How to create dual boot using Windows bootloader in Windows 7

Previously, we discussed, how to Repair the boot in Windows 7 after installing a second operating system. It was a kind of emergency escape.

If, however, you are going to plan to install OSX86  (using Chameleon) or any Linux distro (like Ubuntu,Suse) or Microsoft old operating systems like Windows XP,Windows Vista as second alternative operating system; you can follow this steps for a hassle free work.

Firstly, we suggest you to read the previous tutorial (see the link above).

Now, in Windows 7; Click Start,  type “partition” in the search field and you will see the link saying “create and format hard disk partition”. Click the link.

Windows Disk Management console will open. Suppose, you have Windows 7 installed in C drive and want to install Linux or OSX86 in second partition, say D drive, simply right click over it and mark it as active partition.

Now restart and install your second operating system in that active partition (D in our example). Complete it. After restart, you will not get any option to boot into Windows 7; instead you will boot into your second operating system instead (OSX86 or Linux).

Do not worry. Now, boot from Windows 7 system repair disk or full installation DVD. Just we wrote in the above mentioned tutorial, go to Repair and select Command prompt.

Type there:

diskpart>

Diskpart will run.
Now type:

DISKPART>list volume

All your partitions will be visible, including your Windows 7 partition. Now, we have to select that Windows 7 partition and make it active.

Type:

DISKPART>select volume x

(replace x with your Windows 7 volume label, C in our example).

Make it active:

DISKPART>active

This is it. Now type EXIT to quit diskpart. Now, just like the previous tutorial, run automatic repair. Windows 7 will reboot, and you will get no boot option to your second operating system.

To create a dual boot, simple download EasyBCD and add your second operating system entry. You will get links and screenshot in the previous tutorial.

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