gpt + mbr + dualboot + what do i do?

[k0mpresd]

so, my fancy new lenovo laptop with windows 8 has a gpt partitioned harddrive with about 6 or 7 partitions on it. recovery, all kinds of nonsense.
i want to install windows 7 (32bit preferably just because x64 causes a few issues i would rather not deal with). i cant install win7 because of the gpt. but i dont want to format and make it mbr because then i loose all my other partitions and i would like to dual boot 7 and 8 together.

what do i do? im thinking its either 1 or the other.

does diskpart work for a single partition to convert from gpt > mbr when other partitions are present? or does it convert the whole drive?

thanks for any help.

 

[razel]

Recovery partitions can be a pain to preserve. I myself since it's a laptop will usually just replace and set aside the original HDD and with an SSD then partition as you want and call it a day. If that's not an option then I'd try to purchase imaging backup software that can image that drive as a file onto an external device. I found Paragon's software does this well. Then you can partition as you like and restore the original HDD layout later whenever you need it.

 

[Dahak]

Step 1) Make you Recovery media first.
Step 2) Make sure you make your recovery media

But unfortunately you cannot convert gpt to mbr per partition, it is only whole drive only.

But if you use win7 64bit you could install it on a gpt partition

I know you said that you have issues with 64bit, its it a specific program that is preventing that?

Or a razel suggested, could swap the hard drive or make a image of the drive. and then format and install win7 then win8 if you choose