Question Dual boot W10 with a second W10?

samsinger · Jan 17, 2025

A friend was given a computer that's running Windows 10 Enterprise N.
The system runs but not 100%. One problem is that System Restore is damaged, so I can't back it up.
But there are numerous other little glitches so I plan to set up a fresh W10 Professional running alongside Enterprise.
Once the new version is complete with her files, emails, docs and games transferred, I'll delete Enterprise.

Her system drive is a 250GB SSD, but there's not a lot of space for the additional system so I've added a PCIe card with a new, empty 500GB SSD, on which I'll install W10 Pro.

It's a while since I've done anything as complicated as a dual-boot so I'm a little rusty. Any advice would be much appreciated

In2Photos · Jan 20, 2025

If it were me I would remove the 250GB SSD, either entirely or just unplugging it. Then install Win 10 Pro on the new drive. This will keep Windows from installing any boot files/partitions on the wrong drive. Once it is up and running plug in the old drive to transfer any files over you want to keep. Then format it once you are done.

Iron Woode · Jan 20, 2025

samsinger said:
A friend was given a computer that's running Windows 10 Enterprise N.
The system runs but not 100%. One problem is that System Restore is damaged, so I can't back it up.
But there are numerous other little glitches so I plan to set up a fresh W10 Professional running alongside Enterprise.
Once the new version is complete with her files, emails, docs and games transferred, I'll delete Enterprise.

Her system drive is a 250GB SSD, but there's not a lot of space for the additional system so I've added a PCIe card with a new, empty 500GB SSD, on which I'll install W10 Pro.

It's a while since I've done anything as complicated as a dual-boot so I'm a little rusty. Any advice would be much appreciated

download EasyBCD to set up dual booting.

mikeymikec · Jan 20, 2025

How is system restore "damaged"? How does that stop you from backing stuff up?

sdifox · Jan 21, 2025

Err, you can just download iso and install over existing win10 and it would repair it.

samsinger · Jan 24, 2025

In2Photos said:
If it were me I would remove the 250GB SSD, either entirely or just unplugging it. Then install Win 10 Pro on the new drive. This will keep Windows from installing any boot files/partitions on the wrong drive. Once it is up and running plug in the old drive to transfer any files over you want to keep. Then format it once you are done.

Thanks, that sounds like a plan. But after replacing the 250GB SSD and rebooting, will the system recognize both OSs?

samsinger · Jan 24, 2025

mikeymikec said:
How is system restore "damaged"? How does that stop you from backing stuff up?

System Restore won't complete, just stalls with a message saying it's proceeding.

In2Photos · Jan 25, 2025

samsinger said:
Thanks, that sounds like a plan. But after replacing the 250GB SSD and rebooting, will the system recognize both OSs?

You won't get the prompt to choose which OS you want. Instead you would need to set the boot order in BIOS or press the correct key to bring up boot menu.

samsinger · Jan 30, 2025

In2Photos said:
You won't get the prompt to choose which OS you want. Instead you would need to set the boot order in BIOS or press the correct key to bring up boot menu.

Thanks, I get it. So, having booted into one of the two systems, how would I set up a dual-boot menu?

mv2devnull · Jan 31, 2025

samsinger said:
Thanks, I get it. So, having booted into one of the two systems, how would I set up a dual-boot menu?

UEFI has a "Boot Menu". Depending on motherboard (UEFI details), the key to show it is something like 'F11' or 'F12'. (There may be instructions about the keys during boot -- "BIOS Setup", "Boot Menu", "Network boot". Briefly.)

The Boot menu has both set and auto-detected entries. The latter are for network card, and each drive/USB that has ESP (EFI System Partition)/EFI files.
Installation of Windows (on UEFI system) puts GPT on drive, creates ESP, puts Windows bootloader in it, and adds entry to Boot Menu.

In other words, hitting correct key early in the boot opens the menu and there ought to be an entry for "Windows" for each installed system.

---

Here is what Linux utility shows abut the content of Boot Menu, which is stored on the motherboard, on Linux/Windows dual-boot (Dell) machine:

Bash:

# efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0006
Timeout: 2 seconds
BootOrder: 0006,0004,0000,0001,0002,0003
Boot0000* UEFI PC SN810 NVMe WDC 512GB 24012A802048 1    HD(2,GPT,58722c57-f605-448b-9c57-97db00cca82c,0xfa800,0xfa000)/File(\EFI\Boot\BootX64.efi)N.....YM....R,Y.
Boot0001* ONBOARD NIC (IPV4)    PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1f,0x6)/MAC(4cd717*,0)/IPv4(0.0.0.00.0.0.0,0,0)N.....YM....R,Y.
Boot0002* ONBOARD NIC (IPV6)    PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1f,0x6)/MAC(4cd717*,0)/IPv6([::]:<->[::]:,0,0)N.....YM....R,Y.
Boot0003* UEFI HTTPs Boot (MAC:4CD717*)    PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1f,0x6)/MAC(4cd7178dfbbb,0)/IPv4(0.0.0.00.0.0.0,0,0)/Uri()N.....YM....R,Y.
Boot0004* Windows Boot Manager    HD(2,GPT,58722c57-f605-448b-9c57-97db00cca82c,0xfa800,0xfa000)/File(\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi)WINDOWS.........x...B.C.D.O.B.J.E.C.T.=.{.9.d.e.a.8.6.2.c.-.5.c.d.d.-.4.e.7.0.-.a.c.c.1.-.f.3.2.b.3.4.4.d.4.7.9.5.}....................
Boot0006* AlmaLinux    HD(2,GPT,58722c57-f605-448b-9c57-97db00cca82c,0xfa800,0xfa000)/File(\EFI\almalinux\shimx64.efi)

