PLS help, WinToUSB dual boot Win7 and Win8.1

[rcarlos243]

I need to dual boot Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 through USB but it wont let me.

things I did were:
1. open windows disk management and delete existing volume on my USB Drive
2. create 2 partitions on my USB drive (1 for win7 partition and 1 for win8.1 partition)
3. open WinToUSB and install Win7 on win7 partition.
4. rerun WinToUSB and install Win8.1 on win8.1 Partition.
5. reboot pc and change boot order to the USB drive
6. It auto loads Win8.1 but no OS selection for Win7.
7. after booting to Win8.1, I downloaded EasyBCD and installed it.
8. RunBCD --> Add New Entry --> Under Operating System, Type, Win Vista/7/8 and point to Drive Win7 Partition and Add entry.
9.Reboot Pc then after Win8.1 logo there is now OS selection for Win8 and Win 7
10. I select Win7 and I got BSOD, I restart and tried it again in win7 safe mode but it wont even finish loading.
11.Win8.1 still works but I cant Dual boot


after further more thinkering I found that:
-if I create 2 partitions and install oses, the latter one will only work(like for example if win 8.1 if 1st and win7 is last, win7 will only work vice verca).
-tried EasyBCD to Recreate/repair boot files, Change boot drive from Win8.1 Cthe one that works) to Win7 D: but wtill no difference.



reasons why I need to dual boot:
-my USB drive is actually an SSD(240GB Seagate 600)
-while at school, the computers use HDD which is painfully slow so I want to be able to use my SSD as portable OS.
-Yes I tested the SSD under USB 2.0 (which maxes at 40 read and write seq) but there is still massive improvement to loading times due to 4k random read and write and less than 1ms access time.
-I need the Win7 for my trouble shooting/VM class and the Win8.1 for my programming class therefore the need to dual boot.
-Win8 natively supports UAS for USB 2.0 while Win7 does not which has significant performance implication.
more info: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/...42113.aspx
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/usb-...215-3.html

[admin]

If first installed Windows 8.1, then Windows 7. You need to remove or rename the boot folder on the windows 8.1 partition. If first installed Windows 7, You need to remove or rename the boot folder on the windows 7 partition.

[rcarlos243]

If first installed Windows 8.1, then Windows 7. You need to remove or rename the boot folder on the windows 8.1 partition. If first installed Windows 7, You need to remove or rename the boot folder on the windows 7 partition.

since I installed windows 7 first, I followed you're advice and removed boot folder on my win7 partition but the problem is after that the dual boot selection is GONE.

so what do I do to make the dual boot functionality work under USB (if I use EasyBCD and add boot entry for Win7, I got BSOD after win7 logo)?

[admin]

After remove or rename bin folder on Windows 7 partition, you need to add Windows 7 boot entry to the bcd file which located in the windows 8 partition.

[rcarlos243]

After remove or rename bin folder on Windows 7 partition, you need to add Windows 7 boot entry to the bcd file which located in the windows 8 partition.

How do I even do that? To clarify, adding a boot entry(after deleting the boot folder for win7) through EasyBCD DOES NOT WORK.

I am not an expert on this or anything.

[SteveSi]

In easyBcd you need to select the 'Store' and point to the Win8 BCD.
Make sure you use a USB 2.0 port when you boot Win7 as it does not have USB 3 drivers.