Windows 10 Dual boot 8.1 and 10?

maybe

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2015
I'm worried about installing the downloaded Windows 10 and having it overwrite my existing os. Is there a way to install the downloaded W10 in a dual boot with the existing W8.1?

I have updated the 8.1 system but I heard that the W10 install deletes the W 8.1 registration so that restoring from backup will mean an unregistered W8.1

Advice?
 
I'm not 100% if the Windows 8.1 key will be disabled as a result of the upgrade. In theory if you wanted to dual boot, you will need to first get your Windows 10 key with magic jellybean keyfinder. Then you would need to install Windows 8.1. After that is installed you would need to shrink your Windows 8.1 partition. Then install Windows 10 and select Advanced mode and select the un-allocated space on the drive. The golden rule for installing multiple versions of windows is always install the oldest first.
 
You can dual 8.1 and 10 if the 8.1 key you use is different to the one that 10 upgraded... in effect two different 8.1 keys or a 8.1 and 7 key.
The upgrade does use the base key and hyper-v does transfer across.

It's too early days yet but I don't recommend it because the 8.1 WILL nag you to upgrade it to the free 10... that sounds very complicated to me, however if you want a dual boot I have 8 and 10 sitting very happy together on my Asus laptop with no issuses (so far)... the nag ware in 8 is very easy to turn off so that it doesn't try to go get 8.1 in the background.
 
Thank you for the replies.

I'm just worried about not being able to go back to the prior installation of Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 despite having image backups by both Acronis 14 and macrium. I'll just hold off the update until things get clearer.

I'm also worried about w10 privacy issues.
 
You can disable just about everything that requests access to your system info via Settings > Privacy
 
Back
Top Bottom