Dual Booting Windows 7 and Windows 10

I decided to dual boot Windows 7 and Windows 10, so I made a bootable USB drive from the Windows 10 media creation tool and then installed Windows 10 on the SSD. However, it didn't register as a direct upgrade and needs a product key in order to access certain things. Basically, I need Windows 10 to recognise that it has been upgraded and that it is not a completely new version. The reason why I didn't wait for the download from my reservation was because I didn't know whether I would get the option to install it on a seperate drive from my Windows 7 drive.

Stoby200 said:

Basically, I need Windows 10 to recognise that it has been upgraded and that it is not a completely new version. The reason why I didn't wait for the download from my reservation was because I didn't know whether I would get the option to install it on a seperate drive from my Windows 7 drive.

In order to get Windows 10 to recognize that it has been upgraded, you actually have to upgrade something with it. You have created a completely new Windows 10 installation that you need to purchase a retail license (which comes with a key) for it. Microsoft is only giving away free Windows 10 upgrades. That means, legally, you lose the license to run the previous operating system when you upgrade to Windows 10. Until such time as you uninstall the Windows 10 and switch 100% back to the previous OS. There is nothing, really, physically keeping you from using both at the same time - just against the law.

NavyLCDR said:

In order to get Windows 10 to recognize that it has been upgraded, you actually have to upgrade something with it. You have created a completely new Windows 10 installation that you need to purchase a retail license (which comes with a key) for it.

So, I'm just going to have to be patient and wait for the reservation download then, do you know if you get the option to install Windows 10 on a separate drive when you upgrade that way?

Stoby200 said:

So, I'm just going to have to be patient and wait for the reservation download then, do you know if you get the option to install Windows 10 on a separate drive when you upgrade that way?

No, you don't have to wait for the reservation download. You can use the "Upgrade this PC now" option of the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. However an upgrade install will not give you the option to install it on a separate drive because that would be a clean install - not an upgrade..

Hint: make an image of your Windows 7 installation first, using Macrium Reflect Free.

NavyLCDR said:

No, you don't have to wait for the reservation download. You can use the "Upgrade this PC now" option of the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. However an upgrade install will not give you the option to install it on a separate drive because that would be a clean install - not an upgrade..

Hint: make an image of your Windows 7 installation first, using Macrium Reflect Free.

So, I made the image and put it on my external hdd, and am currently in the process of upgrading from Windows 7 to 10 on my slow old HDD where Windows 7 was. Presumably because I have upgraded I won't need a product key and will be able to either launch the 'other' Windows 10 that I clean installed yesterday or, if this doesn't work, I will try and move the upgraded Windows 10 to the SSD and then put the image of Windows 7 back onto the original Harrdrive, or partition the SSD, and then dual boot from there. That sounds quite complex when I put it into words, but do you think it will work? (Also the Windows 10 upgrade has been stuck on 25% for quite some time now).

Stoby200 said:

That sounds quite complex when I put it into words, but do you think it will work?

It should work, but it will be a violation of the Terms and Conditions that you agreed to for the upgrade. Legally you can only have either the previous OS installed and activated OR the Windows 10 installed and activated - not both.