Thread: W8 Download & Install

Hi,

I take it you are trying to create a dual-boot scenario, W7 & W8. This is how:

The W7 will be on a drive (or partition). Another drive (or partition) needs to be available (for the W8)
The W8 image must DLed.
That image must be burnt to DVD
Insert the DVD
Select "Custom Install"
Select the location for the install
Carry on...

Cheers,
Drew

You also need to boot from the DVD and not start the install from running Windows system.
Joe

I have a question about dual-booting. I am running Windows 7 and would like to add Windows 8 to dual-boot. I have 2 hard drives installed (one for windows 7, one for file backup). On disc backup, Drive 0 is my backup drive and Drive 1 has the C drive with windows 7 and a new partition I made which is 50GB where I'm trying to get windows 8 to install. Long story short, it fails every time. I do the custom install and put it on the new partition and it will load and start fine. However, next time I start it, it goes directly into Windows 7. I go into my boot options in Windows 7 and it doesn't even show Windows 8 as being installed even though I was in it after installing it. The only thing I can think of is that Windows 7 partition is marked as System and the new partition that Windows 8 is on is marked Primary partition. Can anyone help me figure this out? I've tried to redo the install process 5-6 times and it just never works. Thanks in advance!

Hello Dan:
Welcome to the forum.
Sorry I can't help explicitly with your exact issue as I've installed a few times now and never experience the same issue. However, I believe this is where some people have managed to overcome a similar issue by installing Easy BCD on their Windows 7 install and managed then to add the Windows 8 install to the boot menu. Download EasyBCD 2.1.2 - NeoSmart Technologies
Not sure if that is something you would want to try or not.
Regards
Randy

Dan, if you are installing on an OEM Windows 7 system, there might something repairing the install back to Windows 7...

As far as the OP, I have not done the install process you seem to be using, so I do not know what options you might have. But as has been mentioned, probably a good idea to make a DVD and control the install yourself.

Thanks so much for the quick replies! This is actually a machine I built and I never made a partition to repair Windows or anything like that. I bought the components, turned it on, and originally installed XP. About a year ago I wiped XP to do a fresh install of 7 and that's when I added the second drive for backup. I have tried using the easyBCD and it brings me to a screen to select Windows 8 but it won't actually run it. It says there is something wrong with the boot files or something along those lines. It allows me to go back and boot into Windows 7 no problem though. The boot windows looks more like DOS then the screen most people are showing. It has been frustrating to say the least! Thanks for any and all help though.

Let me try this, again, as I dual-boot beta OSs over & over, ever since, the 1st Vista Beta.


Hi,

I take it you are trying to create a dual-boot scenario, W7 & W8. This is how:

The W7 will be on a drive (or partition). Another drive (or partition) needs to be available (for the W8)
The W8 (.iso) image must DLed.
That (.iso) image must be burnt to DVD (W7 does this natively & properly)
From OFF, Start machine w/ DVD in the Optical Drive
Will see, Hit any key to boot from CD/ROM, do that
Windows comes up w/ Install Now button, hit it.
Put in info til windows showing list of Drives (partitions)
Select the one where the install should go, hit Next
Select "Custom Install", not Upgrade.
Complete W8 install... by the way, if & when you see, Hit any key to boot from CD/ROM, again, don't, just let it go on by itself. Only hit any key the one, 1st time.
Once W8 is in & you come to reboot, now, there will be a screen w/ W8 & W7 choices. As Joe, said, follow my instructions... do not try to run the W8 DVD whilst in W7, from w/in W7.

I hope the above helps you. If done thusly, in msconfig, whether in 7 or 8, the Boot tab will show 2 boot paths.

Keep it simple, like described above & you should have success.

Cheers,
Drew

Thanks for the response Drew. Unfortunately I have done those exact steps about 5 times with the same result every time. I think the problem is coming from the first time I tried to do it. I used a USB stick but my USB ports sometimes only work as USB 1.1. I think that gave the install process problems. After that didn't work, I found a DVD and created a bootable DVD but It still won't allow it to run. I've now deleted the new partition, ran defrag, a secure erasing program, and a chkdsk. I remade my partition and tried the whole process over and again it wouldn't give me the option on the boot menu. I am running out of ideas now. I've ran the install process about 10 total times and the only time I can get into Windows 8 is during the install process. Very frustrating! haha