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Upgrade To Win10 And Keep Previous Windows Version

th

February 6, 2016, 11:39(EST) By Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

thI’m going to show you how I upgraded to Windows 10 and kept my Windows 7 install. I alluded to this method earlier. Although not tested this should work for Windows 8.1 too.
I searched the Windows 10 EULA and I can find nothing that restricts this but I’m not a lawyer either.

1 – Fully update Windows 7 (or 8.1). This means Windows Update as well as drivers (and BIOS too).
2 – Clean Windows using cleanmgr and CCleaner.
3 – Shrink Windows 7 partition.
4 – Boot to Acronis True Image flash drive (CD/DVD will work too) and image ENTIRE disk.
5 – Reboot and install Win10. Fully update. You can do a reset here too if you want a “clean” install.
6 – Reboot to Acronis True Image. Restore OS partition ONLY to the blank space on the drive.
7 – Reboot to Win10. Download and install EasyBCD.
8 – Add Windows 7 to boot options.
9 – Success!

I’ve also put Win10 as the restored/2nd partition:
1 – Fully update Windows 7 (or 8.1). This means Windows Update as well as drivers (and BIOS too).
2 – Clean Windows using cleanmgr and CCleaner.
3 – Shrink Windows 7 partition.
4 – Boot to Acronis True Image flash drive (CD/DVD will work too) and image ENTIRE disk.
5 – Reboot and install Win10. Fully update. You can do a reset here too if you want a “clean” install.
6 – Reboot to Acronis True Image.
– Backup ENTIRE Win10 disk.
– Restore ENTIRE backup from step 4.
– Restore Win10 partition ONLY to the blank space on the drive.
7 – Reboot to Windows 7. Download and install EasyBCD.
8 – Add Win10 to boot options.
9 – Success!

If you have problems shrinking your OS partition. Do advanced disk cleanup and temporarily disable page file.

I assume you can use Clonezilla for this too but I haven’t tried it. If you do please let me know.

7and10_a1

7and10_b1

Tagged With: How-To's, This Site, Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. JackL says

    February 6, 2016, 11:49(EST) at 11:49

    The easiest way is to feed Win 7 serial into Win 10 ISO, install it and keep each version on a separate drive.

    • Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound) says

      February 6, 2016, 11:55(EST) at 11:55

      Except you lose your programs.
      It may not activate.
      And that method in fact may violate the EULA. Again, I’m not a lawyer.

  2. JackL says

    February 6, 2016, 12:15(EST) at 12:15

    Yes, I had to install all the programs from scratch. Not a bad thing since one will immediately know if there are compatibility issues. Win 10 ISO actually DID request that I feed it Win 7 Pro SN. It then upgraded me to Win 10 Pro that I am on now. No EULA issue.

  3. ThomasK2 says

    February 6, 2016, 20:53(EST) at 20:53

    I did my notebook just like your first setup. I have done many windows 10 installs. They were all upgrades and they have no issues.

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