Dual Boot Installation - Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista

How to Do a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista​

   Information

This will show you how to set up a dual boot installation with Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista when Windows 7 or Vista is installed first.

Windows 8 : frequently asked questions

   Note

Windows 8 System Requirements
Windows 8 works great on the same hardware that powers Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster

RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)

Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

Graphics card: MicrosoftDirectX 9 graphics device or higher

Additional requirements to use certain features:

• To use touch, you need a tablet or a monitor that supports multitouch.
• To access the Windows Store and to download and run apps, you need an active Internet connection and a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768.
• To snap apps, you need a screen resolution of at least 1366 x 768.

   Tip

If you dual boot Windows 8 with another OS (ex: Windows 7 or Vista) with Windows 8 set as the default OS to run at startup, then it gives you the Change default or choose other options link as in the example screenshot below to make it easier to boot into the Startup Options menu for more System Recovery Options.

EXAMPLE: "Choose an operating system" Screen at Boot
NOTE: This is the new "Windows Boot Manager" screen that Windows 8 uses now to allow you to select either Windows 8 or say Windows 7 to start when your boot or restart the computer. Clicking on the Change default or choose other options link at the bottom will allow you to change the default time to wait before starting the default OS, change the default OS to start automatically after wait time, or to choose a recovery option.








Here's How:


1. Other than the hard drive that you plan on installing Windows 8/8.1 on, it's recommended to disconnect all hard drives that do not have an OS installed on them.

2. Start Windows 7 or Vista, and log on to an administrator account. Go to either step 2 or 3 below for what you wanted to install Windows 8 on.

   Warning

If your motherboard as UEFI, then also see either tutorial below:

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with

or

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 8 with

3. If you Already Have an Empty Hard Drive or Partition to Install Windows 8 On

​

A) Go to step 5 below.​

4. If you Want to Shrink a Partition to Install Windows 8 On

​

A) Shrink a partition, such as the Windows 7 partition (ex: C: drive), in Disk Management by at least 20GB (20480MB) (1GB=1024MB) to have unallocated space to be able to install Windows 8 on, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshots below)​

​

NOTE: This example has the 100 MB System Reservered partition that Windows 7 creates when installed on a unallocated HDD. If your Windows 7 installation does not have the 100 MB System Reservered partition, then that is fine since this will still work to dual boot with Windows 8. Just do not delete the 100 MB System Reservered partition if you do have one.​

​

​

​

5. Do either step 6 or 7 below for how you want to start installing Windows 8.



6. To Install Windows 8 at Boot to Dual boot with Windows 7 or Vista

​

​

A) Insert or connect your Windows 8 installation DVD or USB thumb drive, and restart the computer to boot from your Windows 8 installation media.​

​

B) Go to step 8.​

​

7. To Install Windows 8 from within Windows 7 or Vista to Dual Boot with

​

​

A) Do step B or C below depending on if you are using a Windows 8 DVD/USB or a Windows 8 ISO.​

​

​

B) Insert or connect your Windows 8 installation DVD or USB thumb drive. In the Computer window, right click on the Windows 8 installation USB/DVD drive, and click on Open. Go to step 7D.​

​

​

OR​

​

​

C) After installing a free program like 7-Zip, right click on the Windows 8 ISO file, select 7-Zip and click on Extract Files, extract the ISO file to a folder (ex: WindowsDeveloperPreview) on your Desktop in Windows 7 or Vista, and open the extracted folder when finished. Go to step 7D.​

​

​

​

​

​

​

NOW​

​

​

D) Open the sources folder first, and run the setup.exe file inside the sources folder. (see screenshots below)​

​

   Warning

If you run the setup file in the root directory instead of the one in the sources folder, then you will be upgrading Windows 7 or Vista to Windows 8 instead of dual booting with Windows 8 and will lose Windows 7 or Vista.

   Warning

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

E) Click on the Go online to get the latest updates for installation option. (see screenshot below)​

​

​

​

​

​

​

F) Continue on to step 8.​

​

​

​

8. You can now finish doing a clean install of Windows 8 to either the empty HDD or partition from step 3, or the unallocated space created in step 4. Be sure to not select your Windows 7 or Vista partition to install Windows 8 to. If you do, Windows 8 will replace it.
NOTE: The screenshot below is at step 7 in the clean install tutorial.

​

​

9. If this a Windows 8 upgrade copy, then you will now need to refresh Windows 8 for it to be activated.

​

   Warning

MICROSOFT SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT

   Warning

​

Windows 8 EULA​

​

What about upgrading the software? ​

The software covered by this agreement is an upgrade to your existing operating system (XP SP3, Vista, or Windows 7) software, so the upgrade replaces the original software that you are upgrading. You do not retain any rights to the original software after you have upgraded and you may not continue to use it or transfer it in any way. This agreement governs your rights to use the upgrade software and replaces the agreement for the software from which you upgraded. After you complete your upgrade, additional software will be required to playback or record certain types of media, including DVDs.​

​

​

​

​

​

10. When finished, you will be in Windows 8 with Windows 8 set as the default OS to start after the wait time. Restarting Windows 8 will allow you to be able to select what OS you would like to start like in the example at the top of the tutorial.

