Help with dual booting windows 7?

[wad92]

Ok so im a bit of a noob when it comes to dual booting operating software as i have never had the need for two os's and wanted to ask if i have windows 7 on my primary partition, can i install another windows 7 on the second partition?

I know that you are supposed to install the earlyer os first due to the boot options or something, but im not sure about same versions.

If it helps i currently have Windows 7 Ultimate x86 and wish to dual boot with the tweeked ARC Gamer edition.

 

[psuchris]

It is definitely possible. Although I went through so much trying to do it and couldn't get it to work...but I was using a portable usb hard drive so it gets really weird when booting from it. But you should be able to do it.

 

[DigitalGeek]

This is VERY easy, though I've never done it with Windows 7 yet and I've never tried installing the same OS twice. I really don't see why you'd want to have 2 Win 7 installs, but that's besides the point.

When installing Windows 7, at the beginning at some point you'll get the option to configure the Hard Drive. If there is an option to go Advanced, Do So. Then if it's 1 Hard Drive you're doing this to: Format, Then Create a second Partition from the Free Space you have, make sure you give each partition enough space. You should now have 2 Partitions (maybe 3 sometimes Windows 7 creates a small partition for system shit), Now proceed to install Win 7 on the First Partition you made. After you complete the OS Install and are ready to install the next OS, just boot from the OS CD/DVD again. You'll come to the Configure Hard Drive screen, now select the Second Partition you made and Install. That Easy, I Usually have a Dual Boot of Windows and Linux.

Booting from a USB as a Dual Boot never works well (For me anyway), though I'd be curious to see how it would work with USB 3.

EDIT:

Now, if you have a Windows 7 already installed and want to keep it, you would need to make sure you have enough free space for another Install. Then you need to split the free space into another partition, you can do this by using the Windows CD/DVD Hard Drive Configuration (as above, there will be a resize button) or you can use a program called Partition Magic (Good Program, not free... legally). You can try doing it in Disc Management within Windows, but since you're doing it to the Hard Drive that you're running windows on, it'll probably fight you.

Make sure you give yourself enough free space for both Windows Installs.

 

[FSOwner]

If you haven't already got a second partition go download gparted live and use it to shrink your current partition.

If you've already partitioned your drives just install 7 on the other partition, the 7 installer automatically configure the bootloader to boot both.

 

[wad92]

Thanks for the help guys, i was unsure and didnt want to mess my laptop up again. Much apreciated.

 

[Fallen101]

and u can use the windows part tool.

 

[zjsfire]

and u can use the windows part tool.

or grub

 

[Aloke]

Hey! Use this program called EasyBCD. It is very easy to use even for the users, who doesn't understand computers very well (have minor skills). This program lets you have to choose which windows you wanna go to when you are booting up.
If you have windows 7 and want to like dualboot with XP and have only a single hard drive, use windows 7 disk partition tool. Just simply search "create and format hard disk partitions". Simply choose your hdd, right cllick it and and choose shrink volume. It may take some time for it to collect info. PSO NOT CLOSE IT WHILE IT IS STILL COLLECTING INFO! Your HDD may suffer (especially if you have very important data on it). Choose how much you want the other drive to have space. When it finishes, it is not usable yet. You have to right click on the new virtual partition HDD and press New button. then you can choose drive letter and so on. Also, after you finish, you have to let it quick format the drive. When it finishes, your new partition is Ready to use and you are ready to install your second OS!

Hope this helps.

Regards, Alo.

 

[wad92]

Thanks for the advice Aloke, much appreciated. Although this thread is fairly old and i have already messed about with dual booting windows

 

[Aloke]

No problem Well, it's not that old. only couple months