Dual boot - Windows Media Center / Windows 7
Hello all,
I was wondering if there was a way to dual boot the same OS.
So, install Windows 7 on my hard drive, then, manually enter a entry into some config file somwhere so I can have the choice to boot into Windows 7 OR Windows Media center.
With Windows Media Center being part of Windows 7, then you can understand why I need to "Boot into the same OS".
Booting into Windows 7 is obviously straight forward. But setting up a manual entry so it boots straight into Windows Media Center... is this possible?
I was wondering if there was a way to dual boot the same OS.
So, install Windows 7 on my hard drive, then, manually enter a entry into some config file somwhere so I can have the choice to boot into Windows 7 OR Windows Media center.
With Windows Media Center being part of Windows 7, then you can understand why I need to "Boot into the same OS".
Booting into Windows 7 is obviously straight forward. But setting up a manual entry so it boots straight into Windows Media Center... is this possible?
Media Center isn't a bootable OS though, so do you just need a Startup menu to select whether media centre starts up or not once W7 is booted ?
ASKER
Burrcm,
Thanks for your input. The plan isn't to duplicate the OS, but simply have different paramters when booting windows 7. Maybe instead of booting shell.exe, one could boot ehshell.exe. I was wondering if this could be done by editing the boot.ini with particular parameters so when the computer is started you could be presented with a "Dual boot" menu with two options. One which boots windows 7 normally, and one that boots windows 7 but doesn't start explorer and goes straight into WMC. Logically, there is only one operating system. I hope I have made myself clearer.
Yarwell,
Thank you for your input. Please see above.
To give you all an understanding of my current technical knowledge, I am a MCP, MCDST (XP & 7), MCTS (7) and MCAD in C#.
Thanks for your input. The plan isn't to duplicate the OS, but simply have different paramters when booting windows 7. Maybe instead of booting shell.exe, one could boot ehshell.exe. I was wondering if this could be done by editing the boot.ini with particular parameters so when the computer is started you could be presented with a "Dual boot" menu with two options. One which boots windows 7 normally, and one that boots windows 7 but doesn't start explorer and goes straight into WMC. Logically, there is only one operating system. I hope I have made myself clearer.
Yarwell,
Thank you for your input. Please see above.
To give you all an understanding of my current technical knowledge, I am a MCP, MCDST (XP & 7), MCTS (7) and MCAD in C#.
I'm not aware of a way to pass parameters into Windows 7 from the boot loader.
If you had an auto-execute app that said "press m for media centre or enter to continue" (for example), perhaps with a time out to a default setting, would that suffice ?
Obviously this isn't done when the computer is started, but shortly afterwards.
If you had an auto-execute app that said "press m for media centre or enter to continue" (for example), perhaps with a time out to a default setting, would that suffice ?
Obviously this isn't done when the computer is started, but shortly afterwards.
ASKER
That is an option that is worth considering, might have to see if there is an auto execute app around, or I could whip one up. I have found via google that it is possible to boot into Windows Media Center straight from boot up through a particular option in WMC settings, but that just isn't gonna cut it.
Strangely, DELL managed this somehow with a button next to the "power" button on some of their laptops. These laptops also had a "Media" partition that included some data (not entirely sure what that data was). When this "Media" button was pushed, it booted straight into Windows media center, so you could use it like a media center.
Shame Microsoft doesn't make this easier to do for people who want the full functionality of Windows 7 on one hand, and a media center on the other, but using the same operating system and not having to purchase two copies and place them on seperate partitions. This is especially annoying as the PC spec I have whipped up will have a small SSD.
Thanks for your input Yarwell, I might have to go and search some Technet forums to see if anybody has attempted the same thing.
500 points still up for grabs for anybody that can help me solve this seemingly simple but apparently complex problem.
Strangely, DELL managed this somehow with a button next to the "power" button on some of their laptops. These laptops also had a "Media" partition that included some data (not entirely sure what that data was). When this "Media" button was pushed, it booted straight into Windows media center, so you could use it like a media center.
Shame Microsoft doesn't make this easier to do for people who want the full functionality of Windows 7 on one hand, and a media center on the other, but using the same operating system and not having to purchase two copies and place them on seperate partitions. This is especially annoying as the PC spec I have whipped up will have a small SSD.
Thanks for your input Yarwell, I might have to go and search some Technet forums to see if anybody has attempted the same thing.
500 points still up for grabs for anybody that can help me solve this seemingly simple but apparently complex problem.
How about a thoough outside of the box and using virtual pc with multiple install of Os on it.
CT
CT
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Thanks Garycase.
Excuse the delay, but I was away on holiday.
Your solution is much appreciated :)
Excuse the delay, but I was away on holiday.
Your solution is much appreciated :)
Chris B