Windows 10 & Windows 7 Dual Boot - Can it be done

So it was actually pretty easy on my computer, but you do need a third party partitioning program because Windows does not like to format the EFI System Partition and it is just easier to use a program like MiniTool Partition Wizard:
MiniTool Partition Wizard | Best partition magic alternative for Windows PC and Server

I'm running this from my Windows 10. In partition wizard, right click on the EFI System Partition and Format. Yes you are sure and want to continue. Partition Label is blank, File System FAT32, Cluster Size Default, OK. Right click on it again, Change Letter, give it Z:. OK again. Upper left, click Apply. It may seem like it is taking forever, but it will complete.

Now open a Command Prompt (admin). A Powershell (admin) might also work, I am not sure. My Windows 10 is C: drive, because that is what I am booted into. My Windows 7 partition is G: drive. Yours might be something else. Z: drive is now our freshly formatted and empty EFI System Partition. In the Command Prompt (Admin) run:

bcdboot C:\Windows /s Z: /f UEFI
bcdboot G:\Windows /s Z: /f UEFI /d /addlast
exit

Change the path in red to your Windows 7 drive.

That's it. After you reboot your computer and it's working, you can go back into Partition Wizard and remove the drive letter from the EFI System Partition and uninstall Partition Wizard if you don't want it installed.

NavyLCDR said:

So it was actually pretty easy on my computer, but you do need a third party partitioning program because Windows does not like to format the EFI System Partition and it is just easier to use a program like MiniTool Partition Wizard:
MiniTool Partition Wizard | Best partition magic alternative for Windows PC and Server

I'm running this from my Windows 10. In partition wizard, right click on the EFI System Partition and Format. Yes you are sure and want to continue. Partition Label is blank, File System FAT32, Cluster Size Default, OK. Right click on it again, Change Letter, give it Z:. OK again. Upper left, click Apply. It may seem like it is taking forever, but it will complete.

Now open a Command Prompt (admin). A Powershell (admin) might also work, I am not sure. My Windows 10 is C: drive, because that is what I am booted into. My Windows 7 partition is G: drive. Yours might be something else. Z: drive is now our freshly formatted and empty EFI System Partition. In the Command Prompt (Admin) run:

bcdboot C:\Windows /s Z: /f UEFI
bcdboot G:\Windows /s Z: /f UEFI /d /addlast
exit

Change the path in red to your Windows 7 drive.

That's it. After you reboot your computer and it's working, you can go back into Partition Wizard and remove the drive letter from the EFI System Partition and uninstall Partition Wizard if you don't want it installed.

OK, I downloaded MiniTool Partition Wizard and installed it.
Carried out the procedure that you provided.
Attempted to shutdown Windows 10 but it did not power off. The screen went blank and moving the mouse displayed the login screen for Windows 10. I then did a Restart from Windows 10 and as before got the dual boot menu. Booted into Windows 7, logged in and then shutdown. Powered on and logged into Windows 10. Now I was able to shutdown, that is the PC powered off.

I still have the same result in that if I shutdown from Windows 10 and then power on, I arrive at the Windows 10 login screen. There is no boot menu. If I do a Restart from Windows 10 then I get the dual boot meny and can chosse to log into Windows 7.

In Windows 10 C:\ do you have a hiberfil.sys file? Is there quick boot option in your BIOS?

tracit99 said:

In Windows 10 C:\ do you have a hiberfil.sys file? Is there quick boot option in your BIOS?

Where is the hiberfile.sys. Believe it is a hidden file. Yes, there is a Fast Boot option.

Later ....

Both Fast Boot and Secure Boot are disabled.

Open Control Panel and choose File Explorer Options Click the View tab.


Under Hidden files and folders set the radio button to Show hidden files, etc.
Uncheck the next four boxes that start with the word Hide.

Open File Explorer and choose drive C. Do you see a hiberfil.sys file?

tracit99 said:

Open Control Panel and choose File Explorer Options Click the View tab.


Under Hidden files and folders set the radio button to Show hidden files, etc.
Uncheck the next four boxes that start with the word Hide.

Open File Explorer and choose drive C. Do you see a hiberfil.sys file?

Forgot about that Yes, there is a hiberfil.sys.

Must hit the sack. Will be back tomorrow.

Open Administrative Command Prompt and type: powercfg -h off and press enter. Check File Explorer and make sure hiberfil.sys is gone. Shutdown and Power up. Hopefully you will see the boot menu.

tracit99 said:

Open Administrative Command Prompt and type: powercfg -h off and press enter. Check File Explorer and make sure hiberfil.sys is gone. Shutdown and Power up. Hopefully you will see the boot menu.

Yes, that fixed the Boot Menu problem. It begs the question, 'What if you want to use Hibernation?'.
Thank you.

Because of the behaviour I did suspect that it to do with Hibernation. It would appear that the latest instructions from NavyLCDR and powercfg -h off command has fixed the Boot menu issue.

Need to disappear soon but back again this afternoon. Summarising what was required to install Windows 7 and fix the Boot Manu issue is in order.

cereberus said:

Post image of disk partitions.

If it as I suspect, fixing it is quite easy using Macrium Reflect Free.

This might be irrelevant now but I will post an image of the Disk Partitions.