0

I am trying to setup a portable ssd with 2 TB to boot Multiple Windows To Go Versions (Windows 7, 10, 11). (I am also planning to try to setup booting with linux distros, but that's not relevant here right now) I have tried several things, but had several difficulties trying to do them. Here's some context on what I've been trying to set this up:

I first tried using Grub2 to boot Windows to go and linux. I first started with using partitions, but had problems. Then I realized that using VHDs would make things more compact and allow me to use the SSD as a normal storage medium, so I started trying to boot from a VHD instead. However, Windows wouldn't cooperate with Grub. It wouldn't boot and either way, I would have to configure the bios to make grub work anyways, so it removes the seamlessness of being able to plug and unplug and done.

I then tried turning to Windows Boot Manager itself. Grub was really just pointing to Windows Boot manager, so I though that maybe trying to use Windows boot manager would remove the extra step of booting into Windows, and it keeps the secure boot and I can figure out how to point Windows Boot Manager to boot Grub for linux and other OSes. However, I run into another issue now where It boots completely fine on my laptop, but Windows 10 errors out and Windows 11 shows that it loads, but then goes back to the bios select or just exits out. Windows 7 just doesn't boot, but I realized it was because of how I installed it.

In short, Windows 10 and 11 was installed on my HP laptop, which works fine, but when I move it to a different computer, it errors out. Same issue occurs on all computers I've tried. Also, Windows 10 did provide an error stating that a recent hardware change occured.

0xc0000428: Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file (File: \Windows\system32\winload.efi

LilData777
  • 166

1 Answers1

0

So based on @Ramhound comment, I managed to find out what I did wrong. Normally, what I do to mash the boot configs of Windows Boot Managers is by adding all the files from all Windows Versions from the VHDs

So for instance, I open up every VHD, and i run this: bcdboot E:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI Where E: is the VHD where a Windows Version is and S: is my Windows Boot Manager on my SSD. Now, I repeated it for every single Windows VHD I had, basically changing the E: to every new VHD. However, I realized that the last Windows version I added was Windows 7. Every time I ran that command, I overwrote the boot files, so when I copied Windows 7, I overwrote the new cert with an old one, therefore causing the issue.

It is interesting that my laptop was able to boot it. My computers were about the same age as my laptop and all ran the same Windows Versions.

Nevertheless, I just redo my windows boot manager, but did Windows 11 last. I also just ditched Windows 7 entirely based on @Ramhound's comment.

LilData777
  • 166