Anybody have multiple bootable disks in their Secure Boot PC?

steve17 · Dec 2, 2021

I do. It seems to work well until I install another Windows or re-install a Windows. Then I get some strange problems that eventually go away. Now that I've got some experience backing up these newfangled partitions like the EFI/System partition, I shouldn't need to do more reinstalls.

I'm guessing the problems are because I break the rules with multiple bootable disks, but maybe it's just some goofy Secure Boot/TPM code.

Scott · Dec 3, 2021

I did. One disk booted Win 10 Pro, the other Win 11 Pro insider beta build. I found myself booting into Win 11 more often then 10 so I bit the bullet, left the insider program, and upgraded to 11 with the installation assistant. No regrets. Plus I got tired of maintaining two OS's.

CountMike · Dec 4, 2021

Scott said:
I did. One disk booted Win 10 Pro, the other Win 11 Pro insider beta build. I found myself booting into Win 11 more often then 10 so I bit the bullet, left the insider program, and upgraded to 11 with the installation assistant. No regrets. Plus I got tired of maintaining two OS's.

Same here, also another SSD wit Linux Mint but all were installed in UEFI/GPT mode with Secure BOOT enabled.

The-Hive · Dec 4, 2021

Similar here but I kept booting to the wrong OS so I did the same as @Scott and never looked back

CountMike · Dec 4, 2021

I use this for easy way to make BOOT Menu.

The-Hive · Dec 4, 2021

CountMike said:
I use this for easy way to make BOOT Menu.
View attachment 15297

That looks like a sweet little program @CountMike

CountMike · Dec 4, 2021

The-Hive said:
That looks like a sweet little program @CountMike

Yes it is, using it for quite many years, free and can be uninstalled once choices are made and saved.
There 's one very annoying thing windows insider since W8 is doing. If it's in dual BOOT with stable edition, every time there's a proper CU update (one that makes windows.old), BOOT order gets reversed and insider get priority so I keep EasyBCD installed to make changes.

steve17 · Dec 5, 2021

I also have used EasyBCD for many years.

You don't need 2 bootable disks to install 2 Windows. You can put multiple Windows installs on 1 disk, on different partitions. You can also put Windows on a non-bootable disk as long as the installer sees a bootable one.

Microsoft won't create a bootable disk if it sees one, so you have to unplug any bootable disks before you can install another one.

The advantage of 2 bootable disks, for me, is that if one becomes unbootable, I can boot from the other. That's the way I've set up my computers for 25 years and I don't want to change.

NavyLCDR · Dec 5, 2021

steve17 said:
Microsoft won't create a bootable disk if it sees one, so you have to unplug any bootable disks before you can install another one.

I've never unplugged any disk when installing Windows 10/11 and the system partition(s) end up exactly on which disk I want them.

steve17 · Dec 7, 2021

That didn't work for me. So you have an EFI/System partition on multiple disks?

TheOldMarine · Dec 7, 2021

I have three on 3 different m.2 drives, Win 11 Pro, Win 11 insider preview, and a hold out Win 10 Pro just in case, not sure of what though.

Cheers
Ray

Lucas North · Dec 7, 2021

I've been running with 2 OS for many years, always the current 'stable' version of Windows and the newly released version.
more than enough Hard drives in my system to test them out.
At one stage I had Windows 7,10 and 11 but that was just me hating to part with windows 7, I do still have a Macrium backup of 7 though
just in case I feel the need to return to it.

steve17 · Dec 7, 2021

TheOldMarine said:
I have three on 3 different m.2 drives, Win 11 Pro, Win 11 insider preview, and a hold out Win 10 Pro just in case, not sure of what though.

I have a Win 10 and a Win11 on each of two M.2 "SSD" things. I will keep the Win 10 installations for a while. So far I have no need for W10, but this new computer isn't my "on line" computer yet. My 11 year old computer is still my official machine. I'm about ready to move over to the new one.

I think I had a Win 3.1 machine but back then Microware's OS9 was my favorite OS. I bought a Win 98 computer in '98 and then put NT4 on it as that is what I used at work. Finding NT drivers was not easy.

That Win98 computer had a noisy 8 cm fan. I put the innards into a bigger case and replaced the fan with a 12 cm fan. The bigger fans are much more efficient. They run much slower and are much quieter. I've been building my own computers ever since, for quiet, not speed.

I see you are a youngster. I'm 81.

obelix · Dec 8, 2021

When you have two windows systems on two disks install windows on 1 disk ssd m.2 the other does not put in the motherboard install on one when the installation is complete win 11 set in disk management that your D is empty that there is no disk or dvd rom on it all put the drivers from the motherboard on that disk when it's done take it out and put another one in another place m2 of the disk install windows put the drivers in disk management again it must be empty D turn off the comp put the one you installed 1 ssd m.2 turn on the comp windows goes to the last one you installed when you get windows, set the first disk to "D" in disk management by changing the letter and drive paths with the function when you get windows, set the first disk in disk management to "D" and with the function change the letter and drive paths in the BIOS you must have both m2 of disk because when you start the computer you have to boot from another disk in the bios when you get windows you also have to put another disk in disk management to "D" then install on both windows EasyBCD arrange and that's it

NavyLCDR · Dec 8, 2021

I'm so totally confused.

obelix · Dec 8, 2021

sorry if you can't read my bad english.
The point is to install windows on each one separately, which means that there must not be one and the other ssd m2 in the motherboard at the same time as installing windows.

NavyLCDR · Dec 8, 2021

obelix said:
sorry if you can't read my bad english.
The point is to install windows on each one separately, which means that there must not be one and the other ssd m2 in the motherboard at the same time as installing windows.

I've never had issues installing Windows 10 or 11 on two different m.2 SSDs connected at the same time. I'm not about to open up my laptop to disconnect an internal drive to install Windows.

obelix · Dec 8, 2021

the left image shows when the installation on each disk is separate, the second image shows when both disks are in the motherboard and what is the difference on the other no efi boot

steve17 · Dec 8, 2021

Yes, that is what I found. If Microsoft sees one bootable disk, it won't create another bootable disk.

Let me explain what I mean as a bootable disk. It must have an EFI/System partition. This shows up with no partition letter. You can see it with Disk Management because it shows up as a 100MB partition.

To be bootable, the BIOS will show it in the list of bootable devices.

Microsoft will install Windows on non-bootable disks and you can run them because they will be put on the OS selection menu that will show up when you boot up from another bootable disk.

RoadBlaster · Dec 8, 2021

I did not unplug one or the other NVME's when installing dual boot & both my copies of W11 work perfect, 1 on each drive & windows always sets it up like in my picture.

Anybody have multiple bootable disks in their Secure Boot PC?

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