7 replies to this topic

[Bansaku]

I just installed Windows 8 on a new, separate SSD drive. I thought I was being smart by un-plugging every HDD except for the destination volume. Installation went fine, and surprisingly fast for Windows. I plugged my other drives back in and restarted back into OS X. Here is the problem; I can not boot into Windows 7 (also on a separate HDD) from the Chameleon OS select screen. No matter which Windows volume I select, it will always boot into Windows 8.

I find this behaviour rather odd, as Windows 8 was installed essentially on a lone volume. From what I read after researching on Google, Windows 8 will present a choice of which Windows you would like to boot in. However, this only happens if at the time of installation the Windows 7 drive/partition was present. As well, I could care less if I am able to select the Windows 7/8 drive from the BIOS and boot with desired results; It defeats the purpose of using Chameleon...

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

[p.H]

Use EasyBCD to manually add an entry for windows7 in windows8.

[Bansaku]

Awesome, that worked...kind of anyway. After selecting Windows 7 the system restarts again and then I can boot into Windows 7. Somewhat annoying but at least it works.

[p.H]

Bansaku, on 04 November 2012 - 03:13 AM, said:

Awesome, that worked...kind of anyway. After selecting Windows 7 the system restarts again and then I can boot into Windows 7. Somewhat annoying but at least it works.

Yep, that seems to be bug of chameleon

[Bansaku]

Simply installing (updating) Windows 8 over  Windows 7 would solve the problem. I only use Windows for games, and unfortunately I don't have the disc/installers for some of my installed games (sold, lent out and never returned, etc.). Therefore I can't play several titles on a fresh install. However I am not going to, yet; Many games are crashing/hanging up Windows 8, even after a fresh re-install. As usual, Micro$oft gives the software vendors the double bird and releases their next OS with several problems and bugs. Never have I had a System crash as many times as Windows 8 has. This includes running Lion on AMD based systems! Nice eh?!

[mnfesq]

Did you try reinstalling Chameleon?  Usually it looks for OS installations when you install it.

[Bansaku]

mnfesq, on 07 November 2012 - 07:09 PM, said:

Did you try reinstalling Chameleon?  Usually it looks for OS installations when you install it.

Yup, it was the first thing I did. At first I tried Chameleon Wizard, then installer.pkg, then manual.

However, I did fix Windows 8 booting by default in EasyBCD and having to restart after selecting Windows 7. I had a brainstorm and decided to make Windows 7 the default OS; I still have the Windows Bootloader screen (plain text VS the nice Windows 8 GUI...meh), regardless of which drive I select at the Chameleon OS select, however after selecting either W7 or W8, it jumps right into the startup without a restart. I just hide one of the Windows drives to make things easier.

I can live with having to hit Enter 1 more time.

[slayer2333]

Installed W8 over my W7 separate HDD and directly detected by chameleon (any version).  Boot times : W8 = 5seconds, ML = 35sec lol, sucks !!