11. In a dual boot setup with Windows 8 and a previous version of Windows (ex: Windows 7 or Vista), then it is recommended to turn off Fast Startup to avoid possibly having issues with shut down, restart, and chkdsk.

12. When finished, you can reconnect any hard drives from step 1.



That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Enable or Disable Secure Boot in UEFI
• How to Delete "Windows 8" in your Dual Boot with Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Delete "Windows 7" in your Dual Boot with Windows 8
• How to Delete an Operating System Listed in Windows Boot Manager
• How to Do a Clean Install of Windows 8 or Windows 8.1
• How to Do a Clean Install with Windows 8 Upgrade
• How to Install Windows 8 Using "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)
• How to Create a Bootable USB or DVD with the Windows 8 ISO
• How to Upgrade from Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, or XP to Windows 8 or 8.1
• How to Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7
• How to Download and Run the "Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant"
• How to Create or Download a Windows 8 Upgrade ISO
• How to Install Windows 8 on VMware Player
• How to Install Windows 8 on VirtualBox
• How to Reset Windows 8
• How to Refresh Windows 8
• How to Create a Windows 8 VHD at Boot to Dual Boot with Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Boot from a VHD using Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Choose a Default Operating System to Run at Startup in Windows 8
• How to Change the Product Key Number in Windows 8
• How to Load SATA Driver During Windows 8 Setup

 

[Brink]

You're welcome John. Please let us know how it went.

 

[ICit2lol]

Hiyya Shawn everything went well until I got to this screen and as it wasn't what was in the tutorial am wondering if I have done something horribly wrong. Do I proceed from this as it said previously keep nothing.

 

[Brink]

Hello John,

It looks like you did a upgrade install instead. That the screenshot at step 7 in the upgrade tutorial below.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2234-upgrade-install-windows-7-vista-windows-8-a.html

 

[ICit2lol]

OK

OK Shawn looks like it's a good job I checked as I don't want to do that - just the dual boot screen.

I'll retrace my steps and se if I can get it right this time - appreciated!!

 

[Brink]

John,

I'm guessing, that you may have went afoul at step 6C and didn't run the setup.exe from within the Sources folder.

 

[ICit2lol]

Yes Shawn you're right I didn't really know exactly which one to use so will return and redo - after I get my first dose of caffeine on board!!

 

[Brink]

No problem mate.

 

[ICit2lol]

Hiyya Shawn mate I might have to delete the the download and re download the app - as I get to the setup.exe > open (no option for run) and it doesn't go to those windows for updates. Keeps on offering just the update.

 

[aem]

come on mate, get your ozzy act together will yah. Setup is Setup!

 

[ICit2lol]

Yeah I know I know pretty weak eh? Think the problem was I downloaded the with tools material so am downloading the one from Shawn's download spot at the moment and go from there.
By the way where's your sig? you haven't been a naughty boy have you?

 

[aem]

mate no one can help me with my sig, i gave up.

 

[ICit2lol]

Humm thats a blow eh hey someone will come with something sometime I'm sure

 

[Brink]

John, how's it going with the setup?

AEM, I sent you a PM about the sig.

 

[ICit2lol]

Sorry for late reply Shawn - working late last night and set it to downlaod the version without tools Plus just got in from weekly shop so here goes!

 

[ICit2lol]

Am obviously doing something wrong I downloaded the ISO > copy to C: > open with 7zip > send to Desktop > sources run down the list and get that setup and not the setup.exe.


You can see the download and I get to the stage where I have to select .exe and thats all I am getting.

 

[aem]

Cuz, the setup IS the setup.exe.

 

[ICit2lol]

Well I'll just go through it again but I just do not get the screen at Step 7 just a completely blue screen with two steps marked on it. Still if it dumps everything else I'll have to reinstall eh??

Anyway I suppose I have the system image to fall back on I suppose.

 

[aem]

Do not Go Online and get updates, you can do this later after the install.

 

[Avalon]

Do not Go Online and get updates, you can do this later after the install.

Yes, it's always best to install without updates, then do it manually later on. I've had problems doing updates during installations many times.

 

[ICit2lol]

Ah well

Well my worst fears have come to bear I now have Windows 8 only after running that setup.

Thank goodness I still have my Desk1 to get emails and the like and will just have to get a new hard drive and reinstall 7 bit of a downer actually as I wasn't getting to that step 7 had a gut feeling that it was going to go piriform.

Damn thing won't even let me format the old drive so I can reinstall and put the system image back, them's the breaks I guess.

Suppose I could try booting from the optical with 7 disk in it. Whats really got me concerned is that there is no security on the machine let alone any programs.