Windows 10: dual booting windows 7 and 10

Help!!!!

I have just deleted the EFI System Partition and it still says about the error:

This is because it is saying the C: drive is labelled as "System".

Well, it's going to be unbootable now, since I've removed EFI System...

I'm honestly thinking about installing Windows 7, totally clearing the disk (so that no partitions are available), then when I'm into 7, download Partition Wiz to add a partition for windows 10; before finally installing Windows 10 into the gap.

Hopefully it won't say about product keys for 10, since the key is already in BIOS (however, I have recovered a key - don't know if it is correct though).

edit: Thank goodness I bought that HP recovery USB stick! Since I hadn't got anything important saved on that laptop, after making it unbootable I am now recovering the whole thing from USB. It'll then give me the 4 partitions I started off with. (EFI System, C:, WinRE and D.

Any solutions on getting the dual boot working? Or is it best to boot to the Windows 7 CD, wipe absolutely everything, install Windows 7, then create a partition for Windows 10 and leave it at that? This is seriously more hassle than I thought it would be!

 

If it will let you ignore the warning and proceed, do it to convert the disk to MBR. If it doesn't allow you, then wipe all partitions, repartition the disk as MBR, create a small "system" partition at the start and a 1TB partition for Windows 10. Then a trird partition taking the rest space for Windows 7. Restore system and Windows 10 partitions from the backup. Then boot into Windows 7 setup and install Windows 7 on the third partition. Use Windows 10 DVD to repair startup. Boot into Windows 10 and use EasyBCD to add Windows 7 in the boot menu. This should work.

 

Hi,

It didn't let me ignore the warning.

I tried connecting my 2TB external hard drive, to restore all partitions, however it wasn't even showing up my external hard drive.

I restarted, and lo and behold, unbootable.

I'm now in the process of using my HP Recovery stick to factory restore the laptop - if I can get into Windows 10, I'm then going to install from Windows 7 DVD and wipe all partitions from there. Windows 7 can create whatever partitions it needs, and then I'll use Partition Wiz (under Windows 7) to create a partition and install Windows 10.

Hopefully, that should work? If not, I've got an unbootable laptop.

 

Download the ISO version of MiniTool Partition Wizard so you can boot with it and do stuff. Boot with that and then select to repartition the whole disk into MBR wiping any partitions. Then use bootable version of Macrium Reflect to restore the system and Windows 10 partition from backup into the disk but this time it will be in MBR mode and will allow you install Windows 7 in the third partition.

Rather than restoring the whole disk with Macrium Reflect (and get GPT again) you want to restore the individual partitions separately, so the disk remains MBR.

 

Hallelujah! Managed to recover Windows 10 via the HP USB stick.

I've now downloaded ImgBurn onto my windows 7 laptop, so I can make a bootable CD from that whilst I wait for 10 to sort itself out.

Made a bootable Macrium disc on my windows 7 laptop... hopefully it'll work on my windows 10 laptop. Unfortunately, the bootable Macrium iso I made on windows 10 was saved to the C: drive, which has now been totally wiped (due to not being able to boot). Now, to convert the disk, and use Macrium to recover my partitions...

 

You have to install Macrium Reflect Free and the first option it will ask you when you run it the first time is to make a rescue disk.

 

Thanks - I've just discovered how to make a recovery disk. I think I remember doing that on Windows 10 as well, and to a DVD (before I ended up making 10 unbootable).

Progress so far:

• Booted into Partition Wiz and reformatted to MBR. Created 3x partitions: System Reserved equivalent, Windows 10 and Windows 7.
• Booted into MR recovery DVD and retrieved the System Reserved partition from my 2TB external drive.
• Recovered the Windows 10 partition from external hard drive.

Next steps:

• Check to see if Windows 10 will now work?
• Boot into Windows 7 DVD and install to empty partition
• Repair install Windows 10 if required
• Add Windows 7 to boot list via EasyBCD

Note: For some strange reason, after re-partitioning my hard drive, it has now said that my external hard drive is drive C. Once I've got Windows 10 working, I'm going to have to re-order everything, to:
No Letter: System Reserved
C: Windows 10
D: Windows 7
E: DVD Drive

That should do it!

 

Okay, here's what's happening now.

I've managed to install Windows 7, however I need to install the drivers. I cannot use an internet connection, since the driver for the wireless adapter is not installed. How can I get the drivers from HP (link to the drivers is early on in the thread) into my Windows 7 setup? Will I have to use another CD to download all of the drivers (from the internet on my old Windows 7 laptop), then install the drivers from the CD?

Furthermore, Windows 10 will not start, as to be expected. When I tri to repair install Windows 10, I get this:





Message: The drive where Windows is installed is locked. Unlock the drive and try again.

Any ideas?

 

Windows 10 won't boot yet, you must repair startup. But since you have to do it after installing Windows 7, don't bother now. Install Windows 7, then repair startup to boot in 10. Then add Windows 7 with EasyBCD. In Windows 10 the Windows 10 partition (second) should be C, no need to change. In Windows 7, the Windows 7 partition might not be C, but doesn't matter. If Windows 10 partition is not C (asigned to system reserved), remove drive letter from system reserved and assing C to Windows 10 partittion (if not assigned to Windows 7). In either case you cannot change the drive letter of the Windows installation (10 in 10 or 7 in 7). You are only allowed to change the drive letter on the rest partitions.

 

Hi,

Windows 7 is now installed, all sorted except the drivers (which should be ok when I create a driver CD).

Windows 10 refuses to boot, as expected, saying:

If I boot up with my Windows 10 disc, and try a repair install, I get the above screen (see Post 81).

Any ideas?

 

There is a command that moves boot data to another partition, see here. Boot into Windows 7 and run the command to transfer boot data to Windows 10 partition. Or you can try adding Windows 10 with EasyBCD into Windows 7 boot loader (safer).

 

Thanks for the info. I'll have to use the command as there is no way I can currently get EasyBCD onto that laptop just yet. The drivers for Windows 7 need installing, and I need to get Windows 10 fixed. I'd rather get Windows 10 fixed first, then I can install Windows 7's drivers.

 

You forgot the rule: download drivers beforehand when installing Windows, in case you cannot connect to the internet. Never mind.

 

I didn't see an option to download or install drivers though, when I was doing the Windows install...

Perhaps I should do a driver disc now and install them.

Out of these drivers: HP Notebook - 15-ac153sa (ENERGY STAR) Drivers and Downloads | HP® Customer Support
which ones should I install?

 

You manually download the drivers from manufacturer before trying a new Windows version or another operating system. From your link, click Option 2: Go directly to the software and driver results. Then download all drivers found (you don't need utilities). Make sure you also download everything in the keyboard and mouse section to enable all key combinations and switches. Needless to say that if there are several versions of a driver, you download the last, unless it has some incompatibility (unlikely) in which case you try an earlier version. All drivers (except maybe the graphics driver) should install in Windows 7 without any issue. You can download the graphic driver directly from Intel's site. Start installing the chipset driver first, as all others depend on this.