Dual Boot Win8 OEM, Win7 OEM, no one seems to know, What's the procedure?

Discussion in 'Windows 8' started by WeAreNotAlone, Jan 11, 2014.

  1. WeAreNotAlone

    WeAreNotAlone MDL Member

    Aug 31, 2007
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    #41 WeAreNotAlone, Jan 16, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2014
    (OP)
    In my last post I linked to a screenshot taken of EasyBCD which shows both Win7 and Win8 with winload.efi present. (Previously via running Win7 setup- "winload.exe" was showing and after assigning" C" as the pathway when it was actually "B" Win7 would not boot.
    2014-01-16_EasyBCD_2.2_Win7+Win8_Booting_Shows_both_Winload.efi after re-running Win7 setup-Cold.PNG


    PROBLEM :eek:
    Both Win and Win8 are accessible, can boot into either.
    Booting into Win8 is slower now it seems. When typing in the password to log into Win8 and I press the enter key the stupid circle goes round and round and round for maybe *2 minutes before displaying the Win8 desktop.
    *Need to time it, estimated time.

    (Who every thought using a little circle as a indicator vs a progress bar should be hung.)

    What is causing that?


    Let me try shutting down in Win8, Do a cold boot, select Win8 again and see if it starts up faster.

    (I'm thinking it has something to do with Drive letter assignments... Currently while in each OS each OS is getting "C" assigned and when booting between the two OS's it has to "recreate" the drive letter assignments?)

    Upon rebooting into Win8, little circle goes around about 7 times.... maybe 40 seconds? So it appears that if you boot into the other OS, drive letters have to be reassigned.
    .
     
  2. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    #42 Yen, Jan 16, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2014
    No, I don't think the assignment of drive letters slows down performance since it is made all the time when booting the OS, no matter if 7 or 8. A physical volume has no drive letters, it is the OS that assigns (Linux calls that to mount) the partitions.
    There is no performance difference if partion1 gets C: assigned or D: (anyway I would not use A: or B: )
    Both OSes assign the drive letters their way at each boot, to be configured at their own disk management tool.
    If you'd boot from DVD or USB drive then anything is different again.

    You can also get an overview using diskpart at CMD ran as admin.
    diskpart
    list disk
    list volume

    EasyBCD is used to configure the bootmanager (loader) entries and to boot the right partitions. Diskpart can be used to configure / create the partitions. It is a very powerful tool, best when ran from a recovery console since the current sys partition is usually locked from changes.

    Concerning clean install. Why would you like to keep the recovery partition which is full of bloatware? You can extract your serial from MSDM table, install a clean ISO (right SKU) with the generic install key and then manually enter the MSDM key and it activates immediately again.

    I don't want to make to confuse you, though. :)
     
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  3. moderator

    moderator MDL Junior Member

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    :eek: your english seems to have gone for a toss :D
     
  4. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    Well, you are right. :biggrin:
    I just wanted to say to suggest a real clean install is not that what he wants to hear now being that far already with his dual boot.
    Replace it with: The last thing I want is to confuse you with my ideas. :p
     
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  5. moderator

    moderator MDL Junior Member

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    #45 moderator, Jan 16, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2014
    @yen,

    2 reasons why i peruse through your posts :

    a) you really walk the extra mile...to make yourself understood & also kick a** in the most subtle way

    b) you type full words & never use text speak / sms short forms & r*pe the english language
     
  6. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    English is the international language and especially when being admin I think one should make the effort to express oneself clearly. It actually saves a lot of time to have it right at once. :biggrin:
    Misunderstandings are not excluded, though. It is finally not my native, but I am always open for improvements. :)
    I also can have benefits from it when I am abroad. :biggrin:
     
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  7. WeAreNotAlone

    WeAreNotAlone MDL Member

    Aug 31, 2007
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    It's looking like everything is worked out.

    Haven't confirmed the "OEM Recovery drive is accessible (Not that I'd want to use it, or want Stepmother to use it)

    Considering using a mix of the built in MS app that creates a USB Recovery USB, deleting the on disk recovery partition.

    And or whatever imaging apps are built into the OS to make a CURRENT image of the system as it is now / External apps that "work" with the GPT EFI partitioning scheme.

    (Suggestions are welcome on what partitioning /imaging apps work these days, preferably free. Would prefer imaging apps that run from a COLD boot directly off the USB, or at least have the "restore" part able to run off a bootable USB.)


