How to triple boot, Win 7/Win10/Win10 Insider

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  1. Posts : 2,585
    Win 11
       #1

    How to triple boot, Win 7/Win10/Win10 Insider


    I had a triple boot with Win 7/Win 8.1/Win 10 Preview. Each OS on a separate hard drive. I've upgraded my Win 8.1 to Win 10. As it stands, the only way I can boot to the Win 10 Preview is to physically disconnect the Win 10 hard drive. If I point the system to boot from the Win 10 preview drive, with the Win 10 drive connected it boots to Win 10 and not the preview version.

    ??
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  2. Posts : 575
    Windows 11 Pro
       #2

    fireberd said:
    I had a triple boot with Win 7/Win 8.1/Win 10 Preview. Each OS on a separate hard drive. I've upgraded my Win 8.1 to Win 10. As it stands, the only way I can boot to the Win 10 Preview is to physically disconnect the Win 10 hard drive. If I point the system to boot from the Win 10 preview drive, with the Win 10 drive connected it boots to Win 10 and not the preview version.

    ??
    With both drives installed start command prompt and type msconfig and press enter. Go to the Boot tab and tell me how many entries do you see. In mine I have five entries.

    How to triple boot, Win 7/Win10/Win10 Insider-syscon.jpg
    In order to triple boot like you want you will need to see three entries.
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  3. Lee
    Posts : 4,793
    OS X, Win 10
       #3

    Don't get me wrong, albeit wouldn't it be easier with a VM. . .at least that way you do not have to reboot when you want to go into a Difference OS. . .including Linux (can't believe I used that word. . .:)
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  4. Posts : 575
    Windows 11 Pro
       #4

    Lee said:
    Don't get me wrong, albeit wouldn't it be easier with a VM. . .at least that way you do not have to reboot when you want to go into a Difference OS. . .including Linux (can't believe I used that word. . .:)
    Lee you bring up a valid point and I suppose the are advantages/disadvantages to each option. In the end it just comes down to personal preference. I prefer to reboot.
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  5. Posts : 2,585
    Win 11
    Thread Starter
       #5

    The current boot lists Win 10 (default) and Win 7. I didn't have the Preview version hard drive connected when I upgraded the 8.1 to 10.

    The Preview boot lists Win 10/7/8.1 with Win 8.1 the default.

    I don't know how I would add the Win 10 Preview to the boot, since it is "Win 10".
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  6. Posts : 719
    win 7 dual boot / 10
       #6

    fireberd said:
    The current boot lists Win 10 (default) and Win 7. I didn't have the Preview version hard drive connected when I upgraded the 8.1 to 10.

    The Preview boot lists Win 10/7/8.1 with Win 8.1 the default.


    I don't know how I would add the Win 10 Preview to the boot, since it is "Win 10".
    This is what Windows did when I clean installed a preview build on the same drive as a rtm version of 10. No problem here. :)
    How to triple boot, Win 7/Win10/Win10 Insider-windows-10-snip-volume-1-2.jpg
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  7. Posts : 575
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    fireberd said:
    The current boot lists Win 10 (default) and Win 7. I didn't have the Preview version hard drive connected when I upgraded the 8.1 to 10.

    The Preview boot lists Win 10/7/8.1 with Win 8.1 the default.

    I don't know how I would add the Win 10 Preview to the boot, since it is "Win 10".
    You are missing a BCD store entry. In order to add the BCD store entry you will need to rebuild the BCD store. This is done by going to Advanced options when Windows is starting and adding the entry via Command Prompt.
    With all drives connected and starting from inside Windows 10:
    Press the Windows key + R.
    Type or copy and paste the following command into the Run dialogue box.
    C:\Windows\system32\shutdown /r /o /f /t 0
    Press Enter.
    When Windows restarts click on Troubleshoot>Advanced options>Command Prompt.
    Computer will restart into Command Prompt. Choose User and enter password if requested.
    At the Command Prompt type bootrec /rebuildbcd and press Enter.
    When this process completes type A and press Enter.
    Close Command Prompt.
    Click on Turn off your computer.
    Restart your computer. During restart you should see the Boot Options menu with all your OSs listed.
    Click the OS you want to use.
    If by chance you do not see the Boot Options menu on restart, go back to Msconfig>Boot tab and check Timeout it may be set to zero which will prevent the Boot Options menu from showing. Change it to however many second you want and restart your computer to see it you can see the Boot Options menu.
    Last edited by tracit99; 02 Sep 2015 at 19:48.
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  8. Posts : 2,585
    Win 11
    Thread Starter
       #8

    I forgot about the BCD option in repair. I'll give it a try and report back later today.
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  9. Posts : 2,799
    Linux Mint 20.1 Win10Prox64
       #9

    1. Open Disk Management and take a note of the Drive letter of Windows 10 Insider
    2. Open Admin Command Prompt and type: bcdboot X:\Windows where X: is the drive letter of the Windows 10 Insider
    3. Reboot. You should have a triple boot menu.
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  10. Posts : 575
    Windows 11 Pro
       #10

    topgundcp said:
    1. Open Disk Management and take a note of the Drive letter of Windows 10 Insider
    2. Open Admin Command Prompt and type: bcdboot X:\Windows where X: is the drive letter of the Windows 10 Insider
    3. Reboot. You should have a triple boot menu.
    This works and is a much simpler solution than mine. I have used this command before to restore the Boot Options menu to a GUI instead of a legacy interface. I was unware that it would actually create a BCD store entry.

    Nice post topgundcp.
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