Windows 7 How can i add another OS and hide the current?

skeptic

Senior Member
Hi
what can i do in order to install another new windows 7 32bit
and each time i start the computer i will have 2 windows options, the original will be hidden or accessed in some way that only i will know that it excist. (not normal with entry password)
and when ppl turn on the computer they will see only the new vergin windows with nothing on it.
and nobody can know that there is another same os but with different things on it.
is there any way 2 do such thing?
and if not, how would u recommand me as best and easy way to do an image or something that with him i could load the current system that i have with all my private stuff from the new empty windows with some image program. Im pretty bad at those things so if somebody could help and recommand some way or program (which does'nt have to be free) with guide or somethinf i will thank him.
Cheers
 
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If I under stand you correctly, you want to have the same OS installed twice. Yes you can but you have to install it on partitioned drive or on a separate hdd. In either case you can have only one active OS open at a time.

My suggestion would be to add different user accounts to just the one OS with out admin rights, just regular accounts.

Demo: Understanding user accounts
 
If I under stand you correctly, you want to have the same OS installed twice. Yes you can but you have to install it on partitioned drive or on a separate hdd. In either case you can have only one active OS open at a time.

My suggestion would be to add different user accounts to just the one OS with out admin rights, just regular accounts.

Demo: Understanding user accounts
Hi
Thank u 4 ur commen
But isn't there a way that i install now another os in different partition in my hd and than set this os as primary and the current one as secondary?
i want that each time i start the computer automatically will appear this new and empty os and just when i want i could press at keyboard f11 when windows is running and select my old one or something like that.
Can i do it? If yes pls explain somebody how
10x
 
Like I said Yes you can...but you can only have one OS open at a time. With 2 OS's installed, with newer mobo's, at startup you can press F12 and that will let you pick wich drive to use that has the the OS installed on. The only way to switch the OS's is to restart every time. Again, only one OS can be used at a time.

You could setup a virtual PC and install a second OS on the virtual PC, which would allow you to open the 2nd OS from with in the first OS in a separate window, like as if you opened some software to run. There are some nice videos on the subject via YouTube. They will show how to create virtual PC and set it up...some of the virtual software is free or even trial based but most of the virtual software you have to pay for it to keep it. VMware is a good one.
 
Once you have a dual boot configuration, you can disable the option to display the list of operating system by going to start and typing "edit the system environment variables". From this dialog, go to settings under startup and uncheck the option. Now the only way to get to the boot menu to select the other operating system is to press F8 at boot.
 
Once you have a dual boot configuration, you can disable the option to display the list of operating system by going to start and typing "edit the system environment variables". From this dialog, go to settings under startup and uncheck the option. Now the only way to get to the boot menu to select the other operating system is to press F8 at boot.

I think the OP wants to have both OS's available at the same time and dual booting and changing the boot priority really doesn't apply. Because you can only have one OS opened at a time. The only way he can do what he wants is with a virtual machine. I don't see or heard of any other way to do this...

If this were a viable option I'd have windows 7/8 and linux distro all running at the same time.....just flip flopping back and forth. Or if you had more than one monitor, like me, have each OS on a different monitor at the same time. Then that would be way cool but I just don't see any way to do that.
 
I think the OP wants to have both OS's available at the same time and dual booting and changing the boot priority really doesn't apply. Because you can only have one OS opened at a time. The only way he can do what he wants is with a virtual machine. I don't see or heard of any other way to do this...

If this were a viable option I'd have windows 7/8 and linux distro all running at the same time.....just flip flopping back and forth. Or if you had more than one monitor, like me, have each OS on a different monitor at the same time. Then that would be way cool but I just don't see any way to do that.
nope i don't need 2 os at the same time just wanted to know when i install new os how can i make this os as primary and the 2nd one as secondary
Thanks again
 
Ah...I misunderstood...then do as Mitchell suggested...that will give you a choice at start up.

@ Mitchell my apologies....
 
Once you have a dual boot configuration, you can disable the option to display the list of operating system by going to start and typing "edit the system environment variables". From this dialog, go to settings under startup and uncheck the option. Now the only way to get to the boot menu to select the other operating system is to press F8 at boot.
10q 4 ur comment, just where exactly is this "edit the system environment variables"? msconfig? I can't find it cause my windows is in german not english
And how can i define the new os that i've installed as primary and the old one as 2nd? Or will it do it automatically after i install the os?
10x
 
Depending on what your 2nd OS is installed, the primary or latest version of the OS if windows will be the primary OS. Example: if your running 7 now and install 8, 8 will by default become your primary OS if not selected in the time limit. Now if your wanting to run a linux distro then I'm not sure, but in a dual boot, at start up you decide which you want to boot from.
 
Type sysdm.cpl in the start menu and open the result. Then go to advanced>> start up settings. Here you can change the default OS as well as the amount of time to display the list of available operating systems.
 
Hi

You could do what you want but it wouldn't be real easy to switch back and forth.

You could install Windows on a second hard drive and use EasyBCD to activate or deactivate the dual boot feature.

You could also use Idoo File Encryption Pro, to make the folders for the hidden operating system invisible when viewed from the other OS.

When you boot from the regular OS there would be no indication that the other OS was there to a casual observer.

But to activate the 2nd OS you would have to boot into OS 1, open EasyBCD, activate dual boot, then open Idoo File Encryption and make the folders for the 2nd OS visible, that would include the Programs Files Folders, the Windows Folder, and anything else you had hidden.

The software remembers the folders so you just have to check and uncheck them.

Then reboot.

And you would have to repeat the process to make them invisible again.

