How to dual boot Windows 8/10 with Free Macrium Rescue.

With the paid version of Macrium. There is an option that allows you to create a dual boot environment with Macrium Recue disk. However, with the free version, this option is not available.

The advantage to dual boot with Macrium Rescue disk are as follows:

1. If you own an old PC which does not have the Boot Menu available. You don't need to change the Boot Priority in the BIOS to boot from the Macrium Rescue disk (CD/USB)
2. Save yourself a CD/USB for other use.
3. Boot faster from the SSD/HD.
4. Start up repair if your PC becomes unbootable.
5. Macrium rescue disk does have its own "File Explorer" version so you can recover data using drag and drop from unbootable Windows partition.

Here's how:

1. Create a folder called macrium under C: drive
2. Copy everything from the Macrium Rescue disk to this folder (C:\macrium)
3. Create a BAT file as shown below. You can use copy/paste to create a BAT file and save it as .bat extension.
   
   Code:

   @echo off
   echo Configuring Dual boot Macrium Recovery Environment
   
   bcdedit.exe /CREATE {ramdiskoptions} /d "Ramdisk Options"
   bcdedit.exe /SET {ramdiskoptions} ramdisksdidevice partition=C:
   bcdedit /set {ramdiskoptions} ramdisksdipath \macrium\boot\boot.sdi
   
   for /f "tokens=2 delims={}" %%g in ('bcdedit.exe /create /d "Macrium Recovery" /application osloader') do (set guid={%%g})
   echo GUID = %guid% created !!!
   
   bcdedit /set %guid% device ramdisk=[c:]\macrium\sources\boot.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
   bcdedit /set %guid% osdevice ramdisk=[c:]\macrium\sources\boot.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
   bcdedit.exe /SET %guid% systemroot \windows
   REM use the next line for UEFI style installation
   bcdedit /set %guid% path \Windows\system32\winload.efi
   REM For MBR, use the next line
   bcdedit.exe /SET %guid% path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
   
   bcdedit.exe /SET %guid% winpe yes
   bcdedit.exe /SET %guid% detecthal yes
   bcdedit.exe /SET %guid% nx OptIn
   
   bcdedit /displayorder %guid% /addlast
   bcdedit /timeout 5
   
   echo "Done... Reboot your PC"
   pause

   NOTE: there's are 2 red lines in the code, one for the MBR type installation and the other for UEFI. Use only one line that applies to your Windows Installation type MBR/UEFI and remove the other.
4. Save the current BCD: Open Admin command prompt and type: bcdedit /export myBCD
   and save this myBCD file to somewhere else.
5. Right click on the BAT file and run as Admin
6. Reboot. You should see the dual boot menu with the timeout set to 5.

To remove the dual boot environment:

1. Open the Admin command prompt and type: bcdedit /import myBCD
2. Delete the folder C:\macrium.

Hope this helps !!!

You`re missing 2 vital components, the Windows 8 and Windows 10 install material.

Or are we to assume that Windows 8 is installed already ?????

Not sure if I understand your question. As the title said, you must have Windows 8/10 installed before you can set up dual boot with Macrium.

Sorry, Your Title clearly states How to dual boot Windows 8/10 with Free Macrium Rescue.

It says nothing about having 8 and 10 already installed, there is no need for Macrium to create a dual boot of any Operating System :)

AddRAM said:

Sorry, Your Title clearly states How to dual boot Windows 8/10 with Free Macrium Rescue.


It says nothing about having 8 and 10 already installed, there is no need for Macrium to create a dual boot of any Operating System :)

Again, it's true there's no need to create dual boot with Macrium. However, It is convenient when you have an old PC with legacy BIOS and you don't have a BOOT MENU available then each time you want to boot Macrium, you would have to go in the BIOS and change the boot order to boot from. In addition, it is faster and you don't have to carry USB/DVD rescue disk around. That's why they have this option available with the Paid Version of Macrium.