November 8, 2012 by Charlie White
Windows 8 is so new and different, many users aren’t sure if they really want to abandon Windows 7 for it just yet. But you, dear Mashable reader, can have both at once. I’ll show you how to keep your Windows 7 installation as it is, and have the option to boot into Windows 8 on the same machine, giving you the time and experience to make an informed choice between the two.
You’ve been able to dual-boot previous versions of Windows for years, but now with Windows 8 it’s easier than ever. There’s good news, too: Microsoft is offering Windows 8 Pro for $39.99 until January 31, 2013, and I’ll show you how to use that version to dual-boot between Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Using the regular Windows 8 Pro download saves you $85.01 by ignoring advice on Microsoft’s website urging you to buy the $125 Windows 8 Pro System Builder software if you want to dual boot. However, if you want to try Windows 8 for a while before activating — an option available with Windows 7 — you can’t legally install Windows 8 unless you have a valid product key.
Follow along and I’ll show you how to download the software, put it on a DVD, and then install it on your machine without breaking anything, giving you the freedom to boot into either Windows 7 or Windows 8 at your whim. Before we get started, be sure your PC has the minimum system requirements for Windows 8 and that you have at least 20GB of free space on your hard drive. Then you’ll be ready for this fresh install of Windows 8, side-by-side with Windows 7.
Keep in mind that a disadvantage of loading a fresh install rather than an upgrade of Windows 8 is that it won’t transfer all your settings and applications you’ve so carefully curated. However, you will have a better chance at long-term stability if you freshly install a copy of Windows 8, and with this dual-boot setup, if it turns out you don’t like it one bit, you can have your machine boot by default into Windows 7 and forget the whole thing.
Read more (including dual boot instructions): http://mashable.com/2012/11/08/dual-boot-windows-8/#1006651-Get-Windows-8
