Windows 10 Trouble dual booting Windows 10 with 8.1

Jimbo22

Essential Member

Joined

Aug 27, 2008

Messages

5,038

• Oct 4, 2014

• #2

Try using Rufus to create your bootable USB drive. I've never had success using the windows USB tool.

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

Solution

Saltgrass

Excellent Member

Microsoft Community Contributor

Joined

Oct 16, 2009

Messages

15,156

• Oct 4, 2014

• #3

Bassfisher is correct, the Windows tool, at least in the past, would format the USB drive as NTFS which will not work with UEFI.

However, I don't use Rufus, but it might be easier if you are not acquainted with using Diskpart in the Command Prompt window.

You do have backups for your current system, since things can go wrong and you may loose your current install..

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

Trouble

Noob Whisperer

Joined

Nov 30, 2009

Messages

13,722

• Oct 4, 2014

• #4

I agree Rufus will do the trick.



http://rufus.akeo.ie/

 

Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2025

Upvote 0 Downvote

ussnorway

Windows Forum Team

Staff member

Joined

May 22, 2012

Messages

4,519

• Oct 4, 2014

• #5

I agree that rufus will do what you asked (the 7 tool is only for 7) but it is a very bad idea to dual windows X with your only working system--- X is a demo and will have bugs!

8.1 can run hyper-v or vmware player (both can be used as free) to v-boot windows x and is much safer than what you are doing but yes--- it's your machine so good luck.

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

davehc

Essential Member

Premium Supporter

Joined

May 1, 2008

Messages

5,555

• Oct 5, 2014

• #6

Perhaps there could be a cross function that could interfere with a dual boot system, but I cannot honestly say where that could possibly occur.. I have three dual boots running at the moment, between Windows 7 and Windows 10 in one instance, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 in the others.
Only real problem is possible complications with the Boot menu. These can always be adjusted when the systems are up and running.
I have no real wish to use UEFI or the secure boot found in the more modern Computers. I had one Laptop, with the similar characteristics to that described in the op. I removed the secure boot option also, in the bios, formatted the drive and went ahead, without incident, with the installation. But, the bad news there is that if you have factory re installs etc, in hidden partitions, it will destroy them all. I keep constant images so, in my case, it was not a consideration.

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

W

white_Shadoww

Active Member

Joined

Jul 20, 2014

Messages

12

• Oct 5, 2014

• Thread Author
• #7

Thanks guys. Finally it worked with Rufus. So far, I didn't face any problem after dual booting. And by the way, I have backup of all my data so I don't mind if something went awry. Thanks so much for the help.

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

Drew

Banned

Joined

Mar 25, 2006

Messages

3,574

• Oct 5, 2014

• #8

Dave is right... there is no potential harm w/ dual boot.

All the Beta Testing I / we did for & w/ Microsoft through all the Builds for Vista, Windows 7 & Windows 8 were done using dual, even triple boot, VMs or spare boxes. Ten is no different. The 3 ideal or best ways for using Beta OS Previews are multi boot, VMs or on non-production (spare) boxes..

Cheers,
Drew

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

Jimbo22

Essential Member

Joined

Aug 27, 2008

Messages

5,038

• Oct 5, 2014

• #9

I'm running a triple boot....windows 7 Home premium, 8.1 Pro and Windows 10 Tech Preview. Not ever had a problem dual booting or triple booting...although I would prefer to dual/triple boot off separate HDD's....but since is my only PC at the moment, laptop, I'm forced to dual/triple boot off a single HDD.

 

Upvote 0 Downvote