Boot Menu & Multi-Harddrive booting

JoesMorgue

Insane Lunatic
Messages
23
Location
Over there!
OK. My computer multi-boots to Windows 7 & 8 right now. 8 is on an SSD.

I am thinking about adding another HDD, moving 8 to the new HDD, and installing Windows 10 [Technical Preview] onto the SSD. If I disconnect the drives with 7 & 8 during the install, then add them to the boot menu after, can I make the computer boot to the HDD with 8, have that boot menu default to 8, with 7 & 10 as options, and if I make the computer boot off the SSD default to 10 with 7 & 8 as options?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1x84 [SSD] / Win7 Ult x64 [HD]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom [Compaq Presario CASE]
    CPU
    AMD FX-8150
    Motherboard
    Asus
    Memory
    16 Gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    Internal
    Sound Card
    Internal
    Monitor(s) Displays
    19" & 32"
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 900, and ??? [1080p?]
    Hard Drives
    SSD, 2 Laptop HDs, Server with ~5TBs
    PSU
    Internal
    Case
    Compaq
    Cooling
    Air
    Keyboard
    Wireless/Wireless
    Mouse
    Wireless/Wireless
    Browser
    IE
    Antivirus
    Security Essentials
I am assuming that you have W7 & 8 installed using MBR style and they are both running 64 bit.
  1. With Windows 8 running. Open Admin command prompt and type: bcdedit /export BCDbackup to save your current BCD. copy BCDbackup to somewhere safe.
  2. With the HD connected. Download Macrium Rescue disk from here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxgxYnZOV7L7Z19rWUd4UTllMm8/view?usp=sharing and use: Rufus - Create bootable USB to create a bootable USB stick. then boot up your PC with it.
  3. On the first screen. Select Backup tab, select the SSD as source, click "Clone This disk", click next, select the HD as destination disk. Make sure you select the correct one.
  4. Shutdown. Disconnect the SSD and connect the HD to the cable that was connected to the SSD. set the boot priority to the HD in BIOS then reboot.
  5. If everything boot up as expected. Shutdown and connect the SSD
  6. Boot up Windows 10 TP installation media then select the SSD to install Windows 10
    NOTE: delete all partitions from the SSD then click next.

Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1x64PWMC Ubuntu14.04x64 MintMate17x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brewed
    CPU
    I7 4970K OC'ed @4.7 GHz
    Motherboard
    MSI-Z97
    Memory
    16 GB G-Skill Trident X @2400MHZ
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450
    Sound Card
    X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Series
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dual HP-W2408
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    256 GB M2 sm951, (2) 500GB 850EVO, 5TB, 2 TB Seagate
    PSU
    Antec 850W
    Case
    Antec 1200
    Cooling
    Danger Den H20
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech Performance Mouse MX
    Internet Speed
    35/12mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
Update: Windows 7 did not like having the motherboard replaced [Asus couldn't repair the first board in 3 attempts, Sent defective new board that had to go back...Over 3 months to get replacement board]

Need to get Win7 up and running the way I want it before I mess with Windows 8, may be a few more days...

I want to also boot to Windows 98SE [mostly to play] and I think installing that before Win10 would be the right way to do it.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win8.1x84 [SSD] / Win7 Ult x64 [HD]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom [Compaq Presario CASE]
    CPU
    AMD FX-8150
    Motherboard
    Asus
    Memory
    16 Gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    Internal
    Sound Card
    Internal
    Monitor(s) Displays
    19" & 32"
    Screen Resolution
    1440 x 900, and ??? [1080p?]
    Hard Drives
    SSD, 2 Laptop HDs, Server with ~5TBs
    PSU
    Internal
    Case
    Compaq
    Cooling
    Air
    Keyboard
    Wireless/Wireless
    Mouse
    Wireless/Wireless
    Browser
    IE
    Antivirus
    Security Essentials
Back
Top