The machine has just one drive, one ESP, but that partition has three subdirectories (Boot, Microsoft, and almalinux) that each have a different bootloader (BootX64.efi, bootmgfw.efi, and shimx64.efi).

WelshBloke · Jan 31, 2025

In2Photos said:
If it were me I would remove the 250GB SSD, either entirely or just unplugging it. Then install Win 10 Pro on the new drive. This will keep Windows from installing any boot files/partitions on the wrong drive. Once it is up and running plug in the old drive to transfer any files over you want to keep. Then format it once you are done.

OP do this. Just the idea of having two windows installations duel booting is making my eye twitch with anxiety!

samsinger · Feb 9, 2025

mv2devnull said:
UEFI has a "Boot Menu". Depending on motherboard (UEFI details), the key to show it is something like 'F11' or 'F12'. (There may be instructions about the keys during boot -- "BIOS Setup", "Boot Menu", "Network boot". Briefly.)

The Boot menu has both set and auto-detected entries. The latter are for network card, and each drive/USB that has ESP (EFI System Partition)/EFI files.
Installation of Windows (on UEFI system) puts GPT on drive, creates ESP, puts Windows bootloader in it, and adds entry to Boot Menu.

In other words, hitting correct key early in the boot opens the menu and there ought to be an entry for "Windows" for each installed system.

---

Here is what Linux utility shows abut the content of Boot Menu, which is stored on the motherboard, on Linux/Windows dual-boot (Dell) machine:

Bash:

# efibootmgr -v BootCurrent: 0006 Timeout: 2 seconds BootOrder: 0006,0004,0000,0001,0002,0003 Boot0000* UEFI PC SN810 NVMe WDC 512GB 24012A802048 1 HD(2,GPT,58722c57-f605-448b-9c57-97db00cca82c,0xfa800,0xfa000)/File(\EFI\Boot\BootX64.efi)N.....YM....R,Y. Boot0001* ONBOARD NIC (IPV4) PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1f,0x6)/MAC(4cd717*,0)/IPv4(0.0.0.00.0.0.0,0,0)N.....YM....R,Y. Boot0002* ONBOARD NIC (IPV6) PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1f,0x6)/MAC(4cd717*,0)/IPv6([::]:<->[::]:,0,0)N.....YM....R,Y. Boot0003* UEFI HTTPs Boot (MAC:4CD717*) PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1f,0x6)/MAC(4cd7178dfbbb,0)/IPv4(0.0.0.00.0.0.0,0,0)/Uri()N.....YM....R,Y. Boot0004* Windows Boot Manager HD(2,GPT,58722c57-f605-448b-9c57-97db00cca82c,0xfa800,0xfa000)/File(\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi)WINDOWS.........x...B.C.D.O.B.J.E.C.T.=.{.9.d.e.a.8.6.2.c.-.5.c.d.d.-.4.e.7.0.-.a.c.c.1.-.f.3.2.b.3.4.4.d.4.7.9.5.}.................... Boot0006* AlmaLinux HD(2,GPT,58722c57-f605-448b-9c57-97db00cca82c,0xfa800,0xfa000)/File(\EFI\almalinux\shimx64.efi)

The machine has just one drive, one ESP, but that partition has three subdirectories (Boot, Microsoft, and almalinux) that each have a different bootloader (BootX64.efi, bootmgfw.efi, and shimx64.efi).

Thanks for the comprehensive explanation

pcgeek11 · Feb 10, 2025

samsinger said:
Thanks for the comprehensive explanation

Or just use "msconfig" command after installation to set up the dual boot menu.

Dual booting set up in System Configuration - Windows 10 Help Forums

Just getting to grips with W10 and noticed that dual booting can be set up in System Configuration-boot. This was the case in XP, I think or was a pre

www.tenforums.com

Question Dual boot W10 with a second W10?

samsinger

Member

In2Photos

Platinum Member

Iron Woode

Elite Member

mikeymikec

Lifer

sdifox

No Lifer

samsinger

Member

samsinger

Member

In2Photos

Platinum Member

samsinger

Member

mv2devnull

Golden Member

WelshBloke

Lifer

samsinger

Member

pcgeek11

Lifer

Dual booting set up in System Configuration - Windows 10 Help Forums

TRENDING THREADS