# Dual Boot possible from Upgrade...?



## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

I am familiar with W10 and W8.1 as installations on separate machines but I am not familiar with installing both on the same machine.

My understanding is that if a W8.1 machine has a spare partition that is 100GB plus then if one does a Custom install using that partition the machine will then be able to boot into either W8.1 or W10.

A W10 book that I am currently reading indicates that a machine can also be configured as a dual-boot if it is "upgraded" from W8.1 to W10. What isn't clear from reading the process is at what Screen the user must make this decision.

The Screen that I am thinking of is the one that asks "Which type of installation do you want?", and the user can then choose between Upgrade or Custom. If the user chooses "Upgrade" then I am not aware of a screen that allows the user to select a different partition onto which W10 can be installed. To date I have not used the Custom option and am therefore not familiar with the options beyond this Screen.

I would appreciate some clarity on the process from someone who has created a dual-boot machine when upgrading from W8.1 to W10.

Thanks.

T.


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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

If you "upgrade" from an earlier OS, be it 7 or 8.1, that is exactly what it will do. It will convert your existing OS to Windows 10. There is no option, through that path, to install Windows 10 on a separate partition.
Windows 10 will also register with your motherboard, using the original dvd key from the earlier OS. This key will then become redundant. Windows 10 will be activated. Windows 10 uses a new licensing method and no longer needs keys. The motherboard information is stored on Microsoft sites.

If you are not satisfied with Windows 10, you can change back to the earlier OS within one month only. After that, your original key is obsolete.
Once the motherboard is registered, you are able to download a copy of Windows 10 and install it, and it will be automatically activated.

You can, if you have more than one key, make a fresh install of your earlier OS, in a dual boot.

If this is your intention, I would suggest you make images of your original OS, Windows 10, and any subsequent OS you install, for the eventuality of things going wrong.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

> I am familiar with W10 and W8.1 as installations on separate machines but I am not familiar with installing both on the same machine.
> My understanding is that if a W8.1 machine has a spare partition that is 100GB plus then if one does a Custom install using that partition the machine will then be able to boot into either W8.1 or W10.


Yes, it can be done, but I've never done it with Windows 8.1.
I recently used the Disk Management app to split the 750 GB hard drive in my Dell OptiPlex 780 Minitower into 2 partitions.
I didn't want to lose its original install of Windows 7 by doing an upgrade, so I did a custom/clean install of Windows 10 in the second partition.
Now when it starts up, it displays "Windows 7" and "Windows 10" entries so I can select which one to load.


> I would appreciate some clarity on the process from someone who has created a dual-boot machine when upgrading from W8.1 to W10.


It's not a simple and easy process to explain, so I'm not even going to start.
If you don't have experience in partitioning a hard drive or doing a custom/clean install of Windows, one wrong step can leave you with a non-working computer.

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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

My basic laptop. Windows 8.1 has a second key, not that used by Windows 10.


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## managed (May 24, 2003)

Yes you use custom install and choose the partition at the start.

You may have a problem with activating 10 if it's not an upgrade. If you already upgraded from 7 or 8 to 10 on _that computer _it will automatically activate, if not then you may have to provide a valid 10 key or input a valid 7 or 8 key during the install. I'm not sure what will happen if you input an 8 key you've already used.


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## managed (May 24, 2003)

To get the dual boot with 10 I copied my Windows 7 to another partition using this :- http://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html

I used Wizard > Copy Partition Wizard then just followed the easy instructions.

Then I upgraded the just created 7 to 10 and the boot menu showed 7 and 10.


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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

managed said:


> To get the dual boot with 10 I copied my Windows 7 to another partition using this :- http://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html
> 
> I used Wizard > Copy Partition Wizard then just followed the easy instructions.
> 
> Then I upgraded the just created 7 to 10 and the boot menu showed 7 and 10.


That's interesting. And does your windows 7 OS remain activated?
If so, maybe it is a matter of time before the key is recorded as already used?


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## managed (May 24, 2003)

It's been fine so far. I hadn't even thought about 7 still being legit after doing it. Too busy thinking about getting 10 working I suppose.


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## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

Thanks to everyone for the interesting replies. Apologies for not responding sooner, I have had the winter sniffles... achoo..!

Up until now I have never used the "Custom" option on the install screen, I have always just clicked on the "Upgrade" option and as such have no practical knowledge of what follows when one clicks on "Custom" install option.

