Windows 10 Dual Boot with Windows 7 (on different hard drives)

Hi,
I've done a fresh install of Windows 8.1 on a new 480 GB SSD, then
immediately installed Win 10 over that. Having now got a licence key for
Win 10, would it be worth deleting that lot and doing a fresh install of
Win 10, using that licence key?

My original Win 7 Pro hard disk is still needed, as it has software
which will only run in the Virtual XP environment. Ideally, of course,
I'd like to run both operating systems at the same time. But, failing
that, I would like to be able to fairly easily choose which one to boot.

Now, when I've tried this sort of thing before, it's all gone hideously
wrong, with drive letters changing and software no longer working
because of that.

So any suggestions, indeed pointers towards idiot's guides on how to do
this would be much appreciated.

On 11/3/2015 3:59 AM, Modanistas wrote:
Hi,
I've done a fresh install of Windows 8.1 on a new 480 GB SSD, then
immediately installed Win 10 over that. Having now got a licence key for
Win 10, would it be worth deleting that lot and doing a fresh install of
Win 10, using that licence key?

My original Win 7 Pro hard disk is still needed, as it has software
which will only run in the Virtual XP environment. Ideally, of course,
I'd like to run both operating systems at the same time. But, failing
that, I would like to be able to fairly easily choose which one to boot.

Now, when I've tried this sort of thing before, it's all gone hideously
wrong, with drive letters changing and software no longer working
because of that.

So any suggestions, indeed pointers towards idiot's guides on how to do
this would be much appreciated.

I too would like to see that guide.

I put win10 on first and second partitions.
Then win7 on third and fourth.
Win7 got drive letters E and F.
Worked just fine...until I tried to install software
that would only install on C:. And all of the links
and scripts that I'd used before wouldn't work.

Thought I'd relabel all the drives so each OS thought it
was hosted on C:...but thinking about it, I decided that there
might be other unintended consequences, depending on whether
the partition tried to remember its drive letter.

Finally went back to the old way of plugin hard drives.

But I'd really like two versions of windows and one linux
on one fixed hard drive, and the ability to change or reinstall
any one of them without messing up the boot process or activation.

Modanistas wrote:

Hi,
I've done a fresh install of Windows 8.1 on a new 480 GB SSD, then
immediately installed Win 10 over that. Having now got a licence key for
Win 10, would it be worth deleting that lot and doing a fresh install of
Win 10, using that licence key?

My original Win 7 Pro hard disk is still needed, as it has software
which will only run in the Virtual XP environment. Ideally, of course,
I'd like to run both operating systems at the same time. But, failing
that, I would like to be able to fairly easily choose which one to boot.

Now, when I've tried this sort of thing before, it's all gone hideously
wrong, with drive letters changing and software no longer working
because of that.

So any suggestions, indeed pointers towards idiot's guides on how to do
this would be much appreciated.

The only way to run multiple OSes "at the same time" is to use virtual
machines like VirtualBox which is what I do. You can switch between
OSes as easily as you switch between applications. Your limitation will
be the amount of RAM you have,

With multibooting like you're doing, you can only run one OS at a time.

Stef

On 11/3/2015 8:46 AM, Stef wrote:
Modanistas wrote:

Hi,
I've done a fresh install of Windows 8.1 on a new 480 GB SSD, then
immediately installed Win 10 over that. Having now got a licence key for
Win 10, would it be worth deleting that lot and doing a fresh install of
Win 10, using that licence key?

My original Win 7 Pro hard disk is still needed, as it has software
which will only run in the Virtual XP environment. Ideally, of course,
I'd like to run both operating systems at the same time. But, failing
that, I would like to be able to fairly easily choose which one to boot.

Now, when I've tried this sort of thing before, it's all gone hideously
wrong, with drive letters changing and software no longer working
because of that.

So any suggestions, indeed pointers towards idiot's guides on how to do
this would be much appreciated.

The only way to run multiple OSes "at the same time" is to use virtual
machines like VirtualBox which is what I do. You can switch between
OSes as easily as you switch between applications. Your limitation will
be the amount of RAM you have,

and how your hardware behaves when accessed by the VM.
Sometimes that's bad news, sometimes not...
My touchpad isn't supported in linux, but when run thru
virtualbox, the windows driver implements scroll and buttons, which are
transferred to the virtualized linux.
Another issue with running windows in a VM is that pesky activation.
I've had updates to the VM cause the windows VM to deactivate itself.

With multibooting like you're doing, you can only run one OS at a time.

