Windows 10: How to Repair ONLY Win 7 in dual-boot Win 7 and 10 PC? Both Pro 64-bit

I have a nice PC that dual-boots Win 7 Pro 64-bit and Win 10 Pro 64-bit.

I'd like to do a "non-destructive repair" of ONLY the Win 7 [probably by using the "upgrade" function of a Win 7 installation CD or img] but what steps should I take to make sure the Win 7 repair doesn't touch my Win 10 (and the ancillary partitions with the boot loader/MBR, etc.) and keeps my PC dual-booting?

Thanks.

:)

 

I am using win7 pro now can I install win 10 with a dual boot

I currently use windows 7 Pro (64 bit). I would like to keep my win 7 pro. until I learn how to use win 10 comfortably,

will I be able to create a dual boot with the new free win 10 and my existing win 7 pro 64 bit install.

Thank you Frank Watson

 

Windows 10 Pro 64 bit and Windows 7 Pro 64 bit on the same CPU

ODG

You cannot use a backup to create a dual boot and the setup is more complicated than you suspect. When you dual boot you generally install the oldest OS (win 7) first, followed by win 10.

Given the effort are you sure you do not want to try the apps first?

 

Just run setup.exe from within Windows 7. Do not boot the computer from the flash drive or DVD.

 

Navy - thanks for fast response.

Dumb question - There's a setup.exe already within my Win 7? What folder is it in?

Also, is there a way to run it so I can also jump years of updates? (See Ed Bott's article at Four steps to reduce the pain of Windows 7 installations using cumulative updates - Tech Pro Research )

Thanks.

 

I'm sorry, what I meant was insert the Windows 7 installation DVD or USB flash drive and run setup.exe from that from within Windows 7. You can get Windows 7 ISO files with SP2 using the tool from here:
Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool

With the ISO file you can just use a program like WinCDEmu to mount it in Windows 7 and run setup.exe from the mounted ISO file:
WinCDEmu - the easiest way to mount an ISO. And more...

 

Navy -

I've been doing some more reading about "non-destructive repair" if I end up trying it. There are two possible issues before I even get started.

First - I've succeeded in downloading a Win 7 Pro 64-bit img file from Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool, but that source and some other folks warn that, on my Dell system, I might need the "COEM" version and not the plain version. What do you think? My machine is a Dell Optiplex 7010 Mini-Tower - see my specs below - and I originally installed the Win 7 from an extra Dell CD that Dell was kind enough to send me (not from a plain vanilla Microsoft CD).

Second - before I do anything with the Win 7 Pro 64-bit img file, should I first try to use NTLite (for the first time ever) to integrate into the Win 7 Pro 64-bit img file the updates that Ed Bott recommends at Four steps to reduce the pain of Windows 7 installations using cumulative updates - Tech Pro Research ?

Third - if your answer to "Second" is yes, please note how Ed recommends first installing KB3020369: April 2015 Servicing Stack Update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 and then installing his others. I've never used NTLite, but I'm guessing it doesn't work in stages (or does it)? How do I do things in the order Ed Bott recommends?

Thanks !!!

 

Since you are doing an in place upgrade repair, it should not matter that the original installation was done with the OEM provided disc. The only thing is if it asks you for a product key when you run setup.exe then you should stop, because that is a problem.

If you were doing a clean install - the vanilla Windows 7 setup would ask for a product key. Then you would have to enter the product key found on the COA sticker which should be on the computer somewhere. If you use the OEM supplied disc, that has the Windows 7 license built into it that will only work with that make and model of computer.

I can't comment on NTLite, have never used it.

 

I think he is asking how to slipstream Windows 7.
The Last Windows 7 ISO You’ll Ever Need: How to Slipstream the Convenience Rollup

I haven't done it in a long time, since started using image backups. I remember using NTLite for slipstreaming.

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