Installing 2nd copy of Win 10 into free space on hard drive

NavyLCDR said:

Scenario:

The OP had a computer with Windows 7/8/8.1 pre-installed from the factory. He upgraded that to Windows 10. Now the OP wants to install a second copy of Windows 10 for whatever reason he wants - it doesn't matter. He has an unused Windows 8.1 license/product key. Is the OP not entitled to run two upgrades to Windows 10? The first based on the license of the pre-installed Windows that came with the computer, and the second based on the license of the additional Windows 8.1 license/product key?

Yes, both copies of Windows 10 on that computer will say "Activated with a digital entitlement." And yes, both copies of Windows 10 may very well be activated with the same digital entitlement. But that isn't the OP's problem or concern. Microsoft takes him to court and he shows the judge/jury the original Windows license that came with the computer and he shows them the second external license/product key. Two licenses for Windows = rights to have two copies of Windows installed.

Remember, Microsoft considers a partition to be a separate device. The OP can have two devices running on the same computer. So, therefore, Microsoft is obligated to upgrade both of those devices for free to Windows 10 before July 29th. Partition 1 with the OEM Windows that came with the computer and partition 2 with the Windows from the external license/product key. If Microsoft did not make provisions for keeping those two digital entitlements for Windows 10 seperate from each other - that is not the OPs problem or concern.

NavyLCDR has pretty much described my situation. The system is a Lenovo Laptop, Win 7 pre-installed. I have a spare Win 8.1 key from the Microsoft Partners program. My company used to be in that program. I never did install Win 8 ...

Why two copies of Windows? So I can test out "trialware" and the like while not cluttering my main Windows partition with all kinds of digital detritus. I like a stable system. :)

Use a Virtual Machine for testing, much better than dual booting I think. I use Oracle VirtualBox for this as well as installing and testing the latest Insider Preview of Windows 10.

NavyLCDR said:

Format the free space as an NTFS partition. Boot from the Windows 10 installation USB flash drive or DVD. Select the custom install option. Point the Windows installer to the blank NTFS partition you made and click next to install to that partition. It will set up dual booting for you.

I just want to save SOLVED! I know the quote is from an early part of this thread, but I also want to say that it's a real timesaver going straight to Win 10, instead of having to install win 8.1 and then doing the upgrade.

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