My understanding was the same as that provided by Dave in Post #2. I recently acquired a new book on W10 and was therefore a little surprised when I read that if one chooses the "Custom" option one can install W10 on a different partition to W8.1 (or W7) and you will then have a Dual-boot machine.

As is often the case when making these decisions, it is not the technical bit that might be difficult it is the admin bit. Does this mean that Microsoft will allow a single Key to be used to activate both W8.1 (or W7) and W10...?

If that is the case then is that not a deviation from what we were told back in July....

T.


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## managed (May 24, 2003)

There is no 'key' for 10 when you upgrade from 7 or 8, you just skip entering a key, it activates over the Internet and Micro$oft store an ID for the computer.
If you do a clean install of 10 later, not an upgrade, on the same computer, it will activate automatically over the Internet because Micro$oft recognises the computer matches that ID.

If the computer has not been upgraded to 10 then you need a 7 or 8 or 10 key to enter during the install.

What were we told in July ?


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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

"My understanding was the same as that provided by Dave in Post #2. I recently acquired a new book on W10 and was therefore a little surprised when I read that if one chooses the "Custom" option one can install W10 on a different partition to W8.1 (or W7) and you will then have a Dual-boot machine."

I think there could be a little confusion here, between an "upgrade" and a fresh installation from the ISO.

In an *upgrade*, you have little control over the process. You do NOT, at any stage, get the option to make a "custom" install.


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## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

managed said:


> If the computer has not been upgraded to 10 then you need a 7 or 8 or 10 key to enter during the install.
> What were we told in July ?


Based on what Gabe Aul said in an online webinar back in July, my understanding was that the "computer ID" (for convenience I just call it a Key, which I know is a bit sloppy) was valid for W10 or W8.1/W7 but not for both on the same machine at the same time.

T.


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## Tabvla (Apr 10, 2006)

davehc said:


> I think there could be a little confusion here, between an "upgrade" and a fresh installation from the ISO.
> 
> In an *upgrade*, you have little control over the process. You do NOT, at any stage, get the option to make a "custom" install.


One of the following must be correct.....

I am misunderstanding the author's intended meaning
The author is incorrect
The author is correct
The text is written in such a way that it is not clear as to what the author means
"...... _ click Get Windows 10 in the notification area of the taskbar .....if you are installing Windows 10 on a computer that already has Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 installed you can choose between upgrading the existing version of Windows or performing a custom installation of Windows. You make this choice by clicking either the Upgrade option or the Custom option on the Which Type of Installation Do You Want screen during Windows setup_.... "

The author then continues to explain how to do a Custom install on an empty partition and ..... and so....

At no point is any mention made of an ISO. The text at this stage is all about a computer that is currently running W7 or W8.1 and the options to install W10 on such a machine from the Get Windows 10 icon.

T.


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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

Tabvla said:


> Based on what Gabe Aul said in an online webinar back in July, my understanding was that the "computer ID" (for convenience I just call it a Key, which I know is a bit sloppy) was valid for W10 or W8.1/W7 but not for both on the same machine at the same time.
> 
> T.


Correct. Read my follow up post and you can see my thoughts on that one.


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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

Tabvla said:


> One of the following must be correct.....
> 
> I am misunderstanding the author's intended meaning
> The author is incorrect
> ...


My quoted post only , as you can see, refers to the upgrade. That is obtained by clicking the "Get Windows" icon. As far as I am aware, there is no option, through that path, to make a clean install. It will upgrade you existing OS, and keep your files intact. I could be corrected.
However, over the past couple of months, MS have mad e available ISO downloads. You must, naturally, choose the same on for 10, as you had for 7/8,1 (home to home..etc..) 
Installing the ISO will be the same as you have been used to in other OS's´


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## managed (May 24, 2003)

1) If it's an upgrade of an existing 7 or 8 you don't need to enter a key.
2) If the particular computer has been upgraded first you don't need a key to do a custom/clean install.
3) If the particular computer has _not _been upgraded first you do need a 7,8 or 10 key to do a custom/clean install.

You use the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to get the ISO, or to make a DVD or USB stick to install 10 with.
You can't do a Custom install without the DVD or USB stick.

I'm unsure about the legitimacy of using the same key for 7 or 8 and then 10, then using 10 and 8 or 10 and 7, strictly speaking it may not be allowed but AFAIK Micro$oft haven't said yeah or nay to that.


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