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Question

Can I dual-boot Windows 7 and 8 if 8 came preinstalled?

Nov 17, 2013 2:33AM PST

I have a Toshiba Satellite C55-A series laptop.

It came pre-installed with Windows 8 core (not 8.1), and runs on a 64-bit Core i3 platform.

I was wondering if there is a way for me to install Windows 7 on this laptop, so that it dual-boots both OSs.

I understand the older operating system would have to be installed before the new one, so I was trying to come up with a work-around.

Could I make a system image of my current installation, then install Windows 7, then use the system image to re-install Windows 8?

Are there any alternatives? Or am I just stuck?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
I'm going with no.
Nov 17, 2013 2:45AM PST

With the new secure boot and an OEM windows you really are limited. Yes you could get a full license, look into turning off secure boot, enable corporate stable mode but why do all that?

Here at the office we install CLASSIC SHELL and carry on as if it's just a tweaked Windows 7.
Bob

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Hmmm...
Nov 27, 2013 8:29AM PST

I see your point.

I don't really want to tweak Windows 8 to look like Windows 7, though.

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Then it's going to cost you.
Nov 27, 2013 11:21AM PST

Sorry, I'll recant here. No tweaks. Just install Classic Shell.

At the office we had banned Windows 8 until this showed up.
Bob

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BTW. I'm not going back to 7 soon.
Nov 27, 2013 11:28AM PST

The office outfitted me with a rather spiffy laptop and all the tools are now working better than Windows 7 now. One annoying thing in an old dev system is fixed and wow, why go back to 7 when it work in 8?

And if the Metro is that disturbing we install Classic Shell and never see Metro again. I guess there are some die hards that won't do this but this is really good news for Microsoft. They get to sell 2 more Windows licenses so sales triple!
Bob

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Sounds like good news finally
Nov 27, 2013 11:37AM PST

coming from the Win 8 world . Surprised that you're the one to announce it though Bob but it does makes sense since you have so many computers to test with. Something good had to come up eventually. Remember that old commercial " Hey! Let Mikey try it" ? Maybe you're the "new" Mikey Grin ...Digger

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Well we did have a Windows 8 ban for months.
Nov 27, 2013 2:50PM PST

Metro was just a PITA for development work. With no clients interested in a Metro app that would not run on Windows prior to 8, the market just isn't there. But as Classic Shell and more rolled out we were able to test our dev systems again and the news was good. So the ban was lifted and the office set me up.

The cost of Classic Shell is right too.
Bob

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Metro
Dec 1, 2013 6:15AM PST

I don't mind the Metro interface too much. I don't have a touch-screen, so it was annoying at first, but works great with a mouse.

I'm still interested in a work-around just to see if it works.

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Tell more.
Dec 1, 2013 6:32AM PST

We know how to install these OSes but what workaround are you looking for?

Classic Shell?
Getting 2 more Windows licenses?

Unsure at this point?
Bob

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Installing 7 alongside 8
Dec 7, 2013 1:29PM PST

Just wanting to dual-boot two versions of Windows.

Windows 8 is great as-is. But Windows 7 does have some features not present in Windows 8 (such as XP Mode).

At this point, I mostly want to know if it can be done. Taking into consideration that Windows 8 came pre-installed.

If I was starting with a new laptop w/o any OS at all, this would work. I would just install 7 first, and then 8.

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Looking around the web
Dec 8, 2013 2:10AM PST

I see it's so convoluted that that while the answer is yes, I won't give any link about it or talk about it. If you want to do that, please don't ask me to help you do that!

As to XP Mode, we have VirtualBox so that fills in that void without the discussion that 7 Basic, Home and Premium do not offer XP Mode.
Bob

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Answer
Dual-Boot with Win7 & Win8
Dec 6, 2013 2:07PM PST

i think using Oracle VM VirtualBox will be a good option to you

https://www.virtualbox.org/
i'm using the same for my Win7 and Linux Distro on Acer Win8.1

73's

SP

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VirtualBox
Dec 7, 2013 1:32PM PST

Thanks for the recommendation.

I actually just got VirtualBox to try out Ubuntu.

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Answer
dual-boot Windows 7 and 8
Dec 17, 2013 2:50AM PST

It can run Windows in dual boot but you need two partitions. Can not install on the same partition. Here is a pretty good description ...

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Looks flawed, incomplete.
Dec 17, 2013 2:54AM PST
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Reply
Dec 17, 2013 3:29PM PST

I do not know Microsoft when realizes the problem "UEFI Secure Boot and Restricted Boot". I just wanted to answer the question "naran13" regarding the dual boot option. However it is a very interesting description of Secure Boot.

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Microsoft did not call it a problem.
Dec 18, 2013 2:50AM PST

They called it a solution!

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Partitions
Dec 25, 2013 9:47AM PST

Thanks for the response.

I know I need separate partitions for each OS, but thanks for the link.