system partition on one of the disks.

    If you post a screenshot of disk management, as megahertz suggested then we will be able to see the situation .

    It is probably going to be quite straightforward to sort out.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #4

    man00 said:
    Is it possible to shrink a partition down 500mb and then use that 500mb as a system recovery partition?
    I like to try this instead of reinstalling the OS. The end game is I want to use my F8 key to select which SSD to boot
    to (Win 8 or Win 10) instead of using windows bootloader? I had to reinstall Win 10 and lost some stuff, trying to avoid
    this on the Win 8 SSD
    Yes, but 500 mb is not nearly enough for a system recovery partition. Unless you really mean a System Reserved or EFI System Partition just to boot from, then 500 mb would be enough.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 70
    windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #5

    SIW2 said:
    From the OP it sounds like there is no system partition on one of the disks.

    If you post a screenshot of disk management, as megahertz suggested then we will be able to see the situation .

    It is probably going to be quite straightforward to sort out.
    Two SSD Two OS-disks-man.png

    - - - Updated - - -

    SIW2 said:
    From the OP it sounds like there is no system partition on one of the disks.

    If you post a screenshot of disk management, as megahertz suggested then we will be able to see the situation .

    It is probably going to be quite straightforward to sort out.
    Two SSD Two OS-disks-man.png

    - - - Updated - - -

    On disk 0 I already reinstalled Windows 10 but really want to avoid doing that on disk 2 (windows 8) Both disks will boot but which ever one is first in boot order I can not pick the other using F8 key...
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 6,247
    Windows 11 Pro - Windows 7 HP - Lubuntu
       #6

    Can you boot Win 8 (drive 2) using Win 10 boot manager?
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    man00 said:
    On disk 0 I already reinstalled Windows 10 but really want to avoid doing that on disk 2 (windows 8) Both disks will boot but which ever one is first in boot order I can not pick the other using F8 key...
    You can create a system reserved partition on disk 2 if you want to, but it won't change anything. Your E: drive partition is already marked as active. Your computer is booting in legacy BIOS (or CSM) mode. Computers booting in legacy BIOS (or CSM) mode do not require a separate System partition the way that some computers booting in EFI mode do.

    If I were you, I would use the bcdboot command to make both the System Reserved partition on disk 0 and the E: drive partition on disk 2 dual bootable so that either partition will boot either OS. Then you would typically boot from disk 0, and pick whichever OS you wanted to boot from. If disk 0 failed, you could fall back and boot from disk 2 as a backup.

    You can do the same thing by creating a system reserved partition on disk 2, but it is not going to help the F8 problem that you are describing.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 70
    windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #8

    NavyLCDR said:
    You can create a system reserved partition on disk 2 if you want to, but it won't change anything. Your E: drive partition is already marked as active. Your computer is booting in legacy BIOS (or CSM) mode. Computers booting in legacy BIOS (or CSM) mode do not require a separate System partition the way that some computers booting in EFI mode do.

    If I were you, I would use the bcdboot command to make both the System Reserved partition on disk 0 and the E: drive partition on disk 2 dual bootable so that either partition will boot either OS. Then you would typically boot from disk 0, and pick whichever OS you wanted to boot from. If disk 0 failed, you could fall back and boot from disk 2 as a backup.

    You can do the same thing by creating a system reserved partition on disk 2, but it is not going to help the F8 problem that you are describing.
    I dunno for sure if I'm on the same page or not..but I have ran all the fixboot fixmbr rebuildbcd on E:
    So only way to get back to using the F8 key is to reinstall on E: ?

    - - - Updated - - -

    Megahertz said:
    Can you boot Win 8 (drive 2) using Win 10 boot manager?
    yes
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 4,512
    several
       #9

    open an admin cmd prompt and type:

    bcdboot e:\windows /s e:

    ( then press enter)

    bcdboot c:\windows /s e:

    (then press enter)

    Then restart and select disk 2 from whatever key pops up the one time menu.
    Last edited by SIW2; 17 Jul 2021 at 05:08.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 6,247
    Windows 11 Pro - Windows 7 HP - Lubuntu
       #10

    You already have Win 10 on drive 0 and Win 8 on drive 2. You just need to set the MBR to make Win 8 on drive 2 boot able.
    Boot from win 10 and execute the CMDs SIW2 gave you above.

    Restart and launch boot menu (F8) and select disk 2. It should boot win 8.
    Restart and boot win 10. Open MSconfig and on the boot tab remove win 8 from the options.
      My Computers


 

Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:16.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums