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Author Topic: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC  (Read 10242 times)

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richardf77

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    2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
    « on: July 26, 2015, 04:39:59 AM »
    With windows 10 on the way and the offer of a free upgrade i am keen to try the new operating system on my PC. However i do not want to give up on windows 7 straight away, just in case i have problems with 10. I understand you can install a second operating system on your PC if  the HDD is partitioned. I also understand that once my existing copy of 7 is upgraded to 10 it will not be possible to install 7 as a second operating system since it is an older OS. 

    My HDD is already partitioned into 2 drives/volumes. I plan to create a third from the free space and install a fresh copy of win7 onto it, then when 10 is available upgrade one of the 7s (not sure which would be best) to 10 with the free upgrade offer. I then hope to have a dual boot machine to try out 10 while still haveing 7 available as a fall back.

    Does this sound a fesable plan of action? What would be the best way of going about it? Will the 2 versions work Ok together on one machine and how will it affect my data?

    Any advice welcome.

    soybean



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    Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
    « Reply #1 on: July 26, 2015, 10:30:46 AM »
    Well, first of all, do you have two legitimate Windows 7 software licenses?  I have the impression you want to use your single Windows 7 license for two installations of Windows 7.  Perhaps you could get away with that on a temporary basis, but I'd rather avoid the situation.  You could have been trying out Windows 10 for a few months already by downloading the Preview version and installing it on a separate partition, but that's a moot point now. 

    If you keep your data off the partition used for Windows 10, you should be safe.  But, external backup is still highly recommended. 

    Stay tuned for input from others on your scenario.  I don't want to be the only one providing input on this topic. 


    Geek-9pm


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    Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
    « Reply #2 on: July 26, 2015, 11:15:30 AM »
    I have not had any problem installing multiple copies of windows on one hard drive. The terms of the EULA are on license for each computer. 
    There is a resewn for doing this. If you are a developer, you want to try your software on different configurations of Windows. On license, one computer. No piratical limit on multiple installations.

    camerongray



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    Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
    « Reply #3 on: July 26, 2015, 12:06:09 PM »
    I have not had any problem installing multiple copies of windows on one hard drive. The terms of the EULA are on license for each computer. 
    There is a resewn for doing this. If you are a developer, you want to try your software on different configurations of Windows. On license, one computer. No piratical limit on multiple installations.
    Where does it say that?  All I can find is the opposite: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/can-i-install-a-single-windows-7-license-on/e71fd159-6cd2-4ad8-9d4e-76cc468e7e88

    It seems to be quite a grey area so please do not make stuff like that up without citing parts of the actual licence that states it.

    Geek-9pm


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    Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
    « Reply #4 on: July 26, 2015, 07:51:29 PM »
    It is grey in the eyes of the beholder. The EULA does not prohibit multiple installs on the same PC.
    Quote
    After you install Windows, a unique Product ID number is created. If you were to install it again on the same computer, another unique Product ID number is created. Therefore, one can only install and activate one (1) Windows license on one (1) computer.
    Carey Frisch
    The above post by  Carey Frisch is misleading. One one partition can be active at an instance, therefore it is still one license on cone computer. How MS enforce its EULA, or how you think it does, is not part of the EULA. The EULA says one license for one computer. The number of times it is installed is not a issue  of the EULA if the install is always on the same computer.
    If MS stops you from doing several installs on the  same computer, then MS is in violation of the EULA they wrote.
    Here is a list of EULA from MS.
    http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/DisplayHelpEULAPage
    Using Google, you can get it in PDF, if needed.  :)
    PDF attached.


    [attachment deleted by admin to conserve space]

    Geek-9pm


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    Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
    « Reply #5 on: July 26, 2015, 08:16:08 PM »
    This is another thing that can go off on another tangent. This is a separate post. But it has to do with the wording of the EULA.
    Quote
    b. License Model. Subject to Section 2 (b) below, the software is licensed on a per copy per computer basis. A computer is a physical hardware system with an internal storage device capable of running the software. A hardware partition or blade is considered to be a separate computer.
    This is NOT a reference to a logical partition on a hard drive.
    You can Google "Hardware Partition" ans see that it is about individualization.

    richardf77

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      Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
      « Reply #6 on: July 27, 2015, 03:42:07 AM »
      Thanks for replies. Hadnt expected a debate on the legality of what i wanted to do. Always assumed the license applied to the machine not individual installations.

      Just read something about 'virtual machines' as a way of testing out 10 without installin it fully. Would this be a better option than making my machine fully dual boot?

      If i did decide to go dual boot which copy of windows 7 would be best to upgrade? My existing one or the 'new' one?

      BC_Programmer


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      Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
      « Reply #7 on: July 27, 2015, 10:39:26 AM »
      The license applies per copy. This is explicitly spelled out in The Wiindows 7 EULA. Section 2a:
      Quote
      One Copy per Computer.
      You may install one copy of the software on one computer. That
      computer is the “licensed computer.”


      The license applies for One Copy on one computer, which would not include multiple copies on that computer, either with separate partitions or with Virtual Machines.


      Quote
      If i did decide to go dual boot which copy of windows 7 would be best to upgrade? My existing one or the 'new' one?
      If I understand correctly, you want to Dual boot two copies of Windows 7, but only have one license. As we've shown, this would violate the EULA. With regards to upgrading one of those copies to Windows 10, that would violate the EULA as well;if you upgrade a Windows License, you cannot use the "original" license you upgraded without uninstalling the version you upgraded to. So in EULA terms a dual boot between Windows 7 and a Windows 10 install upgraded from Windows 7 requires two Windows 7 licenses.

      You could image your current install, upgrade to Windows 10 and try it, and if you change your mind revert to the image you created to go back to Windows 7.
      I was trying to dereference Null Pointers before it was cool.

      Geek-9pm


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      Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
      « Reply #8 on: July 27, 2015, 03:56:36 PM »
      Quote
      EULA terms a dual boot between Windows 7 and a Windows 10 install upgraded from Windows 7 requires two Windows 7 licenses.
      Lack or proof.

      BC_Programmer


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      Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
      « Reply #9 on: July 27, 2015, 05:20:29 PM »
      Lack or proof.
      The EULA included in Windows 10 Build 10240.
      I was trying to dereference Null Pointers before it was cool.

      Computer_Commando



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      Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
      « Reply #10 on: July 27, 2015, 09:17:02 PM »
      I think it would not violate EULA if 2 copies on 1 machine were:
      1.  Win10-Pro Insider Edition
      2.  Win7-Home Premium upgraded to Win10-Home

      Trying to get them to dual boot took days to accomplish.  None of the tools worked the way they were supposed to.
      Machine is UEFI & drive is GPT.

      Geek-9pm


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      Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
      « Reply #11 on: July 27, 2015, 10:35:57 PM »
      The EULA included in Windows 10 Build 10240.
      Is that the EULA  that  says you can not turn off the PC without permission?  :P
      Quote
          The Software periodically checks for system and app updates, and downloads and installs them for you.
          You may obtain updates only from Microsoft or authorised sources, and Microsoft may need to update your system to provide you with those updates.
          By accepting this agreement, you agree to receive these types of automatic updates without any additional notice.

      BC_Programmer


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      Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
      « Reply #12 on: July 27, 2015, 11:43:32 PM »
      Yeah. the stuff about the Upgrade license is more in line with their previous upgrade versions, so that is less of a surprise.

      For the updates, basically it reduces the update options to "Automatic" and "Prompt to schedule restart".

      That change is idiotic and is one of the reasons I have no intention of upgrading either of my main systems from Windows 8.1.
      I was trying to dereference Null Pointers before it was cool.

      richardf77

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        Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
        « Reply #13 on: July 28, 2015, 04:23:43 AM »
        So if you can only have one copy of windows on one machine without obtaining another license how do people get away with dual boot machines? What started me off on this was googling dual booting and there is loads of info out there on how to do it, particularly if you want to run 2 versions of windows - say for compatibility reasons. This is what i want to do to have the option of going back to 7 if 10 doesnt work out.

        Looks like i am going to just have to go for it with 10 and if i have to go back to 7 i will just have to reinstall it and remove 10.

        What do you mean by 'imaging' a copy of windows? is this the same as running a virtual machine? Can i use removable media to do this? I have in the past tried out Linux based OSs by running them off a DVD. Can i do this with W10 to try it out?

        Computer_Commando



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        Re: 2 copies of Windows 7 on one PC
        « Reply #14 on: July 28, 2015, 01:01:06 PM »
        ...For the updates, basically it reduces the update options to "Automatic" and "Prompt to schedule restart".

        That change is idiotic and is one of the reasons I have no intention of upgrading either of my main systems from Windows 8.1...
        I may just have to keep my tablet on 8.1.  Will also keep images of Win7 machines.

        1.  So if you can only have one copy of windows on one machine without obtaining another license how do people get away with dual boot machines?

        What started me off on this was googling dual booting and there is loads of info out there on how to do it, particularly if you want to run 2 versions of windows - say for compatibility reasons. This is what i want to do to have the option of going back to 7 if 10 doesnt work out.

        2.  Looks like i am going to just have to go for it with 10 and if i have to go back to 7 i will just have to reinstall it and remove 10.

        3.  What do you mean by 'imaging' a copy of windows? is this the same as running a virtual machine? Can i use removable media to do this? I have in the past tried out Linux based OSs by running them off a DVD. Can i do this with W10 to try it out?
        1.  2 separate licenses.
        2.  You can roll back the update within the first month.  No need to reinstall, see #3 below.
        3.  Imaging is backup of the entire hard drive or 1 or more partitions on a hard drive.  No, not a virtual machine.  Use USB Hard drive, images are compressed to about half their original size, image size is about 20GB.  I use a 1TB USB 3.0 portable HDD & Macrium Reflect Free Edition, but there are others, Acronis True Image, etc.  Create the image backup before you do the Win10 update.