Stef

On 03/11/15 11:59, Modanistas wrote:
Hi,
I've done a fresh install of Windows 8.1 on a new 480 GB SSD, then
immediately installed Win 10 over that. Having now got a licence key
for Win 10, would it be worth deleting that lot and doing a fresh
install of Win 10, using that licence key?

My original Win 7 Pro hard disk is still needed, as it has software
which will only run in the Virtual XP environment. Ideally, of course,
I'd like to run both operating systems at the same time. But, failing
that, I would like to be able to fairly easily choose which one to boot.

Now, when I've tried this sort of thing before, it's all gone
hideously wrong, with drive letters changing and software no longer
working because of that.

So any suggestions, indeed pointers towards idiot's guides on how to
do this would be much appreciated.


The easiest way to install multi-operating system is to start with the
lowest version first and then go higher one by one.

In your case, you need to start with XP, then Vista, then Win7, Win 8.1
and finally win 10. If you follow this order, you can go wrong and
everything will work after the setup.

Also, make sure your applications are in a different partition available
to all OSs so that you don't have to waste space installing them for
every Operating system. So you can organise Oss are as follows:

C: XP
E: Vista
F: Win 7
G: Win 8.1
H: Win 10
I: Applications
J: Personal Data

You still need to install the applications on each operating system to
create the necessary registry entries but they all point to drive I. I
hope you get the idea or use your grey matter to enhance this routine.

--
signature

1. /This post contains rich text (HTML). if you don't like it then you
can kill-filter the poster without shedding tears like a small baby./
2. /This message is best read in Mozilla Thunderbird as it uses 21st
century technology./

mike wrote:

On 11/3/2015 8:46 AM, Stef wrote:
Modanistas wrote:

Hi,
I've done a fresh install of Windows 8.1 on a new 480 GB SSD, then
immediately installed Win 10 over that. Having now got a licence key for
Win 10, would it be worth deleting that lot and doing a fresh install of
Win 10, using that licence key?

My original Win 7 Pro hard disk is still needed, as it has software
which will only run in the Virtual XP environment. Ideally, of course,
I'd like to run both operating systems at the same time. But, failing
that, I would like to be able to fairly easily choose which one to boot.

Now, when I've tried this sort of thing before, it's all gone hideously
wrong, with drive letters changing and software no longer working
because of that.

So any suggestions, indeed pointers towards idiot's guides on how to do
this would be much appreciated.

The only way to run multiple OSes "at the same time" is to use virtual
machines like VirtualBox which is what I do. You can switch between
OSes as easily as you switch between applications. Your limitation will
be the amount of RAM you have,

and how your hardware behaves when accessed by the VM.

Never had a problem as long as the VM's minimum hardware requirements
are met.

Sometimes that's bad news, sometimes not...
My touchpad isn't supported in linux, but when run thru
virtualbox, the windows driver implements scroll and buttons, which are
transferred to the virtualized linux.

If I intend to run VirtualBox on a notebook, I first make sure the
necessary drivers are available. If you use only cutting edge hardware,
you'll have problems with Linux. It takes time for the "community" to
"catch up." Anything that's been out 6 or more months should work with
Linux.

Another issue with running windows in a VM is that pesky activation.
I've had updates to the VM cause the windows VM to deactivate itself.

I'm running XP in a VM with Linux as the host -- don't need more than
XP -- and never had that happen through ALL the updates from the initial
install which came with Service Pack 1. Initial online activation went
without a hitch, and this was using the OEM CD that came preinstalled
on the original box. Of course, I had all the needed codes. And it
was legitimate. When its motherboard died, I decided to install it in
a VM on my Linux box instead of building a new one.

Guess I'm just lucky. ;-)

Stef

Modanistas wrote:
Hi,
I've done a fresh install of Windows 8.1 on a new 480 GB SSD, then
immediately installed Win 10 over that. Having now got a licence key for
Win 10, would it be worth deleting that lot and doing a fresh install of
Win 10, using that licence key?

My original Win 7 Pro hard disk is still needed, as it has software
which will only run in the Virtual XP environment. Ideally, of course,
I'd like to run both operating systems at the same time. But, failing
that, I would like to be able to fairly easily choose which one to boot.

Now, when I've tried this sort of thing before, it's all gone hideously
wrong, with drive letters changing and software no longer working
because of that.

So any suggestions, indeed pointers towards idiot's guides on how to do
this would be much appreciated.


