Question Workstation I have 3 OS system and only 1 will boot

[LuxLei]

Hello

So, my workstation has 3 Windows OS on it. Each Windows is on a separate SSD. I have Windows 8.1 on 120 GB SSD Kingston, Windows 11 on 120 GB SSD Kingston and Windows 10 on 240 GB SSD SanDisk Plus.

My Spec are;

MBO: Asus Prime X570-Pro
CPU: Ryzen 9 5950X
RAM 64 GB Kingston Fury Beast DDR4
Cooling: Noctua NH-D15
GPU: 2x Asus RTX 3060 12 GB GDDR6
PSU: Seasonic Focus GX-750 Full Modular

HDD 4TB
HDD 160 GB
SSD 120 GB
SSD 120 GB
SSD 240 GB
5 screens attached AOC and Asus

Now, I had one workstation before with also 3 Windows systems on it Win7, Win 8.1, and Win 10 and I was switching between systems without any problems. Also each Windows system on its own SSD.

But with this new configuration, I have installed everything as I did on my old workstation and it worked for some time. But yesterday when I need to switch to Windows 8.1 and Windows 11 the blue screen showed "Recovery Your PC/Device needs to be repaired"....

The workstation boots without an issue to Windows 10 but when I select from the list Windows 11 or Windows 8.1 the error shows.

Also, one interesting thing is if I unplug 2 SSD the PC boots normally to Windows 8.1 or Windows 11. But when 3 of them are plugged in I can only boot to Windows 10.

I'm stuck here on what to do. This is my workstation and I'm the only one that is messing around with it, and nobody else is using it.

Link to my video problem

Thank you in advance

 

[John Chesterfield]

Did you install each OS onto its own disk with NO other disks attached at the time of install?

That's the only dual or triple boot system that works flawlessly, when all OSes don't 'know' about one another.

 

[John Chesterfield]

Yeah, looking at your video you didn't do that and are using the crappy Microsoft bootloader. Best way to do what you want to is install to your desired disk, only with that disk installed, and then use BIOS boot key to select OS. That's the cleanest way of doing it.

If you must use their bootloader, it's important you install OS in order of age, so 8.1 then 10 then 11. Did you do that?

 

[LuxLei]

Yes, I did, as that usually goes. You can't install a triple system when other SSDs and HDDs are attached, the system will get confused. As I said this is not my first workstation. And I had one for 4 years, but I had to do the upgrade. I assemble everything on my own and I maintain them alone.

 

[John Chesterfield]

So why are you using that bootloader? What happens when you try using the BIOS boot key to select disks instead of the bootloader?

 

[LuxLei]

I never tried to use the BIOS boot key to select disks. I need to try it first and then I will know the answer. Thank you for the tip.

 

[COLGeek]

Why multiple versions of Windows? Also, why two RTX 3060s?

 

[LuxLei]

Multiple Windows due to my work, as it requests different Windows versions and 2 GPUs due to screens and also as my work requires to run different software on different versions of Windows and examine their behavior. I don't play games on my workstation. Software are ranging from 3D to EndpointSecure systems, financial terminals etc...

 

[LuxLei]

So why are you using that bootloader? What happens when you try using the BIOS boot key to select disks instead of the bootloader?

I'm a bit confused here with this question. Are you asking if I have set the priority in my BIOS for booting? If that is the question, yes, first is SSD 240 GB with Windows 10 then it goes SSD 120 GB, third is also SSD 120 GB, 4th is 4TB HDD and 5th is 160 GB HDD

 

[USAFRet]

With the system running, please show us a screencap of your Disk Management window.

upload your pic to imgur.com, post the link here.

 

[LuxLei]

Yeah, looking at your video you didn't do that and are using the crappy Microsoft bootloader. Best way to do what you want to is install to your desired disk, only with that disk installed, and then use BIOS boot key to select OS. That's the cleanest way of doing it.

If you must use their bootloader, it's important you install OS in order of age, so 8.1 then 10 then 11. Did you do that?

And this I didn't know, okay learned something new.
On my old workstation, I have used a Microsoft bootloader and also the BIOS boot key. I know I have switched from one to another. Due to better look, yeah I know, women stuff

 

[LuxLei]

this is my disk management

 

[LuxLei]

On this new workstation, I installed first Windows 10 as it is my main working OS, then I installed Windows 11 and last was Windows 8.1

 

[John Chesterfield]

And this I didn't know, okay learned something new.
On my old workstation, I have used a Microsoft bootloader and also the BIOS boot key. I know I have switched from one to another. Due to better look, yeah I know, women stuff

Pretty sure that if you Google around for 'dual boot Windows bootloader fix' you'll find there are commands you can run that can fix the issues you're having, no difference between dual and triple boot here. And that would fix the bootloader.

If it was me, I'd be starting afresh and installing each OS onto its own disk with NO other disks connected before then connecting back all disks once the 3 OSes have been installed. Sure, you won't get the fancy MS bootloader, you'd need to hit F8 or whatever key your BIOS has for selecting boot source and you'd need to remember which disk each OS is on as that wouldn't be shown on the BIOS boot source screen.

But it'd be clean dual boot, it's my preferred method even though I don't do it anymore.

 

[LuxLei]

Thank you! Will try that first and if that doesn't help I will reinstall them one by one

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you! Will try that first and if that doesn't help I will reinstall them one by one

One by one, with ONLY the desired individual drive connected.

 

[LuxLei]

Yes one by one, and all others disconnected even the storage HDDs

 

[John Chesterfield]

Yes one by one, and all others disconnected even the storage HDDs

Indeed, even the storage disks. Only the drive you're installing to. Just the drive you're installing to each time and you'll never have a bootloader issue ever again. Also makes it much cleaner to clone each install from within a different one for easy recovery should any further issues occur.