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I currently have Windows 8 installed and want to install Windows 7 (better'd be Windows XP). But I know that the Windows 7 Bootmanager will replace the Windows 8 Bootmanager, and I´m not sure if the Windows 7 Bootmanager will view Windows 8 as a boot option.
Reinstalling Windows 8 is NOT AN OPTION.

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    No WIndows 7 was made before Windows 8 thus it is un-aware that Windows 8 even exists, when setting up mult-boot systems you should always start with the oldest and work to the newest, then lastly any Linux distros...
    – TheXed
    Nov 5, 2013 at 16:47
  • @Paedow - You will need to repair the Windows 8 Bootloader if you do install Windows XP or Windows 7 or any operating system.
    – Ramhound
    Nov 5, 2013 at 16:49
  • @TheX: I know, that I have to install the old ones first, but windows 8 is currently installed and I just need an additional os
    – LostPhysx
    Nov 5, 2013 at 16:51
  • I read on some articles found on ggogle, that you can replace the windows 8 bootloader with the windows 7 bootloader, when you installed windows 7 first and windows 8 second. But I'm not sure if it works also, when you install windows 7 second
    – LostPhysx
    Nov 5, 2013 at 16:52
  • @TheX: Can you at least give me a link or a tutorial as answer, because I am aware of this option, but did not find how to do this.
    – LostPhysx
    Nov 5, 2013 at 16:53

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Windows adds OSs to the boot loader by reading the MBR on each disk. It does not distinguish newer or older versions. Nor does it have a list of known OSs to look for. You can install in any order. Although it is recommended to install Linux disros last. I was dual booting Windows 7 and Windows 8 with the Windows 7 boot loader and had no problems whatsoever. I eventually got rid of it because I found myself on Windows 8 more often because of new features I like in the core of it. Hate the Metro UI though.

Also if you find that the boot loader does not list a specific OS you can add it to the list manually. Or you can load up Windows 8 and get that boot loader to be the main one again, see here.

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The answer is: Yes, the Windows 7 Bootloader can detect the Windows 8 installation already on the Computer. I installed Windows 7 and at the first bootup the bootloader offered me to boot Windows 8.

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