If you have things you don't want to be available to a second user it might be easier to just use Idoo to make them invisible until you want them to show, and boot to the same OS.

You can even make a folder with links to software on your desktop that is invisible until you activate it with a password.

Mike
 
The method I described above involves no third party software and can be accessed from either installation of Windows. Seems a little more efficient (albeit less user friendly) than EasyBCD.
 
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Hello skeptic,

Some great suggestions here, however, whatever you choose will still show all OS's in the Menu during boot up.
If you wish to skip the boot menu during startup (so that no OS is visible) you would have to use a
3rd party app and for that I would recommend http://neosmart.net/iReboot/, makers of EasyBCD

This will allow you to skip the OS Boot Menu entirely, you would make your OS choice before you
Shut Down completely. Next time you turn on your machine, you will boot to the OS chosen

as if you only had 1 OS.

I think this is what your looking for.
Hope it helps

Don

 
Hello skeptic,

Some great suggestions here, however, whatever you choose will still show all OS's in the Menu during boot up.
If you wish to skip the boot menu during startup (so that no OS is visible) you would have to use a
3rd party app and for that I would recommend http://neosmart.net/iReboot/, makers of EasyBCD

This will allow you to skip the OS Boot Menu entirely, you would make your OS choice before you
Shut Down completely. Next time you turn on your machine, you will boot to the OS chosen

as if you only had 1 OS.

I think this is what your looking for.
Hope it helps

Don


hi don
thank you for ur comment
i just purchased this app u've recommanded (ireboot)) for 10$
and unfortunetally it was same as take 10$ bill and throw it to the garbage.
the program did what i wanted, but only for the first time.
so at the first time i run the proĝram, picked the second os to startup by reboot
then closed the program and restrarted windows, and it did skipped
the boot menu and run the second os without showing the os list at startup
but then again when i restarted i got again the os list.
so i tried to install the program of both os and do the same on the second
and it still did not help.
so every second time i restart i still have the os list.
so is there any better solution to solve it so windows will always remember to startup the second os unless
i tell him with special hotkey like F9 or something to run the first one
or shall i buy another programs such as EasyBCD and Idoo and spend more money
cheers
 
Hi

Did you try Mitchell's suggestion.

Easybcd is free, and if you aren't interested in actually making the 2nd OS's files invisible, which you aren't doing the way you're doing it now then it is all you need.

EasyBCD is easy to use, just click the options you want to make active or inactive.

It's still a bit of a hassle, you will have to set it to show only the OS you want to show.

It will stay that way until you log in, open EasyBCD, and set it to show both operating systems and then reboot to access the one that was hidden before.

Once you are done you will have to use EasyBCD to make it show only the unhidden one again before you shut down.

But it will stay that way until you want to see it again.

Mike
 
hi mike
if i want to make the first os folder and program files folder invisible i need this idoo file encrypter? how do i do it?
will it make it only hidden same as when i click right click on folder properties
and choosing hidden or will it hide it profeessionally so no human,bein could know they are excist accept me
and i do i do it with this program
cheers
 
To hide something with Idoo you open the application, enter your password, select the folders you want to be invisible and then select Hide.

The will stay hidden until you open Idoo again, and select the folders you want to unhide and select Unhide.

I've never seen this done with an operating system, but it should work, as long as you have booted into the other one and are working from there.

But it's getting kind of complicated what with having to switch back and forth with EasyBCD and then hiding and unhiding the OS.
You could really get into trouble if you hid the OS that you told EasyBCD to remove from the boot manager, and were going to have to boot back into next time.

But that's the only way I know to actually hide folders so that the are invisible and can't be made to show through Windows.

I always used a program called Magic Folders in Windows 7, I liked it better then Idoo, as far as easy use, but it doesn't support Windows 8.

If you want to have an OS that no one else can use you could boot to a Ubuntu disk and run the OS from a DVD.

I have a Ubuntu DVD that I use for emergencies and it will let you do basic thing like get online type, and email.

Mike
 
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hi
i did it with easybcd and hided the partition with idoo
now it works but the problem is when i restart it does skip the os menu list but for 1 second ii can see there are 2 OS at startup + when i go to sysdm.cpl startup - advanced i can see there are 2 windows systems.
i wanted to completely hide the first OS and not for even one second at startup i could see there are 2 windows systems are installed
and another question if i may how can i hide EasyBCD from the installed programs list at control panel (if i can at all)
thanks always
 
hi don
thank you for ur comment
i just purchased this app u've recommanded (ireboot)) for 10$
and unfortunetally it was same as take 10$ bill and throw it to the garbage.
the program did what i wanted, but only for the first time.
so at the first time i run the proĝram, picked the second os to startup by reboot
then closed the program and restrarted windows, and it did skipped
the boot menu and run the second os without showing the os list at startup
but then again when i restarted i got again the os list.
so i tried to install the program of both os and do the same on the second
and it still did not help.
so every second time i restart i still have the os list.
so is there any better solution to solve it so windows will always remember to startup the second os unless
i tell him with special hotkey like F9 or something to run the first one
or shall i buy another programs such as EasyBCD and Idoo and spend more money
cheers


Hello skeptic,

I don't know why you paid 10 bucks for something that was free, so, don't spend anymore money when you can get it for free.

You just have to remember to choose your OS before shutting down or restarting, otherwise the boot menu will show.
You only need to install it on your default OS, then place a shortcut on the other OS.
Not sure why it's doing what you say on every other restart, it works the same for me no matter how many times I restart or shutdown completely.
The only time I see the boot menu is when I want or I forget to choose my OS before shutting down.

The only other way to completely hide a drive, would be to remove the drive letter.

Keep us posted
Don
 
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