I have a Windows 10 machine with two hard drives, both containing bootable and activated copies of Windows 7 and Windows 10. I want to be able to dual-boot from either drive, but I’m not sure how to set it up. I’ve searched for answers, but most of them involve installing a new Windows partition, which I want to avoid since I already have two working drives.
So, my questions are: How can I set up a dual-boot configuration between the two drives, and will I run into any issues with “Authentic Windows” validation when I boot from the old Windows 7 drive?
3 Answers
Introduction
When you have two bootable and activated copies of Windows on two different hard drives, it is possible to set them up for dual boot configuration. This means that you can choose which operating system to boot into when you start your computer. In this blog post, we will discuss how to set up dual boot from both hard drives and address any potential issues with “Authentic Windows” validation.
Setting Up Dual Boot Configuration
To set up dual boot configuration, you will need to modify the boot settings of your computer. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Connect both hard drives to your computer and make sure they are recognized by the BIOS.
Step 2: Boot into one of the operating systems (let’s say Win10).
Step 3: Open the System Configuration tool by pressing the Windows key + R and typing “msconfig” in the Run dialog box.
Step 4: In the System Configuration tool, go to the Boot tab and click on the “Add” button.
Step 5: In the “Add Boot Option” dialog box, give a name to the new boot entry (e.g., Win7) and select the drive letter of the second hard drive.
Step 6: Click on the “Browse” button and navigate to the folder where the Windows operating system is installed on the second hard drive. Select the file “bootmgr” and click on “Open”.
Step 7: Click on “OK” to close the “Add Boot Option” dialog box.
Step 8: In the System Configuration tool, select the new boot entry (e.g., Win7) and click on “Set as Default”.
Step 9: Click on “Apply” and then “OK” to close the System Configuration tool.
Step 10: Restart your computer and you should see a menu that allows you to choose which operating system to boot into.
Potential Issues with “Authentic Windows” Validation
When you boot into the old Win7 drive, you may encounter “Authentic Windows” validation issues. This is because the activation of Windows is tied to the hardware of your computer. When you transplant the hard drive to a new computer, the hardware configuration changes, and Windows may not recognize the new hardware as authentic.
To resolve this issue, you will need to reactivate Windows on the old Win7 drive. You can do this by going to the System Properties dialog box and clicking on the “Activate Windows now” link. Follow the prompts to reactivate Windows.
It is also worth noting that if you have different versions of Windows on the two hard drives (e.g., Win10 on one and Win7 on the other), you may encounter compatibility issues when booting into the older version of Windows. For example, some hardware drivers may not be compatible with the older operating system, which could cause problems.
Conclusion
Setting up dual boot from both hard drives is a convenient way to switch between two operating systems on the same computer. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can easily set up dual boot configuration on your computer. However, be aware of potential issues with “Authentic Windows” validation and compatibility when booting into the older operating system. If you encounter any issues, refer to the troubleshooting resources provided by Microsoft or seek assistance from a professional technician.
To set up a dual boot configuration on your Windows 10 machine, you can follow these steps:
- Connect the old hard drive (with the Windows 7 installation) to your new machine.
- Boot into your Windows 10 machine and open the “Start” menu.
- Type “disk management” in the search bar and select “Create and format hard disk partitions” from the list of results.
- Right-click on the hard drive with the Windows 7 installation and select “Mark Partition as Active”.
- Close the Disk Management utility and restart your machine.
- During the boot process, you should see a screen with a list of boot options. Select the option to boot from the hard drive with the Windows 7 installation.
If you follow these steps, you should be able to boot into either Windows 10 or Windows 7 by selecting the appropriate option during the boot process.
As for the question of “Authentic Windows” validation, it’s possible that you may receive a notification that the copy of Windows 7 on the old hard drive is not genuine when you boot from it. However, if the copy of Windows 7 on the old hard drive was activated and genuine when it was installed on the previous machine, it should still be activated and genuine on the new machine. If you continue to receive notifications about the authenticity of your Windows 7 installation after you’ve set up the dual boot configuration, you may need to contact Microsoft for further assistance.
I hope the steps I provided help you set up a dual boot configuration on your Windows 10 machine. If you have any further questions or need additional help, don’t hesitate to ask. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have a backup of your important data before making any changes to your hard drives or boot configuration. This will help protect your data in case anything goes wrong during the process.
I decided to give it a try and it turns out it was a no-brainer. I simply installed the second drive and when I restarted the computer, it automagically showed up on the boot menu when I pressed F12 on BIOS startup. I was surprised at how easy it was and glad that I didn’t have to go through a complicated setup process.