Tri-Boot W7, W10 and Linux Mint

Good evening folks. I am new here though I've used EasyBCD in the past. I got an interesting predicament though, this time around, that I need help with.

I have a computer with Windows 7 and 10 dual booted on it already. I once had Linux Mint 18.3 on it and I got EasyBCD to allow me to access all three O/S's via the Windows bootloader. I had to remove Linux for reasons too long to go into now, and when I did I reset the bootmgr in Windows to see only W7 & 10. I recently reinstalled Linux Mint, and I tried again to load EasyBCD but this time I can't get any configuration changes to stick.

I use W7 to install EasyBCD like I did before, and I add the Linux distribution like (I think) the instructions say to, but when I restart the computer Linux can't be accessed, the GRUB won't load, and I'm back to only being able to see and load W7 or 10 via the Windows bootmgr. There's got to be something I did correctly last time that I'm not doing this time, but I can't figure out what it is.

Can anyone please provide instructions on how to load and configure EasyBCD to access the three O/S's?

Thanks for your help.
 
a) I'm assuming this is not a UEFI PC, if you have successfully multi-booted Linux before. (EasyBCD will show W7/10 loading winload.exe not winload.efi)
b) That you are using the latest EasyBCD (2,4))

2.4 is a fix to a problem caused in 2.3 by a Linux grub architecture change on a new distro which prevented successful multi-booting on PCs which had previously worked with the earlier distro(s)

If either of those assumptions is false see
EasyBCD and UEFI

and/or update EasyBCD

If neither, delete the Linux entry, add it again, letting EasyBCD configure automatically and don't "correct" anything you think it got wrong.
 
You are correct in that this is not a UEFI PC. I loaded W7 first, then W10, keeping the older W7 bootloader.

I am using the 2.4 version, but maybe I'm getting the configuration wrong. I know how to add Linux under the "Add Entry" section, but do I stop there or do I also Write MBR a few steps down? Maybe that's where I'm getting things messed up, I dunno. That's why I need step by step instructions on how to load and configure EasyBCD.

Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to help solve my dilemma!
 
DO NOT "write MBR".
That's nothing to do with normal management of BCD contents, just for emergency repair of an overwritten or damaged boot sector
 
Success, some what. Ok, I did not touch the "Write MBR," and I got the three entries on the Windows bootloader. However, my system still goes to the Grub loader first, instead of the Windows bootloader. How do I fix it so that the Windows bootloader displays first?

You've been a great help, and I really, truly, appreciate that. Thanks.
 
Sounds like you let Linux take control of the boot when you installed it. though that contradicts what you said in your OP
when I restart the computer Linux can't be accessed

Back when I last used Linux about a decade ago overwriting the boot was the default behaviour and one had to take steps to avoid it.
Later on they changed the default installation not to grab the boot which afaik is still the case, so did you do that deliberately ? and how does that square with your OP ?
 
Linux automatically takes control of the boot when it's installed. At least that's been my experience. I think that's how it worked when I loaded Linux Mint the last time I tri-booted my system several months back.

However, I thought there was something, a control or setting that can be changed, to allow the Windows bootloader to pop up first, then if I booted to Linux Grub would load the Linux distro. That's how I had it configured before, though I don't recall how I got that to happen.
 
This is one of the only times you actually do need to "Install the Vista+ bootloader" > Write MBR.
(The other being if you've installed XP after Vista+ and NTLDR has grabbed the boot).
That will take control back from grub and boot via MS bootmgr again.
Then add your Linux entry again if necessary.
 
You know, after I posted my reply last night I thought the same thing, so I did exactly as you instructed and voila, it works! Thanks, and trust me, I'm keeping a copy of this thread handy!
 
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