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How to dual boot Windows 7 and Windows 10 Preview builds
6 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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If you haven’t triedWindows 10because you don’t want to update your current version of Windows, you can easily dualbootWindows 7, or any other version of Windows, and Windows 10 Preview build. This is a relatively simple process, and today we’re going to show you how to do it properly.
How can I dual boot Windows 7 and Windows 10 Preview build?
Create new partition and download the Windows 10 ISO file
As you probably know, you candownload Windows 10 for freeif you are a member of Insider Program. After you’ve joined the Insider program you can download the preview build in a form of ISO file. Select the version that matches your processor, 32-bit or 64-bit, and download it. You’ll also needWindows USB/DVD Download Toolin order to createbootableUSB flash drive or DVD with Windows 10 Preview build.
Before we continue any further, we have to mention that you should probably create a backup in case anything goes wrong. This is usually a relatively simple procedure, but in case something goes wrong, it’s always good to have a backup available.
After you’ve created abootableUSB flash drive, you need to create a newpartitionto install Windows 10 Preview build. Creating a newpartitionis mandatory if you want to dualbootany older version of Windows and Windows 10 Preview build. To create a newpartitionon your hard drive, do the following:
Now you need to enter BIOS and change thebootpriority. To enter BIOS you need to keep pressing one of the F keys, Esc or Delete key while your PC boots. If you can’t find the proper key, it’s always good to check your motherboard manual for instructions.
Once you’ve entered BIOS, you need to set your USB flash drive or DVD as the firstbootdevice. To see how to do that, check your motherboard manual for detailed instructions. Save changes that you’ve made in BIOS. Now you can install Windows 10 Preview by following these steps:
If you wish, you can also just as easy removeWindows 10Preview from your PC. To do that, you’ll need to follow these steps:
After you did that,Windows 10Preview won’t be available as abootoption anymore, however, it will still remain installed on your PC. To remove it from your hard drive, you need to do the following:
Modify boot options
When you start your PC, you’ll be asked to choose betweenWindows 7andWindows 10Preview. However, you can change certain settings, and to do that, just follow these steps:
As you can see, customization of boot settings is fairly limited, but it offers enough options for most users.
As you can see, runningWindows 7andWindows 10Preview build in dual boot mode isn’t as complicated as you think, but before you do that, make sure that you have enough space on your hard drive to run two operating systems. Here are a couple of other articles related to dualbootingWindows 10:
More about the topics:windows 10
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