    So to recap, it seems to be possible to add Win7 to a PRE-EXISTING WIN_8 OEM install...using uEFI /EFI , with GPT partitioning scheme without having to wipe the ENTIRE drive.

    The trick to update the install media to make it EFI "aware" /bootable via RUFUS, install from a COLD BOOT after creating the target partition from within the WIN8 OS via disk management. (And/or "GPT" aware partitioning app or your choice)



    .
     
  8. WeAreNotAlone

    WeAreNotAlone MDL Member

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    Yen, first I'd like to say I appreciate your viewpoint, any tips, tricks you may post.

    Reason for wanting "C" vs "D" was most all apps you will install assume OS is on "C". As a example the first thing I tried to install, the video /GPU driver package aborted /errored out saying it could not be installed to "D" IIRC.

    On the performance aspect, it seems "booting" between the OS's, say you had been in WIN7, then are booting into Win8 takes longer.

    Used various partitioning apps in the past, so I understand what diskpart, etc is, just don't know what commands to use.

    Clean install is the best I agree. Probably will delete OEM recovery partition at some point.
    Q: I extracted the MSDM key- IIRC it's just a key. Any special commands to "inject" this key?
    (The thread on backing up activation info does not IIRC detail the process.
    PS: I am familiar with Win7 activation process, or should I say process to "inject" the key and I know Win8 differs )

    RE: Clean ISO, right sku. Sku to be installed matching with sku in bios.

    Core: US English (Machine sold in USA).
    Q: Are the 8.1 ISO's bootable? or do I need to be looking for 8.0?


    Have a pretty good grasp of what is going on, abet not to the same degree as you as I have less "seat time" than you and others here on the board.

    Appreciate any further info you may offer.


    PS: Your English is fine, I understand everything you are saying and you are very helpful.


    .
     
  9. moderator

    moderator MDL Junior Member

    Oct 16, 2013
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    japanese

    & your native would happen to be...
     
  10. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
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    German :sailor:
     
  11. moderator

    moderator MDL Junior Member

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    not in the least did i mean to be critical of yen's english, i am aware of it being a slip / typo.

    yen is always politically correct & with good english so when he made a slip i did not want to miss the

    opportunity of correcting him ;)
     
  12. moderator

    moderator MDL Junior Member

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    a-ha

    in that case should it not be euro instead of yen :D
     
  13. WeAreNotAlone

    WeAreNotAlone MDL Member

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    #53 WeAreNotAlone, Jan 18, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2014
    (OP)
    WARNING to those using EFI/GPT partitioning scheme w a notebook /laptop

    WARNING to those using EFI/GPT partitioning scheme w a notebook /laptop


    During installing the drivers for devices in manager, I got down to (2) listings.

    Listed as:
    PCI
    Unknown

    One was the Realtek card reader.

    The other I think the "unknown" listing:
    ACPI\HPQ0004

    Which was the "ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection", once driver was installed listed as HP Mobile Data Protection Sensor, parks hard drive heads if shock it detected.

    Via searching on the net installed a version of it directly from HP. It being from around 2010 or so (That is a tip off)

    Upon rebooting... was unable to boot into Win7 or Win8.. Boot manager giving a error code on Win7 side only giving a error code Status: 0xc000225

    On Win8 side: it talks about install disc, using the "repair" option:

    File: \Windows\system\winload,efi
    Status: 0xc000225

    Running "Repair" finds a problem, and it says it can fix it:
    I apply the fix, reboot... still won't boot.
    Tried applying the "repair" several times, didn't work. Then an option appeared to restore from a backup. Luckily that worked.


    Nest step was searching for a newer, found a newer version, dated from mid 2013...
    (Wish search results on HP could be sorted by date... Or did I miss that?)

    Installed it and it still boots so I guess it is "EFI" friendly. Guess the first ver I tried was not EFI friendly, eh?

    I read something that said EFI/GPT is so much "better" Which I'm sure it is, and it will be robust, "user friendly" 10yrs from....
    (Man I'm so glad to be in on the beta, or transition phase of EFI/GPT you have a mix of tech that isn't fully compatibile.... Fast forward me 10yrs..).

    .
     
  14. mackphx

    mackphx MDL Junior Member

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    #54 mackphx, Feb 3, 2014
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2014
    I'm dual booting win8.1 and Backbox 3.13 (Ubuntu 12.04). I had to disable secure boot, convert HD partitions from gpt to mbr, and install grub. I originally went the hyper-v route but, seemed like Backbox slightly limited and "choppy" in virtual mode. Both setups have there pro and cons, I picked the lesser of two evils.