A preferred and recommended route would be if possible to add the empty
SSD to the W7 device, install 8.1 allowing Windows to create the dual
boot menu then upgrade from 8.1 to 10 using the Win10 Media Creation
Tool (MCT) created media (usb, dvd or mounted iso).

Recently MSFT announced that qualifying 7/8x o/s product keys can be
used to install Win10 using Win10 MCT...i.e. eliminating the need to
install 8.1 and upgrade to 10.

Fyi...with the upcoming new Win10 build in the near future it might be
prudent to wait for thqt build to be released and available on the MCT
thus even further negating the need to perform major upgrade on the
Win10 RTM o/s.

Thus wait a bit and instead of installing 8.1 to create the dual boot
menu and upgrade to Win10 go directly to a Win7/Win10 dual boot system.
- add the SSD to the Win7 system, obtain when released the new Win10
build on MCT, install the new 10 build using the 8.1 product key to
install and activate Win10.

Fyi...upgrading an 7/8x to 10 or clean installing Win10 using an 8.1
key(another upgrade route from a qualifying o/s - 8.1) using the MCT
tool provides a digital entitled license - you will not be issued a
re-usuable Win10 product key - i.e. upgrades to Win10 do not receive a
product key. Your Win10 digital license is tied to the hardware/device
on which Win10 is installed with your license stored online in the MSFT
Store. If you need to install Win10 again (reinstall or clean) on that
same device the digital license will permit that reinstall/clean install
without the need to enter a Win10 key (a Skip product key option is
available) and activate Win10 after athe digital license is validated
for that device.


--
....winston

On 04/11/2015 07:06, ...winston wrote:
....
Fyi...upgrading an 7/8x to 10 or clean installing Win10 using an 8.1
key(another upgrade route from a qualifying o/s - 8.1) using the MCT
tool provides a digital entitled license - you will not be issued a
re-usuable Win10 product key - i.e. upgrades to Win10 do not receive a
product key. Your Win10 digital license is tied to the hardware/device
on which Win10 is installed with your license stored online in the MSFT
Store. If you need to install Win10 again (reinstall or clean) on that
same device the digital license will permit that reinstall/clean install
without the need to enter a Win10 key (a Skip product key option is
available) and activate Win10 after athe digital license is validated
for that device.

I am not clear if you need two separate Windows licenses for dual
booting w7/8x and w10, or you can re-use the same w78x "old" license
that was "upgraded" to w10.
Actually, if you dual boot, you are not going to use the same license at
the same time.

On 11/4/2015 1:47 AM, edevils wrote:
On 04/11/2015 07:06, ...winston wrote:
...
Fyi...upgrading an 7/8x to 10 or clean installing Win10 using an 8.1
key(another upgrade route from a qualifying o/s - 8.1) using the MCT
tool provides a digital entitled license - you will not be issued a
re-usuable Win10 product key - i.e. upgrades to Win10 do not receive a
product key. Your Win10 digital license is tied to the hardware/device
on which Win10 is installed with your license stored online in the MSFT
Store. If you need to install Win10 again (reinstall or clean) on that
same device the digital license will permit that reinstall/clean install
without the need to enter a Win10 key (a Skip product key option is
available) and activate Win10 after athe digital license is validated
for that device.

I am not clear if you need two separate Windows licenses for dual
booting w7/8x and w10, or you can re-use the same w78x "old" license
that was "upgraded" to w10.
Actually, if you dual boot, you are not going to use the same license at
the same time.

I haven't seen the answer to, "does microsoft blacklist your old key
when you upgrade?" I think that's the critical parameter.

In article
mike wrote:

On 11/4/2015 1:47 AM, edevils wrote:
On 04/11/2015 07:06, ...winston wrote:
...
Fyi...upgrading an 7/8x to 10 or clean installing Win10 using an 8.1
key(another upgrade route from a qualifying o/s - 8.1) using the MCT
tool provides a digital entitled license - you will not be issued a
re-usuable Win10 product key - i.e. upgrades to Win10 do not receive a
product key. Your Win10 digital license is tied to the hardware/device
on which Win10 is installed with your license stored online in the MSFT
Store. If you need to install Win10 again (reinstall or clean) on that
same device the digital license will permit that reinstall/clean install
without the need to enter a Win10 key (a Skip product key option is
available) and activate Win10 after athe digital license is validated
for that device.

I am not clear if you need two separate Windows licenses for dual
booting w7/8x and w10, or you can re-use the same w78x "old" license
that was "upgraded" to w10.
Actually, if you dual boot, you are not going to use the same license at
the same time.

I haven't seen the answer to, "does microsoft blacklist your old key
when you upgrade?" I think that's the critical parameter.

I don't believe that happens. Here's why. I have a desktop which I
upgraded from 8.1 Pro. The upgrade went well, however I had many
display irregularities due to an old video card, so I decided to
revert back to 8.1

Well, the 30-day rollback didn't work. It told me that the backup
files were unavailable (they WERE present). After trying a few work-
arounds, none which helped, I reimaged my machine back to its 8.1
Pro state just prior to the Win 10 upgrade. That was over 2 months
ago and my 8.1 system still is registered/genuine.

Just a data point to consider...

edevils wrote:
On 04/11/2015 07:06, ...winston wrote:
...
Fyi...upgrading an 7/8x to 10 or clean installing Win10 using an 8.1
key(another upgrade route from a qualifying o/s - 8.1) using the MCT
tool provides a digital entitled license - you will not be issued a
re-usuable Win10 product key - i.e. upgrades to Win10 do not receive a
product key. Your Win10 digital license is tied to the hardware/device
on which Win10 is installed with your license stored online in the MSFT
Store. If you need to install Win10 again (reinstall or clean) on that
same device the digital license will permit that reinstall/clean install
without the need to enter a Win10 key (a Skip product key option is
available) and activate Win10 after athe digital license is validated
for that device.

I am not clear if you need two separate Windows licenses for dual
booting w7/8x and w10, or you can re-use the same w78x "old" license
that was "upgraded" to w10.
Actually, if you dual boot, you are not going to use the same license at
the same time.

Licensing doesn't provide flexibility. Each installed o/s requires a
separate license.
Upgrading to 10 from a qualifying o/s replaces the qualifying o/s
license with a digital license for 10 retained in the MSFT Store.
Subsequently installing 7 on the same device requires a different
product key provided with its license for use.

The above is MSFT's requirement and expectation on how the licensing
applies. Licensing and technical feasibility, as noted many times
previously are two completely different things.

--
....winston

Nomen Nescio wrote:
In article
mike wrote:

On 11/4/2015 1:47 AM, edevils wrote:
On 04/11/2015 07:06, ...winston wrote:
...
Fyi...upgrading an 7/8x to 10 or clean installing Win10 using an 8.1
key(another upgrade route from a qualifying o/s - 8.1) using the MCT
tool provides a digital entitled license - you will not be issued a
re-usuable Win10 product key - i.e. upgrades to Win10 do not receive a
product key. Your Win10 digital license is tied to the hardware/device
on which Win10 is installed with your license stored online in the MSFT
Store. If you need to install Win10 again (reinstall or clean) on that
same device the digital license will permit that reinstall/clean install
without the need to enter a Win10 key (a Skip product key option is
available) and activate Win10 after athe digital license is validated
for that device.

I am not clear if you need two separate Windows licenses for dual
booting w7/8x and w10, or you can re-use the same w78x "old" license
that was "upgraded" to w10.
Actually, if you dual boot, you are not going to use the same license at
the same time.

I haven't seen the answer to, "does microsoft blacklist your old key
when you upgrade?" I think that's the critical parameter.

I don't believe that happens. Here's why. I have a desktop which I
upgraded from 8.1 Pro. The upgrade went well, however I had many
display irregularities due to an old video card, so I decided to
revert back to 8.1

Well, the 30-day rollback didn't work. It told me that the backup
files were unavailable (they WERE present). After trying a few work-
arounds, none which helped, I reimaged my machine back to its 8.1
Pro state just prior to the Win 10 upgrade. That was over 2 months
ago and my 8.1 system still is registered/genuine.

Just a data point to consider...

That's how it's intended to work. Upgrading replaces the prior
qualifying o/s license (in your case 8.1 Pro was replaced with 10 Pro).
When you reverted back to 8.1 you no longer were using W10's (digital
license and activation) thus un-replaced 8.1 permitting its use after 10
was removed.

The above, for that same device, does not preclude your ability to
return to Win10 at a later point in time - upgrade again during the
'free upgrade Window using Windows Update or MSFT Media Creation Tool
media, or clean install during the free upgrade windows or after the
free upgrade window using the Media Creation Tool media. Optionally,
during the free upgrade window one could clean install 10 and use the
8.1 Product key (retail or OEM).

The presence of the GoBack item is MSFT's method of assuring that you
can revert to the prior o/s and un-replace the prior o/s - it does not
matter if you GoBack within the 30 days or use another means (recovery
media, image, reinstall using media) to rever to the prior o/s.

--
....winston

On 04/11/2015 18:14, ...winston wrote:
Nomen Nescio wrote:
In article
mike wrote:

On 11/4/2015 1:47 AM, edevils wrote:
On 04/11/2015 07:06, ...winston wrote:
...
Fyi...upgrading an 7/8x to 10 or clean installing Win10 using an 8.1
key(another upgrade route from a qualifying o/s - 8.1) using the MCT
tool provides a digital entitled license - you will not be issued a
re-usuable Win10 product key - i.e. upgrades to Win10 do not
receive a
product key. Your Win10 digital license is tied to the
hardware/device
on which Win10 is installed with your license stored online in the
MSFT
Store. If you need to install Win10 again (reinstall or clean) on
that
same device the digital license will permit that reinstall/clean
install
without the need to enter a Win10 key (a Skip product key option is
available) and activate Win10 after athe digital license is validated
for that device.

I am not clear if you need two separate Windows licenses for dual
booting w7/8x and w10, or you can re-use the same w78x "old" license
that was "upgraded" to w10.
Actually, if you dual boot, you are not going to use the same
license at
the same time.

I haven't seen the answer to, "does microsoft blacklist your old key
when you upgrade?" I think that's the critical parameter.

I don't believe that happens. Here's why. I have a desktop which I
upgraded from 8.1 Pro. The upgrade went well, however I had many
display irregularities due to an old video card, so I decided to
revert back to 8.1

Well, the 30-day rollback didn't work. It told me that the backup
files were unavailable (they WERE present). After trying a few work-
arounds, none which helped, I reimaged my machine back to its 8.1
Pro state just prior to the Win 10 upgrade. That was over 2 months
ago and my 8.1 system still is registered/genuine.

Just a data point to consider...

That's how it's intended to work. Upgrading replaces the prior
qualifying o/s license (in your case 8.1 Pro was replaced with 10 Pro).
When you reverted back to 8.1 you no longer were using W10's (digital
license and activation) thus un-replaced 8.1 permitting its use after 10
was removed.

The above, for that same device, does not preclude your ability to
return to Win10 at a later point in time - upgrade again during the
'free upgrade Window using Windows Update or MSFT Media Creation Tool
media, or clean install during the free upgrade windows or after the
free upgrade window using the Media Creation Tool media. Optionally,
during the free upgrade window one could clean install 10 and use the
8.1 Product key (retail or OEM).

The presence of the GoBack item is MSFT's method of assuring that you
can revert to the prior o/s and un-replace the prior o/s - it does not
matter if you GoBack within the 30 days or use another means (recovery
media, image, reinstall using media) to rever to the prior o/s.

In other words, are you saying the rule is "you can go forward and back
and forward again, but you shouldn't dual boot 'em (you should not keep
both installed on the same box)", yet MS is not enforcing such rule?

edevils wrote:


In other words, are you saying the rule is "you can go forward and back
and forward again, but you shouldn't dual boot 'em (you should not keep
both installed on the same box)", yet MS is not enforcing such rule?

Enforcement may have a temporal component.

We just don't know what the policy is.

For example, when August 1st, 2016 shows up, Microsoft
could enable enforcement, such that only your
currently running OS is the one with the license key.
The other one becomes "not genuine". In effect, the
decision point might be August 1st next year.

We won't know the company policy, until that day
rolls around. If both OSes are still running,
still genuine after checking Windows Update
at least once, then we'll know they're not enforcing
any rules. Running Windows Update and contacting
the server, should give them a chance to announce
their intentions.

Paul

On 04/11/2015 22:16, Paul wrote:
edevils wrote:


In other words, are you saying the rule is "you can go forward and
back and forward again, but you shouldn't dual boot 'em (you should
not keep both installed on the same box)", yet MS is not enforcing
such rule?

Enforcement may have a temporal component.

We just don't know what the policy is.

For example, when August 1st, 2016 shows up, Microsoft
could enable enforcement, such that only your
currently running OS is the one with the license key.
The other one becomes "not genuine". In effect, the
decision point might be August 1st next year.

Or, perhaps, something along the lines of: if you keep dual booting
back-and-forth, and the two Windowses get to call home a dozen times,
then your activation is put on stand-by and you will need to phone
Microsoft to have it unlocked.

We won't know the company policy, until that day
rolls around. If both OSes are still running,
still genuine after checking Windows Update
at least once, then we'll know they're not enforcing
any rules. Running Windows Update and contacting
the server, should give them a chance to announce
their intentions.

Paul