Windows 7 Dual boot Windows 7 with pre-installed Windows 8.1 OS

[Rai De Guzman]

Hi,

I recently purchased a Lenovo laptop with pre-installed windows 8.1. However, after using windows 8.1 for a while, I still wanna go back to windows 7. But since I bought my laptop with licensed windows 8.1, i dont want to waste it which led me to dual booting w7 and w8.1.

I encountered several problems while trying to install w7 since there are not so many installation tutorials on installed w7 on a pre-installed w8.1. Mostly says that I must first format everything and install w7 first before w8.1.

So here it goes:
1. Installing w7 while inside w8.1. That is running the installer from the flash drive while using w8.1. I've done this before but it's w7 on w7.
- This one created a winload.efi error

file:\$windows.~BT\windows\system32\winload.efi
Status 0xC0000428
The digital signature for this file could not be verified

I was able to remove this error by running BCDEdit commands as per below:
- BCDEdit /enum - Lists entries in the store.
- BCDEdit /delete {identifier- from above command} /cleanup

2. I changed the boot mode from uefi to legacy on bios and enabled boot from USB. After restart, my laptop booted from usb but I encountered the BSOD stating that a problem has been detected etc etc.
- I was able to fix this by following instructions from lenovo website.

3. Finally, I was able to boot from USB and the windows installation prompt is now OK. BUT, after selecting the partition that w7 will be installed from, it prompted "The selected disk is of the GPT partition style" and it cannot proceed with the installation. I learned that GPT is being used by w8.1 while MBR is for w7. I downloaded AOMEI partition assistant to do this but I just wanna know if by changing my disk from GPT to MBR, will my w8.1 still work?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post

 

[patcooke]

May I just ask if, before all of this you burned the recovery disks which may, due to problems or because you wish to sell it on, be necessary to restore your system to factory setting? If not I strongly recommend you do so.

 

[Rai De Guzman]

May I just ask if, before all of this you burned the recovery disks which may, due to problems or because you wish to sell it on, be necessary to restore your system to factory setting? If not I strongly recommend you do so.

Hi Patcooke, I have not yet done this. But I will. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Jimbo22]

When you get your laptop back to factory condition with widnows 8.1. And you still feel the need to use windows 7, I suggest that you use Classic shell or Start8, my 2 personal choices to make your new Lenovo laptop look and feel like windows 7 but with all the benefits of windows 8.

 

[Rai De Guzman]

When you get your laptop back to factory condition with widnows 8.1. And you still feel the need to use windows 7, I suggest that you use Classic shell or Start8, my 2 personal choices to make your new Lenovo laptop look and feel like windows 7 but with all the benefits of windows 8.

Hi bassfisher6522! Sure I will check that up thanks for the info!

 

[Pauli]

Just my two pence, but it's safe to have different OSs installed on different disks. The more you mess, the more mess you get.

No offense, wish You the very best.

 

[ussnorway]

1. Installing w7 while inside w8.1. That is running the installer from the flash drive while using w8.1. I've done this before but it's w7 on w7.
- This one created a winload.efi error

This error is because your windows 7 usb is not set to efi and you prob used the (out dated) windows tool to make it... rufus can make windows 7 usb that are efi (gpt) or the older mtr... get it from here https://rufus.akeo.ie/

2. I changed the boot mode from uefi to legacy on bios and enabled boot from USB. After restart, my laptop booted from usb but I encountered the BSOD stating that a problem has been detected etc etc.
- I was able to fix this by following instructions from lenovo website.

You cann't have legacy and uefi on the same hdd... your laptop is uefi and to make it legacy you would need to format the windows 8.1 back to blank then install 7.

To be clear, imo doing this is a very bad idea but your 8.1 key is in the motherboard bios and would still allow you to put it all back again should you take this path and change your mind later... as patcooke says the time to make a backup recovery image is NOW before doing anything else!

3. Finally, I was able to boot from USB and the windows installation prompt is now OK. BUT, after selecting the partition that w7 will be installed from, it prompted "The selected disk is of the GPT partition style" and it cannot proceed with the installation. I learned that GPT is being used by w8.1 while MBR is for w7. I downloaded AOMEI partition assistant to do this but I just wanna know if by changing my disk from GPT to MBR, will my w8.1 still work?

The error is because your windows 7 stic/ disc is set to mbr... change it to a efi install with rufus or some other tool and the error will go away. The link has instructions for this.

off topic;
1. ime (having done it myself and being payed to fix it for others) dual booting 7 and 8.1 is a bad idea... at some point you will want them to share files on the hdd i.e. a data drive and they will fight over ownership.
2. Another option is to use hyper-v or vmware to make a v-windows 7 on your laptop that can run older programs/ games without buggering your system up.