Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Resolved Question

Win 7 and Win 8 multiboot issues

Nov 21, 2014 10:28PM PST

Hi Guys,
I'm trying to install both Windows 7 Pro and Windows 8.1 on a solid state drive (1 x SAMSUNG 840 EVO MZ-7TE500BW 2.5" 500GB SATA III TLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD))
I have tried installing Windows 8 first, Windows 7 first and via usb and DVD boot combinations. If i install Windows 7 first I get the "The selected disk has an MBR partition table. On EFI systems, Windows can only be installed to GPT disks" blocking me from installing windows 8 into the second partition I created on the solid state drive. (The drive was initially created as GPT but the Windows 7 install must do something to it.)
If I install Windows 8 first and install Windows 7 into the second partition I get the below error with winload.exe on PC restart

File:\Windows\System32\winload.exe

Status:0xc0000428

Info:Windows cant verify the digital signature for this file.

....which prevents me from loading up Windows 7. I can only load up Windows 8.

It appears to be MBR vs GPT issues. Can this SSD support multiboot? Any ideas of a fix? I have also set both operating sustems to default boot but issues persist. Win 7 blocks Win 8 and vice versa.


Thanks

My stuff:
Solid State Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147249
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131877

Discussion is locked

hcanning has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

- Collapse -
solved **Secure boot issue. with Win 7
Nov 23, 2014 9:28AM PST
- Collapse -
I'm glad they explained what I told you
Nov 23, 2014 7:29PM PST
Devil
- Collapse -
Answer
(NT) Try formatting NTFS. Windows 7 & 8.1 support that.
Nov 21, 2014 11:03PM PST
- Collapse -
Answer
Re: install
Nov 21, 2014 11:56PM PST

No reason why you couldn't dual boot on a SSD.

The right sequence is first Windows 7, then Windows 8. If Windows 7 insists it must be a GPT disk, do that. If Windows 8 doesn't accept a GPT disk after Windows 7 is successfully installed on one of the partitions, that's a problem indeed. Then see if you can set the BIOS to non-EFI, and try again.

The easiest solution seems to install 2 disks, one for W7, one for W8.

Kees

- Collapse -
He may be using
Nov 23, 2014 2:47AM PST

32 bit windows 7 and the 64 bit windows 8, which complicates things. I do not believe the 32 bit windows will install on GPT, but only MBR. If that's the case, he may need to do it backwards, just like Linux dual boot has done, and install windows 8 64 bit first, then turn off secure boot, change to legacy and install windows 7, which should hopefully get it registered into the UEFI boot system, thereby having a hybrid setup in which the UEFI is aware of the MBR system and avoids partition clash between MBR and GPT partitions.

- Collapse -
Answer
I'll tell you the easiest method
Nov 23, 2014 2:51AM PST

Install windows 8, which I believe has a virtual manager in it? If not, then can use VPC2007 or Virtual Box from Oracle. In the virtual program, create a vhd or vdi drive and install the windows 7 into it. For how much RAM to share to the virtual install, check immediately after you boot windows 8 and open the virtual program to see how much the host system needs for that, then the rest of RAM can be assigned to the virtual system when it's running. If you want to switch back and forth between them, leaving both running at same time, then split the RAM between them.