EasyBCD: Create dual boot from Windows 11 (64) to dual boot to Windows 7 Pro (64)? (Also posted in Windows forum)

kozmick

Member
Hi all, (this is a duplicate post from Windows Fourm)

New here. I'm not an IT guy. Know nothing about UEFI...
I've installed dual boots on BIOS ASUS MB Windows 7 multiple boot for WIN 10 and Linux Ubuntu...no issues.
Spent 5 hours on it...but this has me flumoxed...
So...

System:
Just purchased a Cyberpower PC from Amazon to run Blender Modeling/Animation (yeah baby...it screams!:smile:
Windows 11 Home Networked with 3 other WIN 7 PCs
16GB
C: Boot WD SSD 500GB
D: STHD storage 2.1TB with a shrunk partition E: to 500GB renamed to Windows 7 in Win Disk manager.
MB Asrock Z690-c UEFI (I have the pdf user manaul)
Intel CPU 12 core (FAST!)
Nividia Gforce 3060 12 GB
EasyBCD 2.4 $40US paid commerical version (I have the pdf user manual)
Can I even install a Windows 7 partition and run WIN7 compatible softwre on this setup?

If it matters, I need a WIN 7 OS partition to be able to run legacy software that is incompatible with WIN 11, namely Adobe Photoshop CS3 and Adobe Premiere CS4.

1. I have created a dual boot entry for Win 7 in EasyBCD

2. Changed UEFI (bios) boot priority to USB DVD which it recognizes (Do I need to create an ISO to do this? Would a USB boot be better? Would it need an ISO?)

3. When I reboot from USB DVD, the Windows 7 system disk(with license key) to customize install to partition E: it sees the WIN 7 OS, starts the install process, but then it comes to a prompt "system driver missing, browse for driver". (Is this where I would browse to find the drivers it is seeking on the WIN 11 OS System folder (??)

4. Can't move forward from there. I'm forced to reboot back to system drive C:. Please advise of process. I would not be surprised that others have hit the wall with this.
So if you could help me out, I'd really appreciate it...maybe point me to some links of prior discussion or on the Neosmart website.

Would really great (and save me a lot of sleepless nights:smile: if there was a link(s) a step by step process here or the website I could follow and/or a YouTube video, as I'm not very fluent in this stuff.

Many thanks is advance

Koz
 
Is your W7 64bit ? I assume so because I don't think the setup would even initiate trying to install a 32bit OS under UEFI.
It would seem that your h/w is just too advanced for the W7 installation DVD.
You could try letting setup trawl through your W11 driver store and see what happens (what have you got to lose ?), but if you get no joy, I'd suggest you get the W10 Installation media
and try upgrading using your W7 key.
Anything you were able to run under W7 should run OK on W10 (except WMC afaik) and being still under support (unlike W7) should have a full driver set to play with.
 
Hi Terry,

Mucho Thanks for the thoughtful response.

Yea, looks like WIN7 dual boot on WIN11 is DOA.

But, you pose an intrguing alternative. I've got the installation disk and license key for WIN Pro 64 bit.

I just verified that Prem Pro CS4 installs and runs on WIN10 Pro 64 as it is installed as a dual boot on the same computer as WIN7 Pro and Vista on my AMD Asus MB (over 10 yrs old:smile:. Granted h/w is several generations removed from proposed WIN11 machine...but maybe...

As an aternative I guess I could try an install of WIN 10 Pro 64 as a dual boot on the WIN11 machine then try to install/run Premiere CS4 and Photoshop CS3? Any landmines etc. I should beware of to dual boot WIN 10? If so could you point me to a link etc. in this forum or Neo website to save me some time?

Your thoughts?

Much appreciated.

Thanks again.

koz
 
Installing W10 on your W11 PC should be painless. The only thing to look out for is that Windows Setup automatically manages dual booting when you are installing a newer OS alongside a previous version by adding an entry into the original BCD and updating the level of the bootmgr in the old boot drive to the later version.
Adding an older OS alongside a newer, in the past has caused boot problems by downgrading the bootmgr to the older version (which is incapable of loading the newer Winload (Invalid digital signature error) preventing the newer OS from being able to boot.
Make a copy of bootmgr from W11's EFI System Partition and keep it somewhere safe so that you can always copy it back again over the downgraded W10 version should that happen.
I haven't installed an older alongside a newer since Vista/XP so I don't know from experience whether MS has made the process any more intelligent, but I suspect not.
 
Sounds way beyond my pay grade. I'll have to think about benefits vs risk of causing more problems of doing it...

In any case thanks for your time.

Regs,
koz
 
Back
Top