Running Win 8.1 Pro Want to partition drive to run Win 7

LouieBlu

New Member
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Hello All , First off I want to say thanks for letting me be a part of 8 forums.

I am currently running Windows 8.1 pro, and I wanted to partition my main drive which is the C: Drive and on that partition run Windows 7 Ultimate.

Now I have been searching all over Google and seen lots of videos on how to partition the drive in Windows 8.1 but when it comes to doing a dual boot everything I have come across says I need to have Windows 7 installed first then I can add Windows 8.1.

There has to be a way to Run Windows 7 from Windows 8.1 on a dual boot or multi-boot as Windows 8.1 is my main and only OS I am running right now.

Does anyone know if this is possible? or if it is can someone please point me in the right direction on how to do this a TUT or a link or your expertise...

I greatly appreciate any help on this matter.

Thank you kindly
Louie
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My own
    CPU
    AMD FX-6100 6 core
    Motherboard
    ASUS M5A97
    Memory
    PC3-10700 (667 MHz) 8 gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5400 series
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    Onboard Sound
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    Samsung 32 Inch LED
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    1920x1080
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    WD 1 Terabyte and WD 500 GB both 7200 rpm
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    Logitech
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    Logitech
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    Chrome
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    Eset 7

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1 Pro X64
    Computer type
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    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer T690
    CPU
    Intel Pentium D Dual Core
    Motherboard
    Acer/Intel E946GZ
    Memory
    2GB (max upgrade)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3000 - PCI Express x16
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Welcome to Windows Eight Forums, LouieBlu.

I would think to make a partition and point your W7 installation to that partition. If your machine has UEFI follow Part Two of the tutorial below.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2372-dual-boot-windows-7-windows-8-delete-windows-8-a.html

So far as searching the tutorials here, go to "Tutorials" in the header above and use the custom search box there.

Here's my results for "dual boot":

Windows 8 Forums - Search Results

Thank you for the warm welcome and the links HippsieGypsie :D
I really don't want to delete my Windows 8.1 though just want to partition my main drive which has my main OS Win 8.1 and put windows 7 on it, then have that option to pick from the boot menu, I do have UEFI on my ASUS motherboard as well

thanks :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My own
    CPU
    AMD FX-6100 6 core
    Motherboard
    ASUS M5A97
    Memory
    PC3-10700 (667 MHz) 8 gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5400 series
    Sound Card
    Onboard Sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32 Inch LED
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    WD 1 Terabyte and WD 500 GB both 7200 rpm
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    90 Mbps/ 10 Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Eset 7
hello,it been awhile but I did what you want to do ,I don't have a uefi bios though, I use disk manager to shrink the volume of my hdd ,formatted the new partition ,installed win7 pro ,the next part I think if memory serves right ,after the setup of win7 I had to run a win8 repair boot disk to fix the issue with windows boot manager ,so I could access both win8 and 7.now having said all that im not 100% sure that's what I did as I have a very bad memory .it may have been the below setup that I had to run the repair disk to fix boot manger
Iam no longer running this setup ,now im boot 2 different version of win8's on 2 different harddrives
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win8.1.1 enterprise
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Hinze57
    CPU
    AMD FX 6100 6core 3.30gHz
    Motherboard
    gigibyte ga-78lmy-s2p
    Memory
    4gig ddr3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radon hd5000 Series
    Sound Card
    onboard realtek hd
    Monitor(s) Displays
    19" viewsonic/ 22"Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
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    128gig ssd Kingston
    80gig WD 10000 rpm spinner
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    micro
    Keyboard
    microsoft curve 200
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M215
    Internet Speed
    high speed 20
    Browser
    ie 11
    Antivirus
    windows defender
    Other Info
    updated enterprise apr 2/14
hello,it been awhile but I did what you want to do ,I don't have a uefi bios though, I use disk manager to shrink the volume of my hdd ,formatted the new partition ,installed win7 pro ,the next part I think if memory serves right ,after the setup of win7 I had to run a win8 repair boot disk to fix the issue with windows boot manager ,so I could access both win8 and 7.now having said all that im not 100% sure that's what I did as I have a very bad memory .it may have been the below setup that I had to run the repair disk to fix boot manger
Iam no longer running this setup ,now im boot 2 different version of win8's on 2 different harddrives

Thanks for the info Caperjack, at least I know it is possible to do this, it can be a little bit confusing though kinda of a noobie with doing dual boot or multi boot, just don't want to screw up and not be able to get back to my Win 8.1 after the Win 7 install lol
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My own
    CPU
    AMD FX-6100 6 core
    Motherboard
    ASUS M5A97
    Memory
    PC3-10700 (667 MHz) 8 gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5400 series
    Sound Card
    Onboard Sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32 Inch LED
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    WD 1 Terabyte and WD 500 GB both 7200 rpm
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    90 Mbps/ 10 Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Eset 7
I have done what you want to do but on a machine with a classic bios. I had no problems. With uefi I think you'd have to make sure secure boot and fast boot are turned off.
Here's what my drives look like. This is a 2 terabyte drive split 4 ways.
Do an image backup on your win 8 on a different drive so you can restore it if it screws up.
Jim

Win 8 was already on c and data d was there also. I shrunk c drive to make the partition for win 7
 

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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Selfbuilt
    CPU
    Intel i5 3570k
    Motherboard
    Intel dz77bh-55k
    Memory
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    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GTX570
I have done what you want to do but on a machine with a classic bios. I had no problems. With uefi I think you'd have to make sure secure boot and fast boot are turned off.
Here's what my drives look like. This is a 2 terabyte drive split 4 ways.
Do an image backup on your win 8 on a different drive so you can restore it if it screws up.
Jim

Win 8 was already on c and data d was there also. I shrunk c drive to make the partition for win 7

Gonna do an image back up first and give it shot, also I will check out my UEFI Bios

thanks for the tips otisdog appreciate it:)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My own
    CPU
    AMD FX-6100 6 core
    Motherboard
    ASUS M5A97
    Memory
    PC3-10700 (667 MHz) 8 gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5400 series
    Sound Card
    Onboard Sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32 Inch LED
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    WD 1 Terabyte and WD 500 GB both 7200 rpm
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    90 Mbps/ 10 Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Eset 7
I have done what you want to do but on a machine with a classic bios. I had no problems. With uefi I think you'd have to make sure secure boot and fast boot are turned off.
Here's what my drives look like. This is a 2 terabyte drive split 4 ways.
Do an image backup on your win 8 on a different drive so you can restore it if it screws up.
Jim

Win 8 was already on c and data d was there also. I shrunk c drive to make the partition for win 7

Gonna do an image back up first and give it shot, also I will check out my UEFI Bios

thanks for the tips otisdog appreciate it:)
Well unfortunately I cant do an image backup my file history is turned off and greyed out, I don't have another drive to use or a big enough usb drive to back it up and i have just my computer hooked up to my router no other network

EDIT: nevermind gonna use my other hard drive to store the image then i will unplug it from my motherboard and do the partition and the main drive and see if that works
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    My own
    CPU
    AMD FX-6100 6 core
    Motherboard
    ASUS M5A97
    Memory
    PC3-10700 (667 MHz) 8 gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 5400 series
    Sound Card
    Onboard Sound
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 32 Inch LED
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    WD 1 Terabyte and WD 500 GB both 7200 rpm
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    90 Mbps/ 10 Mbps
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Eset 7
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