Dual boot Windows installs completely independent of each other?


  1. Posts : 1,770
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Dual boot Windows installs completely independent of each other?


    Say I want to dual boot Win 10 and Win 7 (I have the license keys), does it matter which I install first? Or Win 10 Pro and Win 10 Home? And to keep things clean, let's say I remove the drive letter from the install that is not active. Will that cause any problems because one install somehow depends on files from the other install?

    All the installs would be 64 bit versions. Also, I keep all my "real" data on separate D: and E: partitions to limit the damage from a Windows meltdown.

    If it matters I would probably be using EasyBCD to choose the install to boot into.

    Thanks,

    x509
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    x509 said:
    Say I want to dual boot Win 10 and Win 7 (I have the license keys), does it matter which I install first?
    No.

    x509 said:
    Or Win 10 Pro and Win 10 Home?
    No.

    x509 said:
    And to keep things clean, let's say I remove the drive letter from the install that is not active. Will that cause any problems because one install somehow depends on files from the other install?
    You should leave the second OS drive letter in place until dual booting is fully set up, then you can remove it.

    x509 said:
    If it matters I would probably be using EasyBCD to choose the install to boot into.
    I would recommend just using BCDBOOT to add the second OS to the boot menu and then MSCONFIG to set the default OS and desired timeout value.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 1,770
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    NavyLCDR said:
    I would recommend just using BCDBOOT to add the second OS to the boot menu and then MSCONFIG to set the default OS and desired timeout value.
    Does BCDBOOT create a menu so can I select which OS to boot into? I would rather take that approach than have to use MSCONFIG to change the default OS every time I want to switch. But it's worth keeping in mind, because I just read somewhere that EASYBCD doesn't really work with UEFI.

    Thank you, sir!

    x509
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 18,432
    Windows 11 Pro
       #4

    x509 said:
    Does BCDBOOT create a menu so can I select which OS to boot into? I would rather take that approach than have to use MSCONFIG to change the default OS every time I want to switch. But it's worth keeping in mind, because I just read somewhere that EASYBCD doesn't really work with UEFI.

    Thank you, sir!

    x509
    BCDBOOT will add the second OS to the boot menu. You can set the default OS using MSCONFIG. The default OS is simply what the computer will boot into if you don't make a selection yourself. The timeout is how long the computer will wait for you to make a selection before booting the default OS.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 15,480
    Windows10
       #5

    You should install windows 7 first, then windows 10 as windows 7 uses an older boot loader, and doing it the other way round can screw up boot sectors.

    If you do it this way (7 then 10), it just works.

    You can create a dual boot menu, and set whichever you want as default using MSconfig.

    You can even set time to choose tombe as low as one second for the boot menu, or even zero in which case other boot entry is hidden until you set a time again.
      My Computer


 

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