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Dual Boot Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

Dual Boot Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

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Today I installed Windows 7 RC on my Lenovo T61p laptop.  Things went very well.  It runs very fast (teammate clocked it at 41 seconds to boot). 

I was then approached by a team member that we will be using Hyper-V images.  Now, these Hyper-V images contain Enterprise MOSS and developer tools.  I don’t like messing with my everyday laptop.  But after much consideration, I have decided to dual boot the machine.  So here are the steps that I performed.

  1. Install Windows 7 RC Enterprise x64 (currently available through MSDN subscriptions).
  2. Install Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard RC x64 (currently available through MSDN subscriptions).

Windows is smart enough to add records into the boot manager for you.  This saves a ton of time and bcdedit commands that do not have to be typed out.  Now I have x64 environment both client and server.

UPDATE:  If you would like Windows 7 to be the default boot loader, then run this command from a elevated command prompt:  bcdedit /set {bootmgr} default {current}  If you would like to cut the timeout, use this command bcdedit /set {bootmgr} timeout 15 (The 15 is the value that you would like to set).

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  • So, does Win2K8 reside on the same C: drive a W7, or does it want it's own partition?

    Dan

  • I installed 2008 R2 over my Win7 yesterday.  I used the new SHRINK VOLUME feature in Win7 to carve out a slice of the HD.  I then created a new partition to install 2008 R2.  The new install only took roughly 6GB.  Although I'd use 10GB as a bare minimum.  2008 R2 properly inserts itself into the boot order and the boot menu comes up on startup asking which O/S you want to boot into...  

    I was going to attempt the 2008 R2 install on the C:\ partition (where Win7 is) but realized it could overwrite my Win7 install (as they both default to C:\Windows).  

  • Is it possible to dual boot Win7 and Win Server 2008 R2 *WITH* Bitlocker?

  • Do you think this would work with 2008 R1? I have an existing win 7 pro, x64 install on a disk with 3 partitions. I would like to put 2008 on the 3rd partition (although the 2nd partition wouldn't kill me).

  • Jeff Sanders said:  

    Is it possible to dual boot Win7 and Win Server 2008 R2 *WITH* Bitlocker

    did anyone get an answer to this?

  • Is there any preference as to which one should be installed first?  I am about to setup my new laptop with both OS's and don't really care for the peformance hit of booting to vhd

  • I try to setup my laptop with both OS's. But when my laptop restarts, it says missing OS loader. Does anyone know how to deal with this?

  • @Jeff Sanders, @LKiffin

    There is currently no way of booting from vhd a bitlocker enabled system. I tried and failed numerous times with different sets each time. I found it on the net.

    HTH

  • my C drive with win 7 and i made other partition D for window 2008 server,

    Am trying install window 2008 server from window 7 OS . But i m getting an error , Not enough space for temporary file in any partition, windows atleast need 500 mb of space ...Error code 0X8007103

    Kindly can you help me!!

  • @Abdul Have you tried to create a bootable VHD?  I have using that approach lately over actual dual booting OS's.

    @Jeff,  Yes it is possible.

  • will it solve ABOVE problem by create a bootable VHD drive!! any other alternative... plz guide me

    2)window 7 home and window 2008 server as dual OS! will it show me both option while booting?

  • @Abdul - Please read my latest blog post.  It has instructions on how to create a bootable VHD.

  • @dan linder a partition duh I've done a lot of dual booting and there is nothing about the same drive.

  • When you ran the installer for server 2008 did you boot from a disc or did you run setup from windows 7?

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