Windows 10: How to dual boot Windows 10 with 2 different hard drives?

Not sure if this is possible..


I have a new I5 Windows 10 desktop. Boots off a 500gig SSD drive and I installed a 2TB drive for additional space. Super fast runs great. I only use it for work. Minimal browsing, mostly excel type stuff.


I have an older dell I5 that was running windows 7 and did the free upgrade to windows 10. It is the family desktop - daughter uses it etc. It is a 2013 machine but does surprisingly well - runs ok. 1tb HD.


Is there anyway to make the Dell HD work in the new desktop? Looking to free up some space with only one desktop, monitor, etc. I know how to physically put in the harddrive, hook up to motherboard, etc. Just not sure how to make it work - if it will work coming from an older dell. Most articles I have read use one hard drive and a second new/fresh windows 10.


Any help or thoughts would be great thanks.

:)

 

Windows Boot Manager issue with Dual Boot on different Hard Drives


There are some misleading information in this thread.

1. Unlike Legacy MBR BIOS. When running Windows using GPT style partition, The UEFI firmware will update the boot configuration accordingly.
2. For each Windows using GPT with separate EFI System partition, You will have a separate "Windows Boot Manager" ie. you will have one for Windows 7 and one for Windows 10.
   NOTE: You must first connect the SSD/HD then restart or turn off the PC then turn on the PC for UEFI firmware to update the boot configuration.

There is nothing wrong with your Windows 7/10 booting. You just need to set your UEFI firmware to point to the correct "Windows Boot manager" and and set the SSD/HD to be the first boot device. Or using the Boot Menu for a one time boot.

It is hard to visualize how it works. So here's some screen shot from my PC.
From Disk Management: I have 2 Windows installed, 1 on disk 0 (Connect to Sata 0) and the other on disk 3 (Connect to Sata 5). On disk 2, I have 2 WinPE's (WinPE does not have Windows Boot Manager)



For one time boot from boot menu, I just have to select which one to boot from. Note that the 2 "Windows Boot Manager" associated to 2 different SSD ID's. #1 is for Windows on Disk 0, #2 is for Windows on Disk 3. #3 &#4 are for 2 WinPE's



For normal boot. On the next 3 screens, you'd have to select which "Windows Boot Manager" to boot from and also the appropriate SSD/HD.










NOTE: The GUI on my MB looks different from your MB but all options are there. In addition, If you disconnect your HD (Windows 10) then you would have to go back and reset the boot order again.

 

Dual Booting 2 x Windows 10 OS Drives (Existing Installs)


It is uneccessary to do all of the above.

1. Boot up Windows 10
2. Open Disk Management and take a note of the drive letter of the other Windows 10
3. Open Admin Command Prompt and type: bcdboot X:\Windows where X is the drive letter noted in step 2
4. Reboot, you should have a dual boot menu.

 

Dual Booting with Windows 8.1


The procedure below will allow you to boot Windows separately or in dual boot configuration.
Here's what I recommend to do:

1. Disconnect the drive containing Windows 8.1
2. Install Windows 10 with one drive connected.
3. After step 2, reconnect the drive containing Windows 8.1
4. Boot up Windows 8.1. Open disk management and take a note of the drive letter of Windows 10 OS.
   NOTE: if you boot up Windows 10, then take a note of Windows 8.1 drive letter
5. Open Admin command prompt and type: bcdboot X:\windows where X: is the drive letter of Windows 10 (Windows 8.1 if you boot from Windows 10 in step 4)
6. Reboot the PC. You should have a dual boot screen.

NOTE: To break off the dual boot setting, Win+R->msconfig->boot and delete the none default entry on the list.