I have installed Windows 8 Pro x64 over my previous Windows 7 installation. However, I need to re-install Windows 7 on a second partition, in other words, with dual-boot functioning.
When I boot the USB, containing the installation files, windows 7 starts installing. When prompted what partition I want to use, I select a 40GB, NTFS-formatted, partition. Normally, here I should be able to click on the button "Next", however, the button is disabled and when I click on the link "Windows cannot be installed on Disk 0, partition 4", a Messagebox prompts saying:
Windows cannot be installed to this disk the partition contains one
or more dynamic volumes
Next, I try using a VDISK. So I create one using the command prompt on the selected disk, attach it and when I refresh the installation, the disk appears in the list. I select the disk and next, it starts installing. However after extracting and installing, the following error message appears:
Windows cannot update the computer's boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed.
I have tried to run the 'Startup Repair' from the Windows 7 installation, yet the program responds by alerting "Startup Repair cannot repair this computer automatically"
I have looked all over the internet to find a solution, yet none have helped.
For any help you are able to offer, you have my sincerest gratitude.
Best Answer
See : How to Dual Boot Windows 8 with Windows 7
This article treats all of the numerous cases that you might encounter when installing Windows 7 if Windows 8 is already installed (very detailed including screenshots), as well as any problems that you might encounter during the installation process.
There is too much material in the above article to summarize it here.
But a word of CAUTION :