Solved Dual boot

borgus

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At times I used F8 at boot to choose an O/S...

Win 7 on drive 0
Win 8 on drive 1

You got whatever you chose. Or, if you simply rebooted, the DOS-
type POST screen offered a choice of either. If you did nothing the
default would boot automatically. There was never a DOUBLE boot.

After install on Win 8.1 - with Win 8 the default boot drive - 8.1
boots even when the W7 drive is selected on the F8 POST screen.

Then W8.1 presents its own boot menu, where W7 can be booted.
But first it must reboot a second time. Unnecessary effort.

Is there an safe way of getting the PC to get rid of the unwanted Win 8.1
boot menu - allowing the POST method to work as it did in the past?

Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W8
The blue kiddie block things are for those who are saddled with the limitations of a touch only device.

To get a menu suitable for multibooting, in an Admin command prompt:

BCDedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5245-startup-options-enable-disable-windows-8-a.html

Sounds promising, but please be a bit more specific on the precise command line.

Using Windows Power Shell (admin) I got the following response with your command line verbatim...
"The SET command specified is not valid; the parameter is incorrect."

When I substituted "Windows 8.1. preview" (no quotes) in the bracketed area, and removed the brackets, I got...
"The element data type is not recognized or does not apply to the specified entry; element not found."

Perhaps I should have instead inserted "C:\Windows" which is Win 8.1 - the default - when that O/S is running.

The two O/S in the msconfig|boot menu are the one mentioned above (drive 1), and "Windows 7 Ultimate" (drive 0).

Also, please mention how the command can be reversed, should I require same. Again, thanks.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W8
Type it in exactly as SIW2 posted. From an Elevated Command Prompt,

BCDedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy

To set it back, just click the link to the tutorial, which explains in detail everything ya need to know. Just make sure you put {} rather than () where it says "default"
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Type it in exactly as SIW2 posted. From an Elevated Command Prompt

I had done just that - moments before your post - and it succeeded. Apparently I either typed it incorrectly at the Power Shell prompt, or it doesn't accept it.

In any case, a big thanks to you both.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W8
Yah the first time I tried it, I misread the {} as () and it failed.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Did you get an error that said the Boot Volume Data store could not be opened? You have to run CMD as ADMIN, which can be pulled up by hitting Winkey+X
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
Did you get an error that said the Boot Volume Data store could not be opened? You have to run CMD as ADMIN, which can be pulled up by hitting Winkey+X

No. In Win 8.1. Winkey+X brings up the AD Power Shell. When I tried the command it replied...
"The SET command specified is not valid; the parameter is incorrect."

There's a way to swap the CMD and AD CMD for the Power Shell, but other routes to CMD exist.
FUN with split personalities of W8 and 8.1. ^_^
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W8
Ok, well then it was just not input quite right. I copied it from his original post and pasted it into CMD, and it gave me that Data Store error, after I changed to an Admin CMD, then it